Simple to build isolation transformer that consumes less power than it gives out

[JouleSeeker]

When I disconnected the load, the current drawn by the primary of the first trafo dropped to zero, 0.00, on two different meters.  So that's good.

I tried reversing the coil that is parallel with the load (load in place, 40 W bulb) -- and the current draw went WAY up on the input trafo; from about 0.14A @ 100 V to over an amp.  I turned it off quickly.  A bit of a mystery there (to me at least).

Resistance of coil I used in iron trafo (5000 permeability) was 165 ohms, very thin wire, 0.0x mm. ...

Resistance of 280 meter Litz nanoperm (80000 permeability) is about 45 ohms.
Steve, I see your trafos are about the same size as mine, what is the resistance of your coils and permeability of the core ? Did you try reversing the coil that is parallel with load in the second trafo ? You should see major difference. What about idle currents without load ? If it can light up bulb (in series with those two coils in second trafo) without load then it will not work too well. I suspect that this is the problem now, impedance is too low and input power bypasses load and goes via coils. This will certainly ruin the OU effect.

Data sheet on the toroidal trafos I used is here: http://www.alliedelec.com/search/productdetail.aspx?SKU=70218083  but there is not much detailed data.
I measured the resistances as follows:

Primary:  21.3 ohms
Secondary:  35.9 ohms, which is a bit surprising since these are 1:1 transformers, but evidently a smaller-gauge wire is used on the secondary.

I have an inductance meter, but it only goes up to 20 Henry -- and both the primary and the secondary exceed this value.  I doubt the cores have high permeability; but have found no data on this.



Where you have wound your OWN trafos, Jack, I would say this may very well explain the difference in overall results.  For someone to replicate your exact build would take quite a few details from you I should think.   I would be willing to bring my equipment to you for some testing if you would like, including the photocalorimeter.  I would be glad to test it for input and output power, considering it a "black box" device if you wish.  But you've been generous with circuits and information, so it is more than that already!   PM me if you think this might be workable for you.  I'm traveling by car next week; if you're anywhere along the path, that would be great I think.  Just an offer; zero arm-twisting.

[Jack Noskills]

This means you have the same effect I have, thats good. When coil is wrong way all the power goes via coils and bypasses load, hence no power at output but power is sucked from input and wasted. When I used 40 watt bulbs in testing I got the same effect, primary side was bright and no light on output. I did not try it without bulbs, good to know that when coil is wrong way there is major current draw occurring from source.

But there is not enough wire in the primary, this explains the difference. Also my quess is that permeability of your core is much less than 80000, it is most likely ordinary ferrite below 10000. The iron trafo I used was rated 20 watts, when I took two primaries and combined them into one I got output well above 20 watts in normal trafo mode also. Iron trafo weighs much less 0.4 kg, but there is 8 times as much resistance in the coils compared to toroid you are using. Also all the wire is within 10 mm while toroid is wound all over. I have read somewhere that turns per inch matters when creating magnetic field which makes much sense.

What is the idle current of just one trafo alone with no load ? It must be high enough to light a 40 watt bulb if put in series with primary.

I am located in Finland so unless you have a flying car I don't think we could meet, thanks for the offer though. The 'device' is too simple so there is no need to do any difficult stuff like travelling. It is just a matter of getting the parameters correct and debugging. I also thought about just sending those trafos to you for testing but I am not sure if the package would pass customs, especially if I mark the contens as 'free energy device' lol.

T-1000, I think you have access to decent signal generator and some ferrite. Any chance you could spend few hours and give this a try using higher frequency ? I feel like a bee doing dancing moves in front of the nest. The best dancer gets the attention of other bees, damn do I have to learn the Jackson moves or what ?

[Jack Noskills]

Steve, I spotted one more difference in your toroid. The coils are unequal in length ! You could try swapping the coils so that hotline goes first to secondary of the toroid. I saw some effect with nanoperm with unequal coils but in my case one coil was only 20 % longer than the other.

[Jack Noskills]

Steve, one more thing. You are using 40 watt bulb but the trafo is rated at 23 watts or so. If load exceeds what core can produce then it begins to draw from the source. If you have lower rated bulbs then try those. Put watt meter in mains, then connect just one trafo, use current limiter bulb just in case something goes wrong. Without load consumption should be close to zero which you have already observed. With load below 25 watts consumption should be less when compared to same load in normal trafo mode.

Remember that the output waveform could be rectified sine and watt meter at output could give false reading so better to measure consumption from the source.

[wattsup]

@all

I had purchased the following two current transformers for the toroid cores, mainly to eventually make two SM style center bucking coils. But I think they would be good candidates for winding a coil per half core.

This two CTs are Simpson Model 01297.
You can see it on page 63 of their nice pdf catalog.
http://www.simpsonelectric.com/uploads/File/PanelMeterCatalog_Jan09.pdf

The Nanoperm core in the sizes around 4" diameter are somewhat expensive...
http://www.magnetec.us/shop/details.php?id=94&kategorie=7&main_kat=&start=0&nr=

wattsup