Joule Thief

[jeanna]

Uh Oh,
I was away less than 2 days and I have to catch up a lot.

Mostly this following warning is for nickz, but for all others trying to find where the extra energy went.

This past spring I made a whole bunch of different sorts of 'galvanic' batteries.
These were just using 2 metals and not any electrolyte except water or a tiny amount of plain salt.
(I know that adding sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide can greatly augment a galvanic battery)

I found that a joule thief circuit that could make many lights bright would suddenly barely light one led if the source was a galvanic battery.
After poking into this a bit, I came to the conclusion that MUCH more amperage is going into a jtc than the DMM can show you.
So, when you are comparing input to output, you MUST find a way to properly calculate the input.

I have always ignored the results (not the work) of those folks who use a power source that comes from the mains because I knew much amperage could sneak in there, but I was not expecting to find the same would happen with a NiMH battery. (or any other normal battery)

So, please keep this in mind.
Whenever you have unusually high results, please check with a magnesium/carbon or Magnesium/copper galvanic battery. These have similar voltage to a single AA yet the mA available is very limited, and as a result, you can see what the NiMH allows through but we cannot see.

thank you,

jeanna

@theobserver,
Thanks for your attempt. 

[Pirate88179]

Man, check out what this guy is now doing with an air core:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC3TVSE_1Uc&feature=sub

Not a JT obviously but he is doing some great work over there.  Lighting a cfl and a floro tube very brightly.

Bill

[pese]

it is nothing els that tesla also done
nothing els that ANY "HAM" Radio-mateur can doing.
RF (radio-frequenciens over 100 kilohertz dont need
ferrit to transform ANY votage to any other Voltages.

I have done this with 36 watts CFL tube on my 80meter.CW transmitter
(mobile , on 12 olt car-battery. 60 YEARS AGO.

----

Only great things, for folks that have "forrgotten" this technik... (because low grade school-teaching
in popular electronics) - and others more...-

Pese

[crowclaw]

I have done this with 36 watts CFL tube on my 80meter.CW transmitter
(mobile , on 12 olt car-battery. 60 YEARS AGO.

----


Pese

Crikey pese, I thought I was knocking on.... I can walk 800 yds with a 5 ft tube and point it under the pylon power lines at night. Bingo let there be light. Kind regards to a fellow eng.

[WilbyInebriated]

i thought some of you who remember this character might get a kick out of this...
(emphasis mine)

from http://www.overunityresearch.com/index.php?topic=133.msg5814;topicseen#msg5814

These are things that have to be evaluated on a case by case basis.  If something is outside of the ordinary then it's logical to look at it from multiple perspectives.  What sometimes can appear to be outside the normal is in fact within the normal.  What can appear to not have an explanation can in fact have an explanation.  I case in point that was referenced recently was the joule thief.  A single AA cell can only light a single LED.  Connect that AA cell to a joule thief, and it can light one, 10, 25, or 50 LEDs to the same brightness.  Many people would consider this to be outside of the ordinary, but in fact it isn't.  If some of those people learn why, that gives them more understanding so that they can continue researching with a bit more knowledge under their belts.

So textbooks can be of great value, they represent accumulated knowledge gained from decades and decades of research!

Part of the fun is to be daunted by the lack of an explanation, for sure.  Sticking with my example, once you understand how a joule thief works, that might help you figure out how some other unexplained phenomenon works.

i'm at a loss for words...