• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Homemade Circuit Projects

Need circuit help? Post them in the comments! I've answered over 50,000!

Blog | Categories | About | Contact | Calculators-online
You are here: Home / Mini Projects / Single Transistor LED Flasher Circuit

Single Transistor LED Flasher Circuit

Last Updated on March 9, 2025 by Swagatam 145 Comments

It is possibly the smallest LED flasher to date, which is able to flash an LED ON/OFF infinitely using a single transistor, a resistor, and a capacitor.

Table of Contents
  • How it Works
  • Parts List for the proposed single transistor LED flasher circuit
  • Circuit Diagram
  • Calculating the LED Flashing Frequency
  • To adjust the flashing rate:
  • Connecting an External Transistor for Higher Loads
  • Video Clip:
  • PCB Design

Can you imagine making a great looking LED flasher or blinker with just a single transistor and a couple of other passive parts?

That's exactly what I have explained in this post! This is perhaps the world's simplest and the tiniest LED flasher you can get!

How it Works

I came across this phenomena some eight years ago (2006), accidentally, while trying to make a smallest possible motorcycle side indicator flasher, and was surprised by the phenomenon.

However, then I realized that the phenomenon was already discovered by Mr. Dick Cappels while investigating the negative resistance theory in BJTs by the Japanese researcher Mr. Reona Esaki (Aka Leo).

Reona Esaki's thesis work in the relevant field and on tunnel diodes ultimately won him the Nobel Prize in 1972.

That looks too good to be true, however the following diagram will simply prove that it's really possible to create a working LED flasher circuit using just one general purpose transistor as the main component.

At that time, I was unaware that this was occurring as a result of the transistor's negative resistance characteristics.

The circuit actually exploits the negative resistance factor in transistors to produce the blinking effect.

I'll be soon writing a comprehensive article on this and we'll see there how the concept can be modified in many different ways.

Parts List for the proposed single transistor LED flasher circuit

  • R1 = 2K7,
  • R2 = 100 Ohms,
  • T1 = BC 547,
  • C1 = 100 uF to 470 uF
  • LED = Any Type, any color

The flashing rate could be varied either by changing the value of R1 or C1 or both together. But the supply voltage not be less than 9V otherwise the circuit might fail to work correctly.


You may also love to read this article: Blinking LED Circuit using LDR


Circuit Diagram

LED flasher circuit diagram using single transistor

Calculating the LED Flashing Frequency

You can use the following formula for approximately calculating the LED ON/OFF blinking rate

Frequency (f) ≈ 1 / (2.1 * R * C)

Where:

  • R is the resistance in ohms
  • C is the capacitance in farads

This formula gives us a rough idea of what the flashing frequency might be. But the actual frequency can be affected by a hand full of different factors, for example like the specific components you are using in the circuit, the voltage of the power supply and also the temperature.

To adjust the flashing rate:

  • Increase the resistance (R): If we make the resistance higher, it will take longer for the capacitor to charge up which means the flashing rate will be slowed down.
  • Decrease the capacitance (C): On the opposite side, if we lower the capacitance vaalue, the capacitor will charge up faster causing the flashing rate to speed up.

Connecting an External Transistor for Higher Loads

single transistor high power LED flasher circuit diagram

Video Clip:

PCB Design

single transistor flasher PCB design

You'll also like:

  • 1.  12V LED String Light Flasher Circuit for Christmas Decoration
  • 2.  3 Glittering LED Christmas Tree Light Circuits Explored
  • 3.  Visitor Counter Circuit Using IC 555 and IC 4026
  • 4.  230 Volts Bulb String Light Circuit for Diwali and Christmas
  • 5.  Electronic Measuring Tape Circuit using Ultrasound
  • 6.  Mains AC Xenon Tube Flasher Circuit

About Swagatam

I am an electronics engineer with over 15 years of hands-on experience. I am passionate about inventing, designing electronic circuits and PCBs, and helping hobbyists bring their projects to life. That is why I founded homemade-circuits.com, a website where I share innovative circuit ideas and tutorials. Have a circuit related question? Leave a comment.... I guarantee a reply!

Previous Post: « Automatic Voltage Stabilizer Circuit for TV sets and Refrigerator
Next Post: How to Calculate Transformerless Power Supply Circuits »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amir saraf says

    April 16, 2025 at 6:42 am

    Hello dear friends
    It is a very good and economical circuit, I have made it, I suggest you make several of it using different R&C. As a result, the frequencies of each will be different and when they are together in one place, they create a beautiful set with unpredictable combinations. Also, using two transistors (one oscillator which is seen in the circuit above and oneA current boosting transistor (preferably a 2N2222) can drive up to 4 LEDs. If 4 circuits are made with 4 LEDs, we will have 16 attractive LEDs. To boost, remove the LED and replace it with a 100k resistor, and connect the base of the boosting transistor to the collector of the oscillator transistor.
    thanks

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      April 16, 2025 at 8:18 am

      Sounds like a great idea, thanks for your interesting feedback!

      Reply
  2. Tom says

    March 18, 2025 at 3:25 am

    Hi Swagatam,
    In the single-transistor circuit, if there’s no connection to the base of the transistor, isn’t it just a diode?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      March 18, 2025 at 8:09 am

      Hi Tom,
      For the BJT to work like a diode, its base must be connected to its collector.
      Here the base is open, and furthermore the emitter is connected to the positive, which is rather supposed to be connected to ground in a standard configuration, so the design is indeed weird.

