Joule Thief

[xee2]

@ Jeanna:

You do not have to remove any components. Just cut one lead. But I recommend removing large cap.

Steps I took for Fuji board with LED (should work for neon version also):

1. REMOVED LARGE CAPACITOR. Short with screw driver first. This can be left on board but is large enough to cause serious damage and should be removed just to be safe.
2. Cut lead at anode end of diode and fastened one end of tube to lead at cathode end of diode (end with the line on it). Make sure there is a good size gap where you cut the lead.
3. Connected other end of tube to battery negative clip.
4. Shorted little lines on one side of hole to the lines on the other side of hole (on trace side of board where shown in my previous photo).

EDIT: The photos were all taken by Bill, I just marked them up.

[Pirate88179]

Well, I tried again to light a pretty good size CFL.  As you can see, I only got one half of the spiral to light.  (There are two tubes intertwined)  It would not light at all hooking to the ground and the power side of the Edison base.  I ended up using one lead around the base, and the other was attached to my very strong neo mag. which I stuck in the other end of the light. (where the tubes are)  So, no direct connection with the second lead, only to the magnet.  You can see it on the left in the picture I took with the lights on. (power to the fuji board was off on this one)

Bill

[jeanna]

@xee2,

4. Shorted little lines on one side of hole to the lines on the other side of hole (on trace side of board where shown in my previous photo).

Thanks for the improved photo number 2. Now, It is only the above business I can't get a clear placement on.

What are these traces? Since my architecture looks different from yours, but more like yours than Bill's, I am confused. I took a couple of pics and when I can I will mod them and upload. if I cannot figure out which traces you are referring to.

Thanks for your help,

jeanna

[xee2]

@ Jeanna:


They are covered by a switch in Bill's photos. If you post photo I will mark it up. I do not have macro lens, so I can't post a photo. They are just little lines of trace on each side of hole.

[Mk1]

@ Pirate88179
Did you remove the cfl circuit? I did and my bulb works.