An LED differs from a light bulb in that frequent switching on and off does not shorten its lifespan. This allows it to be used in conjunction with current breakers without fear of damage.
Instructions
Step 1
The easiest way to make the LED blink is with a built-in breaker. To do this, apply voltage to it in direct polarity. Some of these diodes have built-in resistors so that they can be supplied with up to four volts without an external resistor. But remember that they also have reverse polarity protection diodes. If you connect such an LED to the source incorrectly, and at the same time do not use a resistor, the protective diode will heat up and melt the light-emitting crystal. To prevent this from happening, when checking the polarity of such an LED, use a resistor without fail. Do the same with a supply voltage exceeding four volts, and also if you do not know if there is a protective resistor in the flashing LED.
Step 2
By periodically turning the crystal on and off, the breaker in the blinking LED modulates the current consumption of the device accordingly. This allows it to be used to interrupt current through two or three more conventional LEDs. Turn them on, observing the polarity, in sequence with flashing. In the same chain, connect the resistor in series, and increase the supply voltage so that it is enough to open all the LEDs. Regular LEDs will flash in sync with the flashing one.
Step 3
In some cases, it is necessary that the LEDs flash not synchronously, but in a discordant manner. In this case, all of them should be blinking. Connect them in parallel, observing the polarity. If they require resistors, connect one in series with each one.
Step 4
You can also make the LED blink in other ways. The most common of these is the use of RC generators, otherwise called multivibrators. They are divided into symmetrical, asymmetrical and made on logical elements. Try, in particular, to build such a generator according to the diagram shown in the illustration. In this case, the two LEDs will flash alternately.
Step 5
If you are building a structure that includes an Arduino firmware platform or similar, do not use additional elements to make it flash. Connect it through a resistor either with the anode to the positive of the power supply and the cathode to the controller output, or the cathode to the common wire and the anode to the controller output. In the first case, it will glow at a logical zero, in the second - at a logical one. By writing the program in such a way that the logic level at the corresponding output changes periodically, you will make the LED blink.