      Reply
      • Tom says

        March 18, 2025 at 12:35 pm

        Thanks for the clarification. We’re agreed that the design is a little weird. 🙂

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          March 18, 2025 at 2:37 pm

          Yep :p, thanks for your feedback…

          Reply
  3. MichaelR says

    February 16, 2025 at 8:49 am

    Hi Swagatam,
    Any reason why this would not work? I have checked the components and re-checked the breadboard placements. I am using a 12V power source. Using 470uF (but have also tried 100uF).

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      February 16, 2025 at 2:11 pm

      Hi Michael,
      There could be 3 possible reasons.
      Transistor is faulty, or connected the wrong way.
      LED is faulty or connected the wrong way.
      Supply connected the wrong way.

      Reply
      • MichaelR says

        February 16, 2025 at 6:19 pm

        Thanks Swagatam.
        Thinking it must be the transistor. LED works fine. 12V power reads correctly on the multimeter. I am using an N2222a NPN with the collector to the cathode of the LED. Breadboard check out ok too. Weird as I had this working a few months ago, boxed it up, took it out last week and it is not working now and no reason for it. Should I specifically use the BC547? As I said though this circuit was working originally.

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          February 16, 2025 at 7:11 pm

          That looks strange indeed?? If it was working earlier that means the 2N2222 is fine to be used here.
          Since the transistor is the heart of the circuit it makes sense to try a different version, for example the BC547.
          In my experiment I had used a BC547 so i would specifically recommend this BJT over any other variant.
          Let me know if it solves the problem or not.

          Reply
          • MichaelR says

            February 20, 2025 at 12:56 pm

            Hi Swagatam. Changed out the transistor and nothing improved. Changed all component positions on the breadboard. Nothing improved.
            Changed breadboards. Nothing improved. Changed out the transistor again. Starts flashing. What the?!! Frustrating but glad it works now.
            thanks for your help.

            Reply
            • Swagatam says

              February 20, 2025 at 6:10 pm

              Hi Michael, as you can see the circuit design is not standard rather uses an unusual “negative resistance characteristics” of the BJT through a non-standard configuration, maybe that is why things can be unpredictable sometime…
              Anyway, I am glad your LED is flashing again now. All the best to you…

              Reply
              • Michael R says

                March 6, 2025 at 6:17 pm

                Hi Swagatam. Got it working eventually. It’s very voltage sensitive. 9V works. 12V it stops. But it works. Instead of an LED on a 9V circuit, could I just use this as a timing circuit to open and close a higher voltage circuit with a brighter LED? I need a really bright red LED. Ideally red, white and yellow cycling on consecutive pulses from the timing circuit. Can you suggest some really bright really LEDs? They will run on a 20V circuit.

                Thanks again.

                Reply
                • Swagatam says

                  March 6, 2025 at 6:44 pm

                  Hi Michael,
                  Glad to know you could eventually figure out the issue.
                  As you said the circuit is too sensitive, that means removing the existing LED might again cause it to malfunction.
                  So I would recommend keeping that LED as is, and configure the external LED as shown in the second diagram.
                  But for 3 consecutive LEDs you will need a 4017 IC to be configured with the above flasher circuit.
                  Let me know if you want that circuit.

                  Reply
                  • Michael R says

                    March 6, 2025 at 8:00 pm

                    Thanks. Yes. That would be helpful. What are the smallest and brightest LEDs you have come across? I am finding 12V on a standard LED is not bright enough. The input is a 20V line so I need to divide that to a 9V circuit for the flasher and a small motor. The three colour LEDs will get 20V.
                    Thanks

                    Reply
                    • Swagatam says

                      March 7, 2025 at 9:56 am

                      Just 3.3V is enough to get super bright illumination on any good LED, so 12V might be sufficient for even 4 LEDs in series.
                      The LED brightness depends on the quality of the LED and its series resistor value.
                      The 20 mA red LEDs which I have are so bright that it is painful to look at them even for a second.
                      The red ones are normally the brightest and the green ones are normally not so bright.
                      You can probably check the datasheet of a particular make and check its lumen rating verify its brightness level.
                      You can try the following design for your specific application.

                      " rel="ugc">comment image

  4. Malc says

    August 2, 2024 at 9:23 am

    Hi. Why doesn’t that work so well with a small blue led?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      August 2, 2024 at 11:23 am

      Hi, it should work well with all types of LEDs regardless of color or any other specifications, as long as the voltage input is between 9V and 12V DC. Try adjusting the resistor value for optimal illumination.

      Reply
      • Malc says

        August 5, 2024 at 8:45 am

        Thanks. Blue led works fine with a 1K resistor.

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          August 5, 2024 at 9:09 am

          Ok, sounds great, thanks for the feedback…

          Reply
  5. KRAB Babu says

    June 8, 2024 at 5:20 pm

    Dear Swagatam, i have 2 diff. questions.1. For flasher with single transistor, as per the diagram, Not sure what is the issue, only when i touch the emitter or collector , ( Some earth effect), the flasher is working. Not sure why. I verbatim did as per your diagram. can you help.

