building a diy little controller for 2x 220v christmas led strings

mmikee02

New elf
Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Messages
3
Hello,
I'm new on you forum, and I need your help please.

I have buy 2 pieces of 220v led strings, which came with a little 8 effect box each.
This effect box is really "bullHoHoHo", so, I removed it, and placed a 8A rectifier bridge in place of this (collected from old pc powers supplies... I know that 8A is a little "too much";), but, as we say here who/what can do the most, can do the least...:D)
Now, I have 2 beautiful strings "steady-on".
I want now to make a little diy effect box, which just alternate these 2 strings with dimming function.
  1. When powering on , the first string dim up slowly to his max, the second string is off.
  2. When 1st string is fully on, wait 1 or 2 seconds, and begin to dimm to off while the second string begin to dim up to his max.
  3. When 2nd string is fully on, wait 1 or 2 seconds, and begin to dimm to off while the first string begin to dim up to his max.
  4. repeat again & again... :p
Can anyone help me to do a schematic for such controller? My electronic knowledge's are too basics to make it alone myself.

Edit : the max current into the led string is 23/23mA (measured with a Fluke multimeter)
 
Last edited:

AAH

I love blinky lights :)
Community project designer
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Dec 27, 2010
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For the time and effort involved in doing that you're probably better off ignoring those lights and changing to some low voltage ones. Low voltage DC lights are a lot easier to control and you could run them with an arduino and a mosfet. AC lights are much harder to control and 220V lights require that things be much safer. If you really wanted to you could use and arduino and an optotriac for a minimum parts dimmer.
 

mmikee02

New elf
Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Messages
3
If you really wanted to you could use and arduino and an optotriac for a minimum parts dimmer.
Hello,
thank you for your interest on my project. :)
These leds strings are new, so I don't really want to change it. I will look to an arduino or attiny solution as you suggested...
Thank you for the idea.
 
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