Joule Lamp

[Lynxsteam]

I totally agree, I have just been lazy to order the light meter.  I will order one and build to your specs so we can compare results.

Hopefully others will go the Tesla Coil route.  I want to try the aircore torroidal wound coils and see what happens.  It makes sense when you think about the field dispersion in a solenoidal wound coil.  Getting the secondary in as strong a field as possible makes sense.  I think it is amazing that the Aircore performs as well as it does compared to a ferrite core which boosts the field strength by 1000's times. 

The question isn't why doesn't the Aircore perform better, the question is why does it perform as well as it does?

[NickZ]

  At one time I had made this (Picture below) into a Joule Ringer circuit, crystals lit by some colored leds. 

  I got no help from Radio Shack here obtaining the 2n3055 transistor, as they didn't have any, so I'll have to use another one for now, for the Joule lamp. I'll see what I can come up with.
 

[PhiChaser]

Just wanted to say that I agree that LUX meter is essential to testing bulb brightness. Tune and test, tune and test, tune and test... Exactly how progress is made in slow steady steps. Duplications and comparisons. Right on...
I was wondering if anyone here has tried using a wound toroid as a primary on a straight aircore? It would have to be a big toroid or a small aircore probably...
Also I was thinking that PHI (1.618) or the 'Golden Ratio' conjugate (-0.618) may come into play when spacing the inner/outer/? cores. Direct wind is easiest but maybe the addition of a measured space between those winds will increase the outputs (increase coupling), lower amp draw (more resonance = lower resistance right?), etc... Stuff to try myself when I get up and running on this project I suppose...
Nice pics Nick, looks like a great place to relax... Cool crystal light too!

Happy experimenting
PC

[NickZ]

   Lynx:
   Just saw this video again, and it reminded me of the way that air-cores, and ferrite cores or the E-cores can maybe even work better together. Half the draw.

   Magnetman always has some neat stuff to show.
   Joule ringer power.MOV - YouTube

[MileHigh]

How about a design competition for you enthusiasts out there?

The challenge is to make a truly practical light for indoor use at nighttime that runs on renewable energy.  We will assume that this will be based on using a solar array during the daytime.

Here are some suggested design goals:

- charge during the day, use at night for an "unlimited" number of days.
- easy to use
- at least one hour worth of practical illumination per evening (eg:  You can sit next to it and read a book.)
- no noise emitted
- 100% renewable energy
- if a battery is used then you have to do extra testing to make sure the battery is truly being recharged enough during the daytime to replace the energy expended at nighttime
- reasonable cost
- easy to build
- easy to get parts

I don't follow this thread so perhaps it's already done.  Or perhaps the requirement for one hour of useful illumination is too easy to do.  Perhaps three hours is a better target to shoot for?

MileHigh