The Internet

As a massive fan of the IT Crowd it made sense to create an identical replica to the box that provides the entire internet to the world. Ideally situation on the top of Big Ben (for best reception) this wireless device is to be handled with absolute care at all times. It’s a perfect talking point when giving a speech as employee of the month.

This project begins with a black box. Simply determine the centre point and drill a hole and fit an led mount. The light is a standard 5mm diffused LED.

Circuitry is a little fiddly. The ideal circuit here is a high resistor, high capacitor joule thief to create a single flash around once per second. However red LEDs do not like this setup due to their low forward voltage. To create a bit more back pressure a single BAT43 diode and small cap across the output is inserted to allow the light to flash in a predictable and reliable way. Without it the light can become erratic. It is also more sensitive to bizarre behaviour as the battery voltage lowers.

The final product is a small flashing light that blinks around once per second. I estimate this should run for many many years without replacing the battery. It’s a circuit that could be used in many applications from toys to alarms.

This product will be available in kit form from the shop soon.