Joule Ringer!

[Lynxsteam]

Wouldn't it be great if we got 14 watt equivalent light with just 1.2 watts input.  No, the light will be brighter and brighter as you approach the watt rating of the CFL bulb.  What's remarkable is that this circuit can light this CFL at very low voltage or higher too.  A dimmable CFL is hard to do usually.
Lets say you run a solar charged battery and the battery is run down a bit.  The light will still come on.  Try that with an ordinary 12/120 volt inverter!

p.s. - take your time and really make sure the transistor is oriented correctly.  and that all other wires are placed correctly. You may want to mark on some paper around the transistor what goes where.  Its so easy to get something backwards and you'll blow the transistor, or it wont work.  Once you get it working notice the effect of your hand near the coil near the top vs bottom.  Hold an LED by one end and notice where it lights.  Try some AV plugs with LED or another CFL.  Fun, fun, fun !  As long as the primary goes end to end on the secondary I don't notice any tuning at all, or much difference how many turns the primary is.  That may affect volts vs amps though.  Yes, volts x amps = watts   

[27Bubba]

Simply avesome job by everybody. I'm going to try do the same thing as soon as my two 16V solar panels are finished.

[Lynxsteam]

Interesting thing about reverse biasing a transistor - power is 2-3 times less than rated max so you wont ever burn them up on 12 volts.  That is what I am seeing with my little 2N2222 which can handle 680 ma.  I am seeing 200-225 ma.  I don't know if it is possible but I will try paralleling two primary coils, two transistors on the one secondary.  I don't know if they will synchronize or if the bias voltage/current will be split and result in the same power output anyway, but I have the room on the coil for another primary, and I can just plug in another transistor.

LaserSaber used two primaries on his Super Joule ringer and left one unconnected.  LaserSaber also notes that the circuit self adjusts to load so maybe the transistors in parallel will both be biased equally and double power output for more load.  Or maybe this is totally unnecessary.

I am starting my DIY tutorial on YouTube tonight on how to make this single transistor air core coil lamp.  Parts for four lamps $16.  "Labor of love"

[b_rads]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I am starting my DIY tutorial on YouTube tonight on how to make this single transistor air core coil lamp.  Parts for four lamps $16.  "Labor of love"

I very much look forward to the DIY.  I had very little time last night to rework my replication, but what I tried did not work.  Not happy with the wire I am using for L1, and will go purchase some new wire.  My local home improvement stores only carry 20 guage bell wire and RS has 22 guage hook-up wire.  Any preference on these two choices.  Please post the link to your DIY when completed.
Thanks,
Brad S

[SkyWatcher123]

Hi folks, I have not had much luck yet either with lynxsteams air coil lamp, though I did get a 13 watt gutted cfl to light up partially, think I have to make some changes to my primary-transistor combo, or use a smaller coil tower, less turns.
Though I did have fairly good success using my ferrite e-core salvaged from a TV.
I wound 6 layers of bifilar 24 awg wire for the oscillator part and almost fully fulled on top with 30 awg wire,it ran the 13 cfl, though not too bright.
Then I hooked 30 leds up to the secondary output and fried a few of the leds before disconnecting, way too much voltage for the leds in series, so I unwound many layers of 30 awg and it is brightly lighting 21 leds in series.
When using my 12 volt battery, draws 110 milliamps.
Leds are the way to go, though cfls are cheap and so are good alternative for short term emergency lighting.
Just to add, Before I wound the 30 gauge secondary, I used a 4 turn secondary of plastic insulated 18 gauge wire for powering leds in parallel and the resistance of that wire caused excessive heating of TIP42C transistor.
Then I removed the 18 gauge and used 24 gauge and it reduced the heat in the transistor to a large degree.
Though the 30 awg secondary powering leds in series seems to be the most efficient way to go, providing brighter leds for less input and less stress on the transistor.
Right now, I am using a wall transformer, rated 9 volts, 400 milliamps, which gives around 11.7 volts no load, which runs the leds pretty well, since I intend to use this as a bathroom light or hallway light, full time usage, with the idea in mind of quickly being able to switch to 12 volt battery if needed.
peace love light
tyson