    2. A FEW Weeks back i sought your advice for spike arrestor / suppressor circuit, and With GDT / MOV, You were very helpful. I have a doubt, that the client site, is basically an explosive environment kind of, since any unsafe act will lead to probable safety issue. Is the GDT usage, is common for all environments or it should not be used in an exploisve or fire hazard environment. I ask this query since, i saw some videos on nice working of GDT, but it conducts in the hydrogen gas environment within the tube with pop up sound. Is it a safety issue for a fire / explosive hazard environment pl.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      June 8, 2024 at 6:45 pm

      Thank you KRAB Babu, for posting you questions.
      The above flasher circuit is tested by me and I did not encounter any such issues. The flasher that I build started working immediately upon switching ON.
      Make sure the transistor you are using is a good quality one and not a duplicate one, also make sure the power supply is a 12V DC.
      Let me know how it goes.
      As for the GDT issue, yes it can be hazardous to use GDTs in explosive environments because GDTs are not intrinsically safe.
      In explosive environments, make sure to use only those devices that are certified as intrinsically safe.

      Reply
      • KRAB Babu says

        June 8, 2024 at 6:55 pm

        Dear Swagatam, thank you very much for your rpely. i dont know if i used poor quality as i buy that from market. I WILL Try that again, as you said.

        Thanks for your inputs on GDT Also. your support is excellent and prompt.

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          June 8, 2024 at 7:16 pm

          You are most welcome Dear KRAB Babu, all the best to you.
          Let me know if you have any further questions.

          Reply
          • KRAB Babu says

            June 8, 2024 at 7:32 pm

            May I ask you question, but a bit diff.. Along with the flasher circuit with one transistor, I plan to drive using a Toggle switch for alerting an Operator . In addition, upon this flashing signal, the OPERATOR has to push down a push button switch ( Latching – to Normally closed position ). But, upon changing the push button switch to NC condition, the flashing must stop. I am setting up the circuit, that current flows to low resistance path and it will work.

            Reply
            • Swagatam says

              June 9, 2024 at 8:57 am

              The latching and unlatching of the relay should be through a single push button, right?
              The application looks possible to me.

              Reply
              • KRAB Babu says

                June 10, 2024 at 12:49 pm

                thanks for the reply swagatam. THE LATCHING and unlatching of the relay is one part. But, some flashing action, i want to happen , that needs to be stopped by a push button that is part of latching circuit. i also shared some pictures to you by mail. could you please advice me.

                Reply
                • Swagatam says

                  June 11, 2024 at 8:25 am

                  Thank you KRAB Babu, I think it is possible to design a circuit diagram as per your requirement. Once the relay is latched and then unlatched the flashing LED would stop simultaneously.
                  In which email ID did you send the pics, I checked my two email IDs but could not find your email.

                  Reply
                  • KRAB Babu says

                    June 11, 2024 at 10:41 am

                    Thank you for your reply. i sent the pictures in this mail id sorry though for confusion from me. since, i did not have any other mail id . [email protected]

                    Reply
                    • Swagatam says

                      June 11, 2024 at 1:08 pm

                      Sorry, that’s not the correct email ID.
                      You can find the email IDs on this page:
                      https://www.homemade-circuits.com/contact/

      • D. Cappels says

        July 11, 2024 at 10:15 am

        Also, for a given transistor you might find it helpful to “play around” with the power supply voltage.

        Reply
  6. Dave says

    March 29, 2024 at 7:42 pm

    Hi Swagatam.
    Thanks for your enthusiasm and willingness to answer questions.
    Do you think it would be possible to put a capacitor between T1 and the LED to make that fade in and out?
    I’ve developed spinal cancer and getting back into electronics as I’ve lost mobility.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      March 30, 2024 at 8:39 am

      Hi Dave,

      I think a capacitor put in parallel to the LED will be enough to produce a certain of fading effect.
      I am sorry about your illness, I wish you a speedy recovery.

      Reply
  7. Ces M says

    November 12, 2023 at 5:07 pm

    I dont think the circuit works looking at the diagram for how can the current flow from positive to ground in that npn transistor?

    Well this may have been a typo error, the collector and emitter should be interchanged.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      November 12, 2023 at 6:46 pm

      The diagram is actually correct. The configuration indeed appears to be wrong, but it actually works, and it works only when connected in the way it is shown. It works by using the transistor’s negative resistance characteristics.

      Reply
  8. Josh Farrel says

    March 9, 2023 at 5:11 am

    hi i was wondering if there was a way to make a 5v “flasher” i am building a simulator with a real dash out of a truck and want the original turn signals to work on the dash i have replaced the 12v lights with 5v leds and want them to flash when i use the turn signal switch and hazards button any help is appreciated

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      March 9, 2023 at 11:55 am

      You truck flasher will have a relay….so the 5V LED can be wired parallel to the relay coil or the contacts with a series resistor, for getting a synchronized flashing action.

      Reply
      • Josh Farrel says

        March 9, 2023 at 4:43 pm

        but the factory flasher and relay are 12v im using a generic joystick controller to power the turn signal switch and thats 5v i was looking for something to use in line the original circuit to replace the factory flasher and relay

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          March 9, 2023 at 5:34 pm

          Would the circuits from this article work for you? You can use 5V for these circuits with slight modifications:

          https://www.homemade-circuits.com/3-pin-solid-state-car-turn-indicator-flasher-circuit-transistorized/

          Reply
  9. Bret Tschacher says

    February 19, 2023 at 5:42 am

    The post indicates the BC547 which is an NPN yet the schematic indicates the Emitter connected the + potential down stream of a current limiting R with a voltage dropper from the collector to the LED. Is this correct? I was under the impression the junction of the transistor would not allow current to pass reverse such as indicated here. Just curious as I never tried working with negative resistance as in stated in the text above, for that matter I never heard of negative resistance until here as far as I can remember. Just wanting to know if this a was an oops in the drawing or the way it actually works. I suppose I could just build it as is since I have all the parts on hand. I have a perfect use for this circuit in a project I’m working on now, if works that’s great, other wise it’s a flashing LED when they arrive in the mail in a week or so.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      February 19, 2023 at 9:16 am

      Yes, the circuit really works, as you can see it in the video.
      It is actually a special type of configuration in which the BJT works using its negative resistance theory to conduct in reverse.
      You can try it, it will surely work.

