Joule Thief

[resonanceman]

I just  burnt out my last 3055

I got  it to work for a little while .

On  my last  try  I was lighting  2 LED arrays

They  were lighting up pretty good ....... but not that much better than  I have been able to do with 2 AAs
I tried  just  a little less resistance to the  base and  the  transistor blew out .
I am not sure of the voltage I was getting .
My meter only  goes to 600 V    It  started beeping  as soon as  I  got a little  light  from the first LED array .
I  must  have had some pretty  big spikes .


I did not have any time to  try  any feedback or  flyback

gary

[freepow]

I am measuring with probe tip to Emitter and aligator to collector.

[freepow]

Well i have the bifilar winding connected as usuall and the secondary is actually connected as well in my experiment.

[protonmom]

@gadget, or anyone else who might know: 
Is there any device a person could use outside of an insulated screwdriver, that can discharge those cam caps safely?  Perhaps some sort of wooden tongs?  I have only opened three of my cameras, so far.  I have not yet been shocked, fortunately.  I try to be careful, yet I know it only takes a moment of looking the other way....
I thought about making some wooden tongs, but not sure just how to do it.  I do have insulated screwdrivers.  Do I need to add an extra layer of elec. tape around them to be sure they are safe?

[xee2]

@gadget, or anyone else who might know: 
Is there any device a person could use outside of an insulated screwdriver, that can discharge those cam caps safely?  Perhaps some sort of wooden tongs?  I have only opened three of my cameras, so far.  I have not yet been shocked, fortunately.  I try to be careful, yet I know it only takes a moment of looking the other way....
I thought about making some wooden tongs, but not sure just how to do it.  I do have insulated screwdrivers.  Do I need to add an extra layer of elec. tape around them to be sure they are safe?

I suspect you do have an insulated screw driver. Any screw driver with a plastic handle is insulated. In my opinion, the safest way to discharge a cap is to clip a lead to one terminal of the cap (before charging it) and then connect the other end of that lead to a many thousand ohm resistor and then connect a lead from the other end of the resistor to the screw driver. Then touch the screwdriver to the other terminal of the capacitor and hold it there for a while.