Joule Thief

[jeanna]

Well, my first Joule Thief is working beautifully!.....

it works fine with the twisted wires from the coil going to positive and the short leg of the LED to negative. I don't get it. Also, no matter how I tested it, I always got 1.5vdc with the Joule Thief connected to the AA. I thought it was supposed to read a different voltage since the LED needs like 3vdc to light up. 

So, now that I've got the simple JT working, what would be a good step for improvement from here? I've read this thread all day and I'm only half-way through.

Hi Timmy,

oops that was wrong, nevermind.

I think the little torroid jt that you have made is right. You shouldn't be getting the step up that the flash camera ckt provides. At least not made that way.

I'd say, keep reading. It is interesting and informative and you will be ready to buy a camera and start when you are finished. My eyes went bleary reading it the whole day this week, but I have already trashed 2 camera boards!! think of that.. all in one week!!!

Have fun. This is great, but read it all.

That is my advice, anyway.

Oh and congratulations!

jeanna

[jeanna]

@ jeanna

I bought another camera and it also has a red LED (same as last one). I tried to take a photo of the little lines that should be shorted from one side of hole to the other, but it is not very good. I hope  it is some help.

Thanks, xee2, I just finally made a solder bridge between those 2 spots. I don't have a hole there so, maybe that will work.

I am just now, trying to decide what to solder the 2 leads to.

The neg battery end and the stripe end of that black diode? and then cut and pull away the rest of the diode.

Then get my fluro bulb and clip it to the leads?

It seems to me there was a switch on this camera and I should be able to use it, but in all the complications, I am not sure where it is. I see a copper thing with 2 fingers leading to 2 traces and that may be it. I would need to hold it down, but maybe I just shorted out this switch.

I made a drawing of the circuit today. I am not finished looking at the drawing, but I think it is helping.

But first, I want to get the light to shine.

Thanks for your help.

jeanna

[Pirate88179]

@ jeanna

I bought another camera and it also has a red LED (same as last one). I tried to take a photo of the little lines that should be shorted from one side of hole to the other, but it is not very good. I hope  it is some help.

@ Jeanna:

Is that photo of your new board?  If it is, that appears to be more like mine. (first one)  The main question I have is what size battery did it come with?  I think the ones with the big transformer come with AAs not AAAs. (at least mine did)  I can't make hide nor hare out of my second board yet.  It is a total re-design.  I will keep studying it though.  I am not sure it is worth it as the trans is so small, but, maybe it will work about the same anyway....who knows.

Bill   PS:  If that is your new board, those traces are where you can put your switch.  I can also tell you then where to attach your leads for the output.

[xee2]

@ Jeanna:

The copper piece that has short fingers is what shorts out the little traces. It is the flash switch and is pushed against the little traces by the round plastic part on the front of camera that is lifted up to turn on the flash. I used clip leads to make all of my connections. If you have some they save soldering. I turn my boards on and off by connecting and disconnecting the battery.

EDIT: tube connects between lead at striped end of diode and negative battery clip.

[jeanna]

@ Jeanna:

Is that photo of your new board?

I think xee's. I made photos last night. Today's new board is exactly the same as my first one. But it is in better shape. no pink tape, the black is there, but I can see through it when I "candle" it as jesus suggested, but the first one is still impenetrable. good for learning - this is.! 

I think the ones with the big transformer come with AAs not AAAs. (at least mine did)

Or, they discovered that the battery outlasts the camera if it is AA. they can replace it if it is a AAA. My unused battery had 1.45v and the used one had 1.29v. alkaline AAA both.

-----

I see a reply by xee while I write this, so...

The copper piece that has short fingers is what shorts out the little traces. It is the flash switch and is pushed against the little traces by the round plastic part on the front of camera that is lifted up to turn on the flash.

From the fingers, one trace goes to a resistor and the other to that silver cap.

Now, I don't get what the 2 switches are for. they both turn on the flash??

I am getting confused, now.

thank you,

jeanna