Poundland LED xmas stuff.

Yeah, the crystal is essential for accurate timing. I wrote a bit of code for a PIC12 processor to see if the internal clock was accurate enough for daily switching, but the drift with battery voltage and other factors was so large that it was unviable. If the Poundland sets do have the timing function then it has an unoccupied space for a crystal so it may just be roughing it with the internal oscillator, which could result in dodgy timing.

Big Clive

Ha! I thought that board was a bit too simple, how can you get timing with only resistors and no capacitor? (well, unless there's an internal clock but even then a lot of those need external RC elements...) But, on the back of the board: <a href="http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-13-00.18.21a.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-13-00.18.21a.jpg</a> That looks like a small xtal to me...

Mark Dennehy

I did notice that the Lidl lights that came out this week have that timer function courtesy of a tiny smd 8-pin microcontroller of some kind. My first thought was a PIC12 of some variety but I suppose it makes more financial sense for it to be something more akin to that 3-cent OTP microcontroller everyone's raving about right now. Either way, the only marking is the text "T6-24" which you can just about make out if you squint through my camera's rather terrible photos: <a href="http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.47.54a.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.47.54a.jpg</a> <a href="http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.53.01a.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.53.01a.jpg</a> <a href="http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.53.52a.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.53.52a.jpg</a> (Three-way switch, middle position is a six-hour-on-18-hour-off timer) <a href="http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.49.11a.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.49.11a.jpg</a> <a href="http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.51.31.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-23.51.31.jpg</a> Very simple little board. And you get batteries (Panasonic name-brand alkaline batteries, no less). Not bad for €2.99 (£2.61).

Mark Dennehy

Money well spent. Note that some of the shops have a warm white set of the tungsten-like strings. And I've just discovered they may actually have a built in timer function. But not with crystal accuracy.

Big Clive

Dear Clive, I blame you. <a href="http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-20.34.46a.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-11-12-20.34.46a.jpg</a> Actually, it's not *bad* chocolate, but I didn't think anything could make cadburys taste fancy before now...

Mark Dennehy

"Inspired by the Wrekin and Ercall Hills" made me chuckle - wasn't expecting a Shropshire reference on Poundland chocolate, much less as a cheeky comparison to Swiss mountains...!

Ben Oliver

Thanks Clive.

Nuts 'n' Proud

Wife was watching this and right as you point out that the queen tastes orangey, she observed that everyone in Ireland would be saying "Of course she's Orange, she's the queen of England!" :D

Mark Dennehy

The teardrop lights were last years winner. The new bubbly balls are even better.

Big Clive

If I were ever to become queen of an empire, I'd let you lick my face. Just you and just once. Ya-know, for science.

Nani Isobel

Just been out and got some of these lights - really nice swapped the multi colour on to the bubbles ( from the pegs ) look great some bubble-y teardrop ones too all a bargain at a quid a pack :) resisted the urge to pick up the 'Twin Peaks' bar though

mark barratt

Babies will try to eat AA batteries. Or more likely they'll try chewing on it, thanks to the wonders of teething. So yeah, the screw on the battery compartments are very much worth having, as much as an annoyance they can be.

David Rickard

"They really do light the balls" - now there's a phrase I need to weave in to everyday conversation.

Matt Tester

I may lick your face, but you'll never take...MY FREEDOM !

Yes, clever idea – Like the Joule Thief on steroids. I hope you have the opportunity to vivisect one in the future.

I saw them being used on one of the Canadian technical channels. They actually seem to work quite well.

Big Clive

I just heard about these capacitor-based car jump starters on a podcast and thought you might be interested: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079HL6MMM?tag=pcper0a4-20" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079HL6MMM?tag=pcper0a4-20</a> The idea is that you trickle charge it from what little current is left in your car battery (or a phone charger!) and it boosts it up to a brief, high current output for jump starting.

I agree about alkaline batteries. I feel zinc batteries are also very wasteful environmentally speaking because you would get through so many more.

Gadgetman

Look forward to that video, been looking to get one for a while

mark barratt

You could if you added a series resistor to limit the current at full charge.

Big Clive

I ordered one a few days ago. Just the 20A one with integral current sensing.

Big Clive

Ebay lately has these 6 in 1 "LCD power monitor" for around $14, with voltage, current, real power, frequency, power factor and energy. They don't come with a nice case like the hopi meter, but they don't flicker on video. I used a large rectangular IP44 power junction box as the case for mine.

at the risk of missing the point completely lol could you 'rig' an 18650 or other Li-Ion pack on the 3v sets? or are you better off with the 2 x AA?

mark barratt

Well, that was disappointing. It was only a lolly.

Chuck Kirchner

the queen is going to attack poundland XD

Groovy1024

They still seem to do the berry version in tungsten.

Big Clive

It tasted Trumpy.

Big Clive

I'm imagining your house has christmas like affixed permanently on the outside? LOL

I was in Poundland today to pick up the old trusty tungsten fairy lights only to find they were LEDs incognito! Glad I looked at the back of the box before buying - rather hope that they will still sell them!

When you say "orangey" did you mean "lizard-ey"?

Phil Collins

I bet you have licked the back of the Queen’s head before. Although stamps are self adhesive now.

evilution

MMMMM licking the queens face only here can this be combined with led's

God 420