      Reply
      • Bret Tschacher says

        February 20, 2023 at 8:53 am

        Well I can say that it did work for a while. It appears the bread board I’m using is wore out. Darn it. I was attempting to adjust the flash rate and had the capacitance up to 1000uf to get the flash rate slowed down to a more suitable timing, was pretty happy with it but would like to have had it a bit slower for my purpose. I like the bright on and the short duration but would like to have the duration on a bit longer. I guess I will try a different board to see if I can get it flashing again and then experiment with the On duration and pulse rate. But the idea is the simplicity and very low component count, kind of defeating the purpose going beyond what it is. I guess the ever popular 555 is my alternative now so it’s good to know what I have learned here today.

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          February 20, 2023 at 9:31 am

          Thanks for the feedback!! You can also try varying the R1 resistor to adjust the flash rate

          Reply
      • Nick Aryan says

        December 3, 2023 at 8:43 am

        I came across this by accident as well, it does work and I have been wondering

        Reply
  10. Dom says

    November 14, 2022 at 8:39 pm

    Like the unusual circuit! So many references to “simple LC flasher circuit” on internet, but nothing found. Where to find a tiny circuit to flash LED string?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      November 15, 2022 at 9:22 am

      Please provide the specifications of the LED string? I will try to suggest a suitable circuit.

      Reply
      • Dom says

        November 24, 2022 at 8:24 am

        Specifications are difficult to find. The strips are mostly available in 12V, 300 LEDs, available batteries are 5V, time on is 300ms, frequency is ~2HZ. So the circuit has to boost the voltage. The operation period will be <2 minutes usually. I have some BTA16 800B if they can be used.

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          November 24, 2022 at 10:04 am

          A DC load cannot be used with a triac, it will get latched. You can probably try the second circuit from the above article. You can replace the 2N2222 with a bigger transistor such as TIP142 and connect your LEDs across the load points.

          Reply
  11. Kerry Anort says

    September 2, 2022 at 8:48 pm

    I need your assistance or advice on which transistor circuit diagram I can use to suit my needs. I need a circuit diagram which takes action e.g blinking the LED when base voltage is supplied and blink LED when base voltage is removed.it can have either 1 or 2 output terminals for signal.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      September 3, 2022 at 10:34 am

      That looks a bit difficult. Blinking an LED with a base voltage applied is possible, but blinking it with base voltage removed looks difficult…can’t figure it out right now.

      Reply
      • Kerry Anort says

        September 3, 2022 at 6:49 pm

        Thanks for responding! Who do you think can help with such idea?

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          September 3, 2022 at 7:35 pm

          I don’t seem to have anybody in my contact who would do this for you…. maybe some knowledgeable person visiting this page is able to throw some light on this.

          Reply
  12. Vin Ferrante says

    August 30, 2022 at 9:05 pm

    I found a circuit driving 10 LED with 4.5V battery using a Henry HR706 but can not find any info on the HR706. Is it just NPN transistor or more ?
    The circuit uses the HR706 to drive the LEDs to flash every second or so.
    The circuit has a 10 ohm resistor from the Base to Gnd, E (?) to LED and C (?) direct to +4.5V. Other side of LED is tied to 4.5V.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      August 31, 2022 at 9:39 am

      There’s indeed no online information about HR706, so it is difficult to tell whether it is a transistor or IC.

      Reply
  13. Muje says

    May 8, 2022 at 7:40 pm

    I like the part where you included the diode

    Reply
  14. FC says

    May 8, 2022 at 6:27 am

    thank you!

    Reply
  15. Pratik Mukherjee says

    September 14, 2021 at 11:48 am

    Can this circuit be modified to run on a 1.5V or 3V coin cell battery? If no, why, and if yes, how?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      September 14, 2021 at 1:24 pm

      Unfortunately, the above circuit cannot run on voltages below 9 V. The transistor requires at least around 9V to conduct using the indicated configuration

      Reply
  16. Gleiner says

    April 11, 2021 at 9:11 pm

    Thank you Swagatam for your post. It is as cheap as recommended for my applications. I’m looking for a circuit that lights up a 10watts (or more) led lamp as the night comes in and turn off as the night comes out. It’s easy to find out this kind of circuit but the ones that uses relays to turn on and off the loading but what I need is a circuit that operates in fading mode, increasing charge in ascending way to lights up in the evening and decreasing charge like the morning comes to produce effects like a gradually lightening and dimmering the lamp.
    Could you suggest me something to help, please?
    Thanks a lot.
    Gleiner.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      April 12, 2021 at 8:29 am

      Thank you Gleiner, you can try the following concept for implementing the specified slow fade action of the lamp in response to dawn and dusk.

      comment image" alt="day night lamp fading action" />

      Reply
  17. Prashant says

    July 31, 2020 at 6:28 pm

    If I want to run this Strobe effect on 3V ? is the same circuit or I have to change specification of Resistance capacitor

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      July 31, 2020 at 8:07 pm

      No, this circuit will not work with 3 v supply, it will need a minimum of 9 V too operate correctly.

