Nite Rider Lights

Paul Hill

The circuit is drawn with PCB 123 which you can download for free from http://www.pcb123.com

Nite Rider Lights

Click for enlarge

As a keen cyclist I am always looking for ways to be seen at night. I wanted something that was a novelty and would catch the motorists eye. So looking around at my fellow cyclists rear lights, I came up with the idea of 'NITE-RIDER'. NINE extra bright LED's running from left to right and right to left continuously. It could be constructed with red LEDs for use on the rear of the bike or white LED's for an extra eye catcher on the front of the bike.

All IC's are CMOS devices so that a 9V PP3 battery can be used, and the current drawn is very low so that it will last as long as possible.


The circuit comprises of ...

  • 1 555 timer IC4.
  • 1 4027 flip flop IC1.
  • 2 4017 Decade Counter IC2 and IC3.
  • 3 4071 OR gate IC5, IC6 and IC7.
  • 1 470 Ohm resistor 1/4 watt R3.
  • 2 10K resistors 1/4 watt R1 and R2.
  • 1 6.8UF Capasitor 16V C1.
  • 9 Super brght LED's 1 to 9.
  • 1 9V PP3 Battery.
  • 1 single pole switch SW1.
  • 1 Box.

How The Circuit Works.

IC4, C1, R1 and R2 are used for the clock pulse which is fed to both the counters IC2 and IC3 Pin 14.

IC1 is a Flip Flop and is used as a switch to enable ether IC2 or IC3 at pin 13.

IC7a detects when ether IC2 or IC3 has reached Q9 of the counter pin 11.

IC5, IC6 and IC7a protects the outputs of the counters IC2 and IC3 using OR gates which is then fed to the Anodes of the
LED's 1 to 9.


Download schematic in PCB123 format

electronics-lab.com