Joule Thief

[xee2]

@ WilbyInebriated

lightly modded, not tuned bug swatter circuit @ 2v input, running a ccfl.

Looks really bright.

[WilbyInebriated]

i was just playing around with some bulbs i have and while digging in a box looking for more i came across an old 175 watt metal halide from my coral reef tank. i hooked it up and the arc tube lit with a pale blue color. it wasn't enough to ignite the bulb of course, but it did look cool with the lights off. i tried to take a picture, but it didn't turn out. my camera sucks. 

@xee
yes, @ 2v it's usable light, nice for a tent or night light. @ 3.7v it's real bright, you don't wanna look at it. i like these ccfl's better, they seem brighter than the other bulbs.

[xee2]

@ jeanna

One of my personal things is to stay away from making this ac back into dc, so I don't get some of the results others get. And, I have noticed that the cap can't seem to collect any voltage without the diode. (I am sure this is not news to the guys with the schooling)

That's right, no diode = no voltage on cap.

[altrez]

@jeanna

I was hooking it up to a 4 watt tube when I got the ZAP it was most definitely a ZAP no way to mistake that one I will take a look at the LED string to see if I can find the diode

@Bill,

Thanks for the help!

@xee2

I will see if a 12-12 will kick it up over 400 volts its 8-8 right now.

Thank you all!

-Altrez

[electricme]

@all,
Hi all, I'm playing catchup again, I'm on 607 so it's going to be a while before I have caught up.

Thought I might post a pic of my latest LED I bought this morning in Brisbane, its a CREE Ultra Bright LED, rated at 1Watt light output. I havent played with these before so I will need to do a bit of studying up about them. At $12.95 each, they are too expensive to destroy.

I also increased my instruments, bought a 0-30volt 0-2.5Amp adjustable volt and Current power supply, as soon as I got home I pulled the cover off it, (couldn't help myself, just had to know what was inside it lol).very nice unit has digital readouts, wacking big transformer, and the heatsink has 2 vacant predrilled holes to fitt another second set of power transistors, so in my book it's upgradeable for a higher output.
   
Also bought some Mosfets, 100 x 1N4007 1Amp diodes and 100x 1n4007 3Amp diodes and last of all 1 x 55 Farad 2.5v cap, all up I spent just over $200 australian on bits and pieces.
It was fun time.

To those who have Earth Battery experience, I need you input about this idea I have.
I am having a difficult time getting big carbon rods here, but I have about 30 odd carbon electrodes from 1.5v batteries, if I crush these rods up, put the crushed carbon in a sock with a stainless steel electrode, would this work OK?

jim