      Reply
  18. Steve says

    June 11, 2020 at 10:43 am

    Just to point out to people, that if you can’t get the transistor mentioned, the more common 2N3904 (included in a lot of starter kits) will do just fine.

    Reply
  19. Robert says

    May 25, 2020 at 7:34 am

    I need a circuit for a 5v led flasher using power from a USB cable.

    Reply
  20. Ramachandran N says

    May 10, 2020 at 12:57 am

    Dear, I am looking for a simple time delay circuit using this flasher for a 12 volt relay operation, the LED should glow stable once the relay is on. Thank you

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      May 10, 2020 at 10:02 am

      Connect the positive voltage from the relay source with the collector of the transistor, or the anode of the LED

      Reply
  21. Aju says

    April 5, 2020 at 7:29 pm

    Dear Sir, i done it using bc 548 and working fine. Let mw know how to connect a high watt led eg. (3wattx3 series) to flash in this way or to use a 12volt relay instead of the led?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      April 5, 2020 at 7:56 pm

      Dear Aju, please see the second diagram, you can the replace the LOAD with your LED, make sure to add appropriate limiting resistors with the LEDs, and also replace the 2N2222 with TIP122

      Reply
      • Aju says

        April 5, 2020 at 10:10 pm

        Dear Sir,
        I had used a mosfet 80to3gp and put high load. Its working fine. I have Doubt that whay resistance should i use in across gate ?

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          April 6, 2020 at 12:34 pm

          for MOSFeT gate resistance may not be required, so you can safely replace the 1K with a short link.

          Reply
          • Aju says

            May 7, 2020 at 8:44 pm

            Dear Sir,
            How to obtain a positive output in higher load connection? (in the collector Point of 2n 2222)

            Reply
            • Swagatam says

              May 8, 2020 at 7:36 am

              You can connect a TIP147 to the collector of 2N2222

              Reply
    • Swagatam says

      October 30, 2020 at 1:49 pm

      sorry changing duty cycle may not be possible in this design

      Reply
  22. Jonathan says

    February 9, 2020 at 1:08 am

    Good day Swagatam,
    Awsome circuit, I’m trying to make a flashing led circuit like this but need it to activate on contact with water, do I simplify add a transistor to circuit so base closes on contact, if so where in circuit and how to incorporate a joule thief into circuit. If you have such schematic it would be much appreciated.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      February 9, 2020 at 9:06 pm

      Thank you jonathan, you can modify the design in the following manner

      comment image" alt="water activated LED flasher circuit" />

      For a joule thief circuit you a refer to the following post:
      https://www.homemade-circuits.com/1-watt-led-driver-using-joule-thief/

      Reply
      • Jonathan says

        February 9, 2020 at 10:22 pm

        Thanks so much, very new to electronics and programming, this will help alot, what is minimum voltage it will work with.

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          February 10, 2020 at 6:45 am

          You are welcome, the minimum operating voltage is 9 V.

          Reply
      • Aju says

        April 5, 2020 at 8:39 pm

        Ok sir
        Thanks for the information. ????????

        Reply
      • N Syed says

        August 6, 2021 at 12:54 pm

        Hello Swagatam, Awesome circuit repo here.
        Two things: —
        1) I need an exact circuit as Jonathan but with the opposite effect. I need the flashing LED when there is “no contact” in water i.e ‘no signal’ from water. Meaning, when the water-tank is empty I need the alarm [buzzer and LED both to blink] on, but when there is water in the tank the circuit should not make any noise!. Being a newbie myself in the field I can’t seem to make any head or tail to reverse the signal effect in this circuit. May be I can use the ‘not used’ base pin of T1 for the purpose? I thought if there is any signal/pulse to T1-base then the LED would be off totally, but it doesn’t, why not? How can I do this?

        2) If I need to get a buzzer to go ‘beep’, ‘beep’, ‘beep’ … continuously and parallel/alternative to LED until there is a signal on the T1-base, I presume the buzzer can go parallel to the LED in circuit?

        Can you please point me to a direction to solve? I’d really appreciate any help.

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          August 6, 2021 at 5:12 pm

          Thank you N Syed,

          You can probably try the following design:

          comment image" alt="single transistor flasher water sensed with buzzer" />

          for better response please connect another 1K resistor between the base and emitter of T2.

          Yes you are right, you can connect a piezo buzzer in parallel with the LED for getting the required beep beep sound.

          Reply
  23. Kayode says

    December 20, 2019 at 3:28 am

    It doesn’t work. How will current go from collector to emitter without the base current?

    Reply
  24. Jack says

    December 7, 2019 at 9:46 am

    Is there a circuit simulator that I can use to reproduce the same results? I’ve used many and none of them work.

    Reply
  25. Rodrigo Bordin says

    December 1, 2019 at 8:46 pm

    Hi! Great tiny circuit! Will it work with 24V DC supply? If not, what changes have to be made? Thanks a lot!

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      December 2, 2019 at 6:23 am

      Hi, Thanks, I am not sure whether it will work with 24V or not, but you can give it a try. The only change the circuit might need for this is the resistor, which could be increased to some higher value such as 4k7

      Reply
  26. SOUVIK DEY says

    August 17, 2019 at 1:38 pm

    The circuit only when I touched the base of bc547 transistor. Otherwise it is not working. Why?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      August 17, 2019 at 1:54 pm

      May be the transistor is not good, or there may be a connection fault… please recheck everything carefully.

