Except when playing blind man's buff, it's always a good idea to keep your eyes wide open, hahahaha.

Not quite with my eyes closed Alessandro😆
I kept burning my fingers on the soldering iron😭
You know, I've been wondering what profession you followed, considering all the tech stuff you've been posting?

Cheers, Doug😎
PS I always have stock of 555s as well as the dual version 556.

As already mentioned (see attachment) the NE555 integrated circuit is a "historic" component.
Don't worry though, because you will find it easily.
It has been so successful, it is so well known among electronics, it has so many uses that it is still widely marketed.

Dear RC naval modeller, if you are reading this topic for the first time and do not want to use an integrated component, I invite you to also read the second message of this same topic.
You can achieve the same result with single discrete components.
Even these components (transistors, resistors and capacitors) are certainly not very young, not younger than the NE555, but they will work well and you will have your flashing LED.
I prefer the first circuit because it was useful for explaining the physical functioning of the individual components to my son (a question of affection and nostalgia).

Logically these diagrams and videos are not aimed at engineers like Doug (RNIn Munich) who are capable of designing and building an ESC circuit with their eyes closed, or other more complete circuits without turning to the Chinese electronic world, as almost all of us do.
The suggestions, diagrams and all the basic information are aimed at those who are not very familiar with electronics but have the desire and patience to make small and simple circuits.

From this perspective I hope I have been useful to someone.

Classic astable multivibrator circuits Lew👍
Replace the timing capacitors with resistors and add switches from each base to ground; Set and Reset, and you can turn them into latching circuits.😉

😎

These circuits based on the 555 timer have been around for quite a while. Used these over 30 years ago. Have one in my CG boat. Lew

... follows from the previous message in this topic ...

I'm happy that someone might be interested in putting a flashing LED on board their model ship.
Even in the diorama of a port it might make sense to insert a LED or several flashing LEDs.

For this reason I also wanted to show you this very simple diagram, in which there are even fewer components but the NE555 integrated circuit must be used.
In my opinion it is a valid alternative to those already illustrated because this too is easy, economical, light, takes up little space and has low consumption.

I have put two different wiring diagrams, because someone might be better off with the second one and vice versa. The third attached image reminds you of how the layout of this "historic" integrated circuit is made.

Very important, and which I would like to point out, is that the value of the capacitor determines the time interval of light (the flashing frequency).
The higher the Farad value, the longer the time (we know that the RC constant is a physical characteristic of the capacitor), the lower the value, the faster the flashing becomes.
In fact, in the video where there is a 10 micro Farad capacitor the flashing is fast while in the video where I inserted a 100 micro Farad capacitor the flashing is very slow.
With values so distant from each other you can appreciate the difference very well.
To you the choice.


In the first two videos comparing the two different capacitors I used a 9 volt battery.
In the last video I used a 6 volt battery and a switch connected to the receiver (and therefore radio controlled).
I remind you that with lower voltage the value of the electrical resistance in series with the LED must be modified. For this reason I refer you to read the previous message.

I hope it can be useful to someone.


I also attach YouTube links for those who are unable to open the videos directly.

... continues from the third message of this topic ...


Good evening everyone.

To use this circuit on a naval model you can use a radio-controlled switch, as can be seen in the attached photos and videos.

It is certainly better to have the possibility of turning on the LEDs (whether they are flashing or fixed) remotely rather than manually.

The switch will be connected to a channel of the receiver and will directly power the circuit.
In this case the switch will be much less useful, but you can put it anyway. I would put it.

The switch I used is only good for low currents, because it directly takes the battery current that passes through the receiver.
For higher electrical powers it is better to use another type of switch. The one that galvanically separates the circuits is better. You recognize it because it has four cables instead of two (in addition to the three that go to the receiver). Alternatively, a relay can be used.

Since I used the same voltage as the battery that powers the radio receiver, the resistance in series with the LED is lower than what I used when the power supply was 9 volts.
In this case we have a resistance of 220 Ohms.
R=(Vr-Vled)/I= (6-2)/0.018=222 Ohm.

If you are new to this type of problem and need more information you can ask me and other modelers specific questions.

I also attach the YouTube file for those who are unable to open the videos directly.

Hi Peejay, this sounds like a great idea.


Hi CommodoreH, unfortunately on my model flashing lights would be completely inappropriate but on many RC models they would be very appropriate and fun.

A harbor patrol boat immediately comes to mind, as that bit of ‘animation’ would make it stand out.

I remember years ago, putting a flashing red at the top of the fin of a Cessna.

Thanks for these circuits. I’m sure there are a lot of uses that they can serve. 😊

I like it!

Now I need to build a boat to go with it