rfc@briar.philips.com (Robert Casey;6282;3.57;$0201) (11/04/89)
random bright xmas lights Here's a simple circuit to create a nice effect with those small xmas light strings on the tree. Get an even number of light strings, some with blinkers. Getting pairs of sets would be good, but not critical. Get a pair of 120V outlet sockets, and wire them in series. Plug in half of the strings into one of the sockets, and the other half into the other socket. Connect the series wired outlets to the powerline. Any one string of lights will have about 60V across it. When some of the blinkers start working, some of the lights will vary in brightness, some brighter, some dimmer, and of course some go out! The time-brightness pattern will be random. Of course, the lights will always be dimmer than when you plug them in directly to 120V, but they're still plenty bright enough. And they will last much longer. It works best with 8 or so strings. You may want to swap around strings to fine tune average brightness levels. +-string--+ +--string-+ I-string--I I--string-I I-string--I I--string-I I-string--I I--string-I I-string--I I--string-I I I I I I socket I__I socket I I ____________________I I I 120V ckt detail _________________ __ / \ --I \------+ socket socket / --I__/----------I I----I I----+ 120V plug 73 de WA2ISE (you got lots of time to do this! :-)