Hello and thanks for having me! Ill skip right to the question. I have written a code for a simple IR LED strobe light. Really simple, on, off, can power it with whatever batteries I need to. I have a working circuit with an uno, breadboard, and 9v. This first one will be simple, plug the battery in, it starts strobing. I may add a switch if I can find one small enough. Regardless, the real question is, how do I turn this project into something I can toss on my helmet? I have a 3d printer, no issue there. I do not know where to look for the knowledge how to build this smaller, or if I can even. Am I limited to basically buying the smallest arduino board and dumping this program in it, soldering everything up, and slapping a battery in it? Or are there components where I can teach myself to put together to do this in a smaller package? I looked at PCB boards on amazon, but cant really find anything worth buying for this application. With something this simple, it seems I could almost just solder a resistor inline with my led, plug it into a digital I/O, and make a case for it. Is it that simple though? I feel like there are better ways. I know that it is possible, but is it feasible for a hobbyist? I thought it was a fun project, at the end of the day I am just trying to make a positive ID marker to avoid FF without spending a fortune. Thanks!

If you just want an LED flashing and nothing else then I suggest a 555 timer: [image] 10x NE555 NE555P NE555N DIP8 High Precision Oscillator Timer INV Lot D1 | eBay High working temperature: 70 ° C. The device label: 555.

Are you looking at making just one unit ? Do you know what an Arduino Pro Mini is ? [image]

Look at these three links showing point to point wiring of a onetime prototyping PCB. An Arduino Pro Mini board is inexpensive, small and will run your your sketch. [image] [image] Share tips you have come across General Electronics Circuit Prototyping Construction A new user eventually asks: “Now that I have made my circuit work on a solderless breadboard, how do I make it permanent.” The following images show a technique I use to make a one time, Point-to-Point circuit on a prototyping PCB. This is a valid way of wiring up a project circuit board; when you need to make several such circuits, it might be time to get PCBs made. If others have additional suggestions they can pass on, please do. The first thing we need… [image] Share tips you have come across General Electronics Prototyping Wire Preparation With reference to the previous Post #1352. See Post #1356 also Below is a summary how I prepare wires used in wiring a prototyping PCB. [A] [B] [C] This should read: We Now Have 3/8" on both Sides of the Insulation [D] [E] This should read: 16 strand. [F] [G] [H] [image] Share tips you have come across General Electronics Magnet / Enamel Prototyping Wire Further to Post #1352 and #1353 In some situations, we might want to use Enamel Insulated Wire to make connections on our prototyping PCB. See the images below showing the wiring processes. You can buy this wire from many places on the internet, one store I use is: Suggest you use: for signal connections 0.19mm Solderable Enamel (Insulated) wire (100mA). for bus wire 0.25mm tinned copper (228mA). See the short YouTube video showing the removal of the en… These prototyping PCBs and similar can probably suffice for this project. https://www.amazon.com/Prototype-Soldering-Universal-Printed-Electronic/dp/B079DN31SW/ref=sr_1_14 [PCB-4x6]

Here is an example of a tiny strobe like project. The end result isn't too pretty to look at but shows a path to miniaturisation: Gammon Forum : Electronics : Microprocessors : Simple project - torch-locator . The Uno, which you are currently using, is highly over specified for such a task.

Welcome! From my point of view, you will not get it yourself smaller than somthing like that (e.g.): [image] https://de.rs-online.com/web/p/arduino/2163756

I do not, but I will absolutely look into them. In all honesty, if I can make them fairly low cost I will make several of them. Thanks!

Thank you everyone, I have a lot of things to research. There is so much out there it is hard to get pointed in the right direction with no guidance, and easy to get off in the wrong rabbit hole.

Thanks for all the help. Ill have to research my wire sizing and such, and another set of tools for stripping. Im electrically competent to the point of 120v - 480 3 phase, but this stuff has its own challenges obviously. I looked at those exact pcb boards, but they still seemed a bit large for what I was needing. Can you just pack everything onto a corner of those boards and trim the excess off? Sorry Im new to all of this.

Thats a tiny dude there. Ill keep that one in mind for future projects for sure. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, this is what I am currently researching. Watching a good tutorial on them now. I like the fact that all of it can be done on a breadboard and just dropped on a pcb. They are neat little cards too, seems like a lot of customization available with a few components swapped, and many times, simpler is better.

If anyone was wondering, I ended up ordering a bunch of capacitors, resistors, and 555 timers. I currently have a working prototype on a breadboard and am just waiting on an order of wire to come in and I will be soldering it to a pcb. Then its off to the races with the 3d printer to make an enclosure. Im trying to find a small latching switch to put in line to kill the power from the battery to turn this thing off, but as I am estimating a 9v battery to power this thing for a very long time, just taking the battery out will work for now. Thanks again everyone!

Where to go from here?

Projects General Guidance

LarryD January 20, 2025, 6:33am 3

Look at these three links showing point to point wiring of a onetime prototyping PCB.
An Arduino Pro Mini board is inexpensive, small and will run your your sketch.

These prototyping PCBs and similar can probably suffice for this project.

https://www.amazon.com/Prototype-Soldering-Universal-Printed-Electronic/dp/B079DN31SW/ref=sr_1_14

Topic		Replies	Views
Confusion on basic hardware, involving FSR, boards, shields 3rd Party Boards	16	308	January 1, 2026
Inserire piccolo faretto illuminante in cornice di un quadro Hardware	2	101	January 8, 2026
Lighting scale models using Aruino General Guidance	12	446	December 19, 2025
Converting arduino uno mockup into tidy and more compact circuit General Electronics	13	455	July 27, 2023
Eigenes PCB auf Arduino Uno R4 Deutsch	4	323	February 5, 2026

Where to go from here?

Related topics