      Reply
      • ian says

        November 4, 2021 at 2:37 am

        yeah i had same issue. i had a high load led so after fiddling with capacitors and resistors – had to use 500Ω and 1KΩ resistor and changed caps from 100 – 470uƒ to get working.

        Reply
  27. Jack021 says

    July 11, 2019 at 9:06 pm

    How to connect only 2n2222 directly without LED diode and resistor R2. 2n2222 case is TO-92 or TO-18?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      July 12, 2019 at 9:11 am

      You can try replacing the LED with a direct link!

      Reply
      • Jack021 says

        July 12, 2019 at 7:19 pm

        Did you mean this change? https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hWoMbVoXlW7XV_cBq9DYQzzY7w3ybYl8 You did not tell me 2n2222 case is TO-92 or TO-18?

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          July 12, 2019 at 8:15 pm

          Yes that’s correct, the package doesn’t make any difference!

          Reply
          • Jack021 says

            July 12, 2019 at 8:42 pm

            Thanks Sir.

            Reply
  28. Aakash Karekar says

    March 22, 2019 at 12:48 pm

    Hi sir,

    1)In above circuit,can the blinker time be adjusted.(like “ON” for 1sec and “OFF” for 1 sec.).
    And instead of led,how can i connect transistor which can act as a switch.(the transistor switch will be “ON” for 1sec and “OFF” for 1sec.)

    2)The circuit diagram is shown in the link below
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/10bVfTV6iDspl3Ma76lMcr33gFKMPpgy8/view?usp=sharing

    how to adjust the blinker time ((like “ON” for 1sec and “OFF” for 1 sec.).
    And instead of led,how can i connect transistor which can act as a switch.(the transistor switch will be “ON” for 1sec and “OFF” for 1sec.)

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      March 22, 2019 at 2:13 pm

      Aakash,

      I have updated the required diagram in the above post, you can check it out!

      Reply
      • aakash karekar says

        March 22, 2019 at 11:41 pm

        Sir,
        How can i adjust its blinking time?(.(like “ON” for 1sec and “OFF” for 1 sec.)

        Thank you

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          March 23, 2019 at 6:23 am

          By using different values for R1, or C1. But it may not be too accurate

          Reply
          • aakash karekar says

            March 24, 2019 at 12:55 pm

            Sir can you please tell me the value of r1 and c1 for “OFF” 1sec and “ON” for 500Msec or 1sec.

            Thank you sir for your kind reply and patience..

            Reply
            • Swagatam says

              March 24, 2019 at 12:58 pm

              Hi Akash, I don’t have the formula for calculating the values, the best way to find is by some trial and error. Try 470uF for C1 and see if that produces 1 second ON/OFF

              Reply
      • Aakash karekar says

        March 24, 2019 at 3:35 pm

        Thanks a lot sir..

        Reply
      • David Anderson says

        June 29, 2019 at 12:29 am

        Awesome u’ve made my day

        Reply
  29. sven says

    February 12, 2019 at 12:33 am

    I have a switch with implemented LED which is extra connected to minus. Is it somhow possible to get the LED flashing while switched on? I had to connect this circuit somehow after the LED on the negative pol.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      February 12, 2019 at 7:57 am

      If it is a 12C DC then You can probably try this circuit

      https://www.homemade-circuits.com/how-to-make-single-transistor-led/

      Reply
  30. Justin says

    July 10, 2018 at 3:01 pm

    Ha! If I did not see the video i would not have believed it.
    Does not work in simulator.
    http://www.falstad.com/circuit/circuitjs.html?cct=$+1+0.000005+12.050203812241895+53+5+50R+656+160+656+80+0+0+40+12+0+0+0.5g+656+464+656+528+0r+656+160+656+256+0+2700r+656+464+576+464+0+100162+576+352+576+464+1+2.1024259+1+0+0+0.01t+384+336+576+336+1+1+0.00012985325697745242+-0.30249585765328524+500w+576+320+576+272+0w+576+272+656+256+0209+656+256+656+464+0+0.00033299999999999996+0.8571050617707789+1o+4+64+0+4099+0.625+0.00009765625+0+2+4+3

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      July 10, 2018 at 7:06 pm

      that’s exactly why I never rely or use simulator softwares, they are no match for an human brain.

      Reply
      • Johnny A says

        August 23, 2018 at 10:38 pm

        Considering simulators like LTspice can easily simulate op-amp and power supply circuits, it should easily be able to simulate your circuit, but try as I might, I too cannot get it to simulate.

        BC547 A, B or C ?
        LED: which one did you end up using (what breakdown voltage, forward current, partnumber…)

        Reply
        • Swagatam says

          August 24, 2018 at 6:45 am

          When only BC547 is written it means any BC547 can be used since the supply voltage is only 12V, in the video you can see that the LED is a 5mm 20mA type.

          A simulator may have difficulty in simulating because the circuit works with unconventional principles.

          Reply
  31. Theuns says

    June 7, 2018 at 12:16 pm

    Hi Swagatam,

    I have seen it’s possible to make this LED stop blinking by disconnecting the capacitor. Is it possible to disconnect / reconnect the capacitor by means of an additional transistor on the cap side of the circuit? I would like the LED to be on then when the second transistor gets signal the cap is connected and flashing starts. I’ve achieved this with relays but as I will have many of these in my circuit the cost of relays isn’t a good choice.
    Thanks for an excellent website!

