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From: spt@waikato.ac.nz (Simon Travaglia)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Xenon flasher
Message-ID: <1990Jan15.214459.6707@waikato.ac.nz>
Date: 15 Jan 90 21:44:59 GMT
References: <10224@microsoft.UUCP>
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Lines: 22

By Xenon flashers I assume you mean strobe lights?
ETI regularly (annually, bi-annual) publishes a circuit book with the
BEST OF it's past circuits.  There is usually always a new and improved
circuit for a strobe light there.

The whole thing is fairly simple, uses recified mains (noisy as you like)
to charge a cap, then an SCR to trigger the discharge of the cap into a
coil, which steps the volts up to 4k or so.

Words of warning:
Be bloody careful with these things they can give you a nasty shock.
(Even when they are turned off, because of the large cap - I got a belt
off one and would not like to repeat the experience.  Always check your
earths twice.  I don't know whether it would kill you or not, but it
IS sufficient to make you sit down.


-- 
%SYS-E-NOSIG, signature file mutilated by foreign power.
%SYS-I-DEFSIG, using emergency signature
Simon Travaglia, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Disclaimer:  "Sorry about that cheif!"