Joule Thief

[electricme]

@ jeanna
The timed light switch you described just now has a spring which pushes outwards via some type of resistance, this could be a tiny hole to let air pass by or a 555 timer if it worked by power.

Try this as an experiment, get a elytrolytic say 1000uF at 16v DC, solder a resister or pot to pos and neg.
Charge the cap up by a plugpak with say 12v for about 10seconds.
Then see how long before the cap becomes exhausted

Next time, put a lower resister in circuit or adjust the pot

Do the experiment again.

The cap will discharge at adifferent rate

Bridging the top of the cap will discharge it immediatly