Need an electronics primer

[Dr. Snuts, M.D.]

Can anyone suggest a good primer for basic LED and CCFL lighting? I'm thinking of something in book form as I tried reading tutorials on he web and they just left me scratching my head. All I want to do it light my models nicely, maybe put in a circuit for a few blinking lights. i don't need to know how to rewire a radio or build my own transmission tower. Something simple, yet direct. Help? Please?

Thanks in advance.

[MillenniumFalsehood]

How basic do you want it? There are simple tutorials on the web. As for the blinking lights effect, simply use a blinking LED available from Radio Shack. And if you need more than one, just hook them up in series. On the back of the package is a listing for voltage; this is the minumum required to light the LED. You'll need a resistor as well. There are resistor calculators on the net: just enter in the voltage of the LEDs you are using and the voltage of the batteries you're using and it'll calulate the nearest value of resistor you need.

And if it's still too complicaed, just ask one of the guys here on Starship Modeler to make a simple circuit for you.

[jwrjr]

I wouldn't use a flashing led because you don't have control over the flashing rate. But I certainly agree that there is somebody (likely several somebodies) here who can help you out.