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      June 7, 2018 at 12:45 pm

      Thank you Theuns, yes that may be possible, but instead of modifying the C1 section, I would recommended you to configure the ground supply line of the above circuit with an NPN such that when the NPN is triggered the circuit gets activated. For this you may connect the collector of the NPN with the ground line of the circuit,and the emitter with the supply negative.

      Reply
  32. Paul says

    October 14, 2017 at 7:43 am

    Thank you for your response sir.. How can i accomplished that? Can you please show me a circuit diagram with BJT circuit that i can follow sir..
    Thanks again sir..

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      October 14, 2017 at 11:12 am

      Paul, I’ll explain you verbally:

      In the above circuit, remove the LED and join R2 directly with collector of T1, but make R2 = 1K

      now take a TIP127 BJT, connect its base directly with the above junction of R2 and T1 collector, join its emitter with the +12V line…and connect the collector with the bulb…bulb other end will go to the ground line…I hope you understood.

      Reply
  33. Paul says

    October 14, 2017 at 6:28 am

    Sir Swagatam,

    Can I use this circuit as replacement for my turn signal flasher on my motorcycle? or is there another circuit you can refer to me..
    As a 12v signal flasher for 12v led light.

    Thank you very much..
    Paul

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      October 14, 2017 at 7:35 am

      Paul,

      it may be possible, but you will have to add an additional BJT buffer stage for powering the lamps.

      Reply
  34. Sean Selley-West says

    February 6, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    Hi, how could I make this circuit flash twice every second like a police or ambulance vehicle?

    Reply
  35. naveen bankapalli says

    August 11, 2016 at 2:53 pm

    how to test transistor emitter Base collector

    Reply
  36. Mohan kumar says

    July 30, 2016 at 10:20 am

    Hi Mr swagatam,
    Can you guide me to make an automatic switching for my led emergency light using Transistors? I have connected 50 no's of led and planned for 6V/4.5 Ah battery.pl explain with circuit diagram.

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      July 30, 2016 at 12:29 pm

      Hi Mohan, you can refer to the following circuit and do it accordingly for getting the required results:

      https://www.homemade-circuits.com/2011/12/how-to-make-efficient-led-emergency.html

      Reply
  37. Harsha Vardhan Reddy A says

    March 25, 2016 at 7:41 am

    Nice bro I am satisfied with this ckt. Can you please help me to blink some more faster

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      March 26, 2016 at 4:58 am

      thanks bro, just decrease the value of C1 to make it blink faster

      Reply
  38. Siddarth Naik says

    December 18, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Hi Swagatam, were you able to write the comprehensive article explaining how this works?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      December 19, 2015 at 4:35 am

      Hi Siddarth, sorry no I could not complete it due to lack of time and other more complex assignments…you can Google "Esaki single transistor flasher circuit" to learn more about it.

      Reply
  39. Mukesh says

    March 31, 2015 at 3:35 pm

    Please reply soon thnkx:-)

    Reply
  40. Mukesh says

    March 31, 2015 at 3:33 pm

    Hey buddy,i have installed 12v3led strip in my bike and i need them to blink.i knw i can use this circuit but what all i need to alter?to adjust speed and to power led 12v..

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      April 1, 2015 at 4:43 am

      Mukesh you cannot use the above circuit, instead you can try any of the following designs:

      https://www.homemade-circuits.com/2012/01/how-to-make-any-light-strobe-light.html

      Reply
  41. ibrahim shafeeg says

    August 10, 2014 at 11:30 am

    Hi, can you please tell me how the transistor is activated without the base connected?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      August 11, 2014 at 12:25 pm

      In the circuit, the capacitor is charged by R1 until the voltage becomes large enough to get the emitter-base junction to avalanche which lights up the LED and also discharges the capacitor to trigger a fresh cycle….it basically takes place due to the negative resistance characteristic of the BJT

      Reply
  42. Roquiya says

    April 7, 2014 at 12:27 pm

    Hi,

    thanks for your prompt response.
    Could you Just modify the circuit for this specifications LED Flasher Circuit with Input : 9V-16V, On time : 0.5s +/- 10%, Period : 1s +/- 10%, Reverse polarity protection required, by using any other stage of RC or any other way. Using astable multivibrators is cost effective for my project, need a simple circuit. Hope for your response.

    Thanks in advance

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      April 8, 2014 at 7:03 am

      It will need to be tweaked and verified practically for those results….there are no formulas for it.

      Reply
  43. Roquiya says

    April 4, 2014 at 10:13 am

    Can you tell me in technical prospectivem, why cant we use this circuit??

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      April 5, 2014 at 1:00 pm

      the above circuit is not configured in a conventional manner so could have limitations in terms of interval setting accuracy…you can try it out, though.

      Reply
  44. Roquiya says

    April 3, 2014 at 12:59 pm

    I want to design a LED Flasher Cirrcuit with Input : 9V-16V, On time : 0.5s +/- 10%, Period : 1s +/- 10%, Reverse polarity protection : required can you help me with the above circuit? Will it work for this conditions?
    need your response
    thank you

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      April 4, 2014 at 7:44 am

      the above circuit won't be appropriate, search for:

      transistor astable multivibrator circuit …..or 555 astable multivibrator circuit

      Reply
  45. Roquiya says

    April 3, 2014 at 12:55 pm

    HI
    will this circuit work for 16v?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      April 4, 2014 at 7:43 am

      yes…

      Reply
  46. Madhu Babu says

    March 29, 2014 at 8:11 am

    hi my name is madhu i want electronic variable wattage choke circuit diagram for flurocent tube. pls send to the mail below
    email: [email protected]

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      March 30, 2014 at 7:35 am

      sorry, presently I do not have this circuit.

      Reply
  47. pat tee says

    March 14, 2014 at 5:39 pm

    I am trying to imitate cloud to cloud lightning using the smallest possible circuit. I found this project that uses only the flashing LEDs and a battery (Candle Flicker Hair Bow). I found 3mm flashing LEDs (3-3.4V, 20mA, 1 Hz flash frequency)
    Can I power 2-3 of these (amber and/or white) using one CR2032 battery? Can I get them to flash at different rates? …I think that may drain the battery too quickly since there are no resisitors used, is that correct?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      March 15, 2014 at 9:02 am

      you can include a 22 ohm resistor in series with the LEd in order to make the battery drain slower.
      alternatively you can employ a joule thief circuit for making the batt last for ages.

      Reply
    • Swagatam says

      March 15, 2014 at 9:04 am

      a flashing LEd could have an automatic flash rate changer built-in, so it could go on changing the flash rate by itself.

      Reply
  48. pat tee says

    March 14, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    I am trying to imitate cloud to cloud lightning using the smallest possible circuit. I found this project that uses only the flashing LEDs and a battery…www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj5tqhGypAE&feature=player_embedded. I found 3mm flashing LEDs …lighthouseleds.com/led-component-lighting/animated-leds-flashing-blinking/3mm-led-flashing-round-top.html
    Can I power 2-3 of these (amber and/or white) using one CR2032 battery? Can I get them to flash at different rates? …I think that may drain the battery too quickly since there are no resisitors used, is that correct?

    Reply
  49. Alessandro Riva says

    February 1, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    What are the formulas to calculate the timing of the flash?

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      February 2, 2014 at 7:10 am

      t = -log((V-Vc)/V)R*C

      To calculate Vc at a specific time, the formula can be modified to:

      Vc = V-(V*exp(-t/(R*C)))

      Reply
  50. Swagatam says

    August 20, 2013 at 2:38 pm

    you can try this one:

    https://www.homemade-circuits.com/2011/12/make-yourself-simple-led-flasher-at.html

    Reply
  51. Swagatam says

    July 13, 2013 at 11:55 am

    congrats!

    Reply
    • Emmanuel says

      November 25, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      Can any TV remote control the circuit

      Reply
  52. Ryan Hebron says

    July 12, 2013 at 8:41 pm

    i used all the components shown and it didn't work the first time. it works now because i changed out the transistor until the led started blinking

    Reply

Need Help? Please Leave a Comment! We value your input—Kindly keep it relevant to the above topic! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to New Circuit Ideas

Categories

  • Arduino Projects (87)
  • Audio and Amplifier Projects (132)
  • Automation Projects (17)
  • Automobile Electronics (101)
  • Battery Charger Circuits (82)
  • Datasheets and Components (103)
  • Electronics Theory (143)
  • Free Energy (37)
  • Games and Sports Projects (11)
  • Grid and 3-Phase (19)
  • Health related Projects (25)
  • Home Electrical Circuits (12)
  • Indicator Circuits (14)
  • Inverter Circuits (87)
  • Lamps and Lights (142)
  • Meters and Testers (69)
  • Mini Projects (46)
  • Motor Controller (64)
  • Oscillator Circuits (27)
  • Pets and Pests (15)
  • Power Supply Circuits (108)
  • Remote Control Circuits (50)
  • Security and Alarm (64)
  • Sensors and Detectors (101)
  • Solar Controller Circuits (59)
  • Temperature Controllers (42)
  • Timer and Delay Relay (49)
  • Transmitter Circuits (29)
  • Voltage Control and Protection (37)
  • Water Controller (36)

Calculators

  • Battery Back up Time Calculator
  • Capacitance Reactance Calculator
  • IC 555 Astable Calculator
  • IC 555 Monostable Calculator
  • Inductance Calculator
  • LC Resonance Calculator
  • LM317, LM338, LM396 Calculator
  • Ohm’s Law Calculator
  • Phase Angle Phase Shift Calculator
  • Power Factor (PF) Calculator
  • Reactance Calculator
  • Transistor Astable Calculator
  • Transistor base Resistor Calculator
  • Voltage Divider Calculator
  • Wire Current Calculator
  • Zener Diode Calculator
  • Filter Capacitor Calculator
  • Buck Converter Calculator
  • Boost Converter Calculator
  • Solar Panel, Inverter, Battery Calculator
  • Wire Current Calculator
  • SMPS Transformer Calculator
  • IC SG3525, SG3524 Calculator
  • Inverter LC Filter Calculator

People Also Search

555 Circuits | 741 Circuits | LM324 Circuits | LM338 Circuits | 4017 Circuits | Ultrasonic Projects | SMPS Projects | Christmas Projects | MOSFETs | Radio Circuits | Laser Circuits | PIR Projects |

Recent Comments

  • Swagatam on Best Electronic Circuit Projects
  • TOMMY on Best Electronic Circuit Projects
  • Swagatam on Inverter Circuit with Feedback Control
  • Jerry Adeosun on Inverter Circuit with Feedback Control
  • Swagatam on Contact

Company

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Copyright
  • Videos
  • Sitemap

Social Profiles

  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • My Facebook-Page
  • Quora
  • Stack Exchange
  • Linkedin
  • © 2025 · Swagatam Innovations