Rotating-Wheel LED Lights For Decoration

The Rotating-Wheel LED Lights project uses a classic analog and digital logic circuit to create sequential, rotating lighting patterns across thirty LEDs. Power is supplied via a 12V-0-12V centre-tapped step-down transformer connected to two 1N4007 rectifier diodes, which convert the stepped-down AC into pulsating DC. The 7805 voltage regulator (IC1) then steps this down further to a steady 5V to safely power the integrated circuits. The heart of the timing mechanism is the NE555 timer IC (IC2), configured to act as an oscillator or clock pulse generator. You can adjust the speed of these pulses using the variable resistor (VR1) and resistor (R1). The output pulses from the 555 timer are fed directly into the 4017B decade counter (IC3). As the decade counter receives each clock pulse, it sequentially shifts its high output state across its multiple output pins in a repeating loop. Thirty 5mm LEDs (LED1 to LED30) are wired to these outputs in a specific arrangement across a circular acrylic sheet or mounting board. As the counter steps rapidly from one output to the next, the LEDs light up in a sequence that creates a continuous, rotating wheel visual effect.