Scary Tinker's Cheap and Easy Flicker Candle

I finally came up with what I think is a better looking candle flicker LED effect.   It only took 18 versions to get there.





The problem with vitrually all led tea lights and flicker leds is that they are all one solid color.  Candle flame is made up of a range of colors including orange, yellow, white and blue.  I tried to emulate this using three leds daisy chained and stacked with mixed success.




Over at EvilMadScience.com I stumbled upon a 10mm diffused white candle flicker led.  I realized that the LED was large enough to color directly and get the effect I wanted.  I tried a number of paints with not so great results.   What works great is a Sharpie marker.   Color the base red, add a ring of orange, a ring of yellow and just leave a bit of the top of the LED uncolored.

LED Flicker Candle Flame Tutorial:

Part One - Parts List
10mm Warm White Diffused LED

• EvilMadScience.com - http://evilmadscience.com/productsmenu/partsmenu/333 - 10 for $7.50 including CA tax and postage

Resistor (Value depends on voltage of power supply or battery) - 5 for $1.25 at Radio Shack

• 12 volts = 330 ohms
• 9 volts   = 220 ohms
• 6 volts   = 120 ohms
• 5 volts   = 82 ohms
• 3 volts = 10 ohms

Red, Yellow, Orange Sharpie

• Staples, Office Depot - about a buck each.

Power Supply (Price will vary with source)

• CR2032 battery
• 9 Volt battery (Battey holder available at Radio Shack 5 for $3.00)
• AA battery pack
• Just about any wallwart you have laying around (this is the recommended power source, it can power a bunch of candles.  You probably have an unsused wallwart laying around already.)

Part Two - The LED

The first thing to do is color the LED.   I start at the bottom and use a red Sharpie to color a ring around the base of the LED.  Maybe covering 20%.  Keep the coloring rough... were going for natual looking here.  Next add a ring of orange followed by a ring of yellow.  You should leave the very top as-is.Next you will create the silicone tip.   I use GE clear silicon (NOT Latex).   Take a paper cup or something similar and squirt in a glob about 1/2 tall.   Holding the LED by the leads dip the led in the silicon to the base.   Pull the LED straight out and then hold it at about a 30 degree angle for about a minute.   Find a place to let the LED hang like a sleeping bat for about two hours.

Part Three - The Packaging
Decide how you are going to power the LED.  I suggest using a wallwart because you probabaly have one laying around and you can power mulitple candles with one.   Use the resistor value