Below is a list of the components needed to complete the basic set up of the board shown on the introductory page. Also shown are other essential items required to get the thing working. All parts are readily available from E-bay or Amazon (other sources are available).
- 1x Half size solderable bread board (noded type) such as
- 1x Arduino Nano the genuine version is recommended. Clones are much cheaper if you don’t mind messing about with alternative drivers and bootloaders. Also buy one with headers already fixed. This saves you 30x soldered joints which isn’t worth the minimal saving. such as.
NB…since writing this Arduino have produced the Arduino Nano Every (with headers). This model is cheaper but beware, the only pin markings are on the underside of the board (?) so be careful when fitting to breadboard so you can use the breadboard pin-outs listed on the intro page.
You will also need a USB cable to plug the device into your computer so you can upload the sketch. Standard USB “A” male to micro USB “B” male is what you need (NB a “charging” cable wont do). You’ve probably already got more than one of these already. If not, many people sell them as an extra when you but the Nano. - 1x 4N35 optocoupler to control the current from the flash
- 1x 220 Ohm resistor (for optocoupler circuit)
- 1x 1 Meg Ohm resistor (for sensor circuit)
- 1x 330 Kilo Ohm resistor (for the start/arm switch circuit)
- 2x 470 Ohm resistor (for the two LED circuits)
- 1x 4.7 Volt Zener diode (for sensor circuit)
- 1x 5mm green LED
- 1x 5mm red LED
- 1x 5.5mm x 2.1mm DC power in socket (case mount type)
- 2x 2.5mm mono jack socket (case mount type)
- 1x SPST mini toggle switch (single pole-single throw)(case mount type)
- 1x N/O momentary/non latching push switch (normally open)(case mount type)
- 2x 10 Kilo Ohm 10 turn potentiometer (one each for delay and sensitivity circuits) I use these. Strictly speaking, you only need a regular type trimmer for adjusting the sensitivity as you only need to turn that down if what ever your attaching the sensor to is causing false positive reactions and causing the flash to fire prematurely. Having a full ten turns on the delay circuit gives great fine tuning option for getting the timing just right.