Joule Thief

[WilbyInebriated]

8 watt tube

[innovation_station]

great work 

i never tryed it i wish i would have lol !!

great job just awsome ....

ist

[Bob Smith]

@Wilby ...very cool! 

@Pirate -  I'm a relative neophyte in these things, so I don't have a lot of info to share, and am learning as I go along.  I'll respond to your last post as best I can:  I really don't know about whether pulses need to be in sync when linking 2 JTs together.  I would imgine, though, your transistors would have to be more robust as you progress. You might be able to start with a 2n2222, then maybe a 2n3055 (still not a very robust transistor), and then on to something with higher wattage rating.  This is due to the fact that if you get bigger voltage spikes, you have to be able to handle them without getting fried.

As for the AV plug, I believe they simply consist in 2 diodes (or two sets of diodes in series) on your pos and neg outputs, to a single lead.  Have a look at Fig. 5 in Strebkov's "Resonance methods of electric power transmission" at:  http://www.viesh.ru/Development%20of%20Resonance%20methods%20of%20electric%20power%20transmission.htm  Some of the Stiffler SEC replication videos also show the AV plug clearly - just a couple of diodes off the pos and neg output leading to a single transmission line. 

As far as BEMF in the scope shots, here's what I'm suggesting.  The sharp rise in the voltage spike followed by a very, very rapid decline produces a quickly collapsing magnetic field, followed by inductive kick back (radiant energy?).  I believe both Bearden and Bedini, in the Energy from the Vacuum videos speak about radiant energy in Bedini's circuits in this way.

My wife left me a honey-do list today before heading off to work -Christmas tree up in living room, lights on front of house, shopping... If I get time today, I'll work at this as well. 

Regarding your remark:  "It really would be something if you could light up a neon or florescent bulb using just a single AA battery wouldn't it?"  ...Wilby, you da man!  (Now, try it with the AV plug! )

Have fun!
Bob

[Trino Cularoid]

Maybe a little background on the circuit itself (please correct me where inaccurate):

Nowadays, one would probably call it a variant of a boost or step-up DC/DC converter, similar to the more elaborate circuits used in some switched power supplies (like the ones in battery-driven audio devices).

It was, however, already somewhat popular during the tube days. There is an astable and a monostable variant. The astable one was simply a free-running oscillator. The monostable one was used as a synchronized oscillator, for example in frequency dividers. With appropriately chosen components, it can also be made to be another type of blocking oscillator, called squegging (or self-quenching) oscillator that produces pulse trains (apparently then used for transmitters to track wildlife).

The minimal version that uses the capacitances of the semiconductor itself instead of external capacitors seems to have become popular again with the Joule Thief, which is based on this article (<-- this is a link).

The monostable version has also been used by John Bedini (and since he has a strong tube background, I doubt he got it from the LED circuit). The main difference of the variants is where the winding leading to the base of the transistor is connected to (+ or -) and the ratio of the number of turns of the windings (which allows a transistor to be operated in the non-linear part of its characteristic curve).

This is just one way to look at the circuit from a higher level. You can analyze it quite differently also,

[Pirate88179]

@ Wilby:

Wow, that is fantastic!!!  In the first shot, I see a small coil there.  Is this the joule thief or some small transformer?  In your next photo, I see what I recognize to be one of Dr. Stiffler's SEC boards (please correct me if I am wrong)  I know that will light a tube but are you able to do it with just the joule thief, or some variant thereof?

I am not concerned with the wires going out of the frame on your pictures.  You appear to be a straight shooter on here and, although I am usually suspicious of such things, (especially on youtube)  I have no doubt that they are what you say they are.

Can you explain to us what your circuit is so we may replicate it?  I think this is incredible.  Thanks for posting that.

@ Trino:

Thanks for the explanation.  I do not know enough to even begin to try to "correct" you.  I have read that these circuits have been around for a while, possibly a long while.  I do believe that some of the properties of this circuit have been overlooked for a long while also.  I mean, I do not ever remember seeing so many leds or a florescent tube powered by a single AA bat. before....ever. (I mean, over the years, prior to me being on OU dot com)  I think sometimes a rediscovery of something put to a different use than intended can be as exciting as an original discovery.

@ Bob:

I agree with you about the transistors...even the 2nd Joule Thief in series might fry the 2nd transistor.  Thanks for the info on the av plug, I will check that out.  I remember them being pretty simple, I just could not remember how to construct one.

As far as BEMF and the quickly collapsing magnetic field goes, I agree with what you say.  I don't know a lot about it but it makes sense.  I wonder if a joule thief would drive a Bedini type device if the coil was positioned under the rotating magnets?  I have a half-built Bedini motor made from a VCR motor, very low friction bearings.  Too many questions, not enough time.  Thanks.

Bill