Joule Thief

[Pirate88179]

@ jeanna

If it is AC, perhaps it is from the power lines. The pole transformers have an earth ground and  currents run through this and capacitively couple to the wires. This creates a lot of AC ground currents near the poles with transformers on them. Most older houses were required to have an earth ground at the fuse box and these also could generate AC currents in the ground. The problem in understanding what is going on is that there are so many unknown variables. So I think your approach and Bill's of just saying "I did this and it worked" is possibly the best that can be done.

Xee2:

You hit it exactly here.  If I put up an antenna and catch radio station waves and can make light out of it for free, and it does not cost the radio station any power loss at all, then I will do it.  If my local power company, or a house, has ac leakage into the ground and I can use it to light my home for free, I will do it.  It is there anyway and will not cost anyone anything more if I do or don't.

But, as I mentioned in the above post a few minutes earlier, in Stubblefield's time, there was no grid.  It was late 1800's and he lived in a remote area of Kentucky.

So, my bottom line is, yes I would love to know where this is coming from and how it works which would help me exploit it more efficiently I am sure, but, it is not needed for me to know.  Does that make any sense? (I think better than I type most of the time)

Bill

[xee2]

@ gadgetmall

I looked at your drawing again and I do not see what I did wrong. I did combine two parallel caps into one for simplicity, but that is electrically equivalent. If you can tell me what is wrong I will correct it.

[xee2]

@ gadgetmall

Jeanna pointed out my mistake. Thanks jeanna. So, is this correct?

[Mk1]

@all

Great work again !

I personally only use the full wave bridge because it is the most efficient , it allow 2 time more current to come out then a single or double diode rectification .

Voltage double are nice , i may use them to show off , since i already got 2X850 volts rectified dc , now double that 3400 volts ? , on a regular 2n2222. Change the transistor and then !? ...

Ok some more idea , there is a chip by texas instrument that is basicly a jt , but will not produce those high current but could be used to make the 1.5 volt to run a jt from basically nothing or everything is a point of view, there are some already made piezo jt texas instrument that deliver out to 3 v . No everyone has room to use a Earth battery , but also how many solar panel would you need to produce more energy even if not working 24 h a day .

I found some interesting link on magnetic current , http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/10/09/magnetic-battery-discovery-may-lead-to-cooler-laptops/

[Pirate88179]

KK1:

Now you talking!  By the way, congratulations on your high output. That is really fantastic.

I know that Gadget has solar cells on his site (for a very reasonable price I might add) and I was thinking of adding the other ones I got from electronics goldmine to the EB set-up eventually. (Gadget has probably already done this or at least has plans to)  I am also considering adding a small wind turbine (it has to be real small as I live in a small apt.) to the mix as well.  This is what I call total energy production.  Not just one thing or one source but, heck if they are all there waiting to be used, let's use them.  Once folks get into using very large supercaps (Gadget also has these and it's the best deal on them I have seen anywhere) they don't care what charges them or, how many sources it comes from.  Once charged, they can run just about anything you want to run.

I just wanted to post this for folks that might think I am married to the EB as an energy source.  I want it all, EB, solar, wind, and, we can get it for a hell of a lot cheaper than these energy magazines tell us.  One day, hopefully soon, I will get another house and then I can play all I want with different energy sources.  The good thing about KY is that the power company HAS to buy all of your excess power back, not at wholesale, but at the retail price it charges its customers.  Of course, if everyone did this they would change that law I am sure, but for the first few that do it, it will be a good way to generate income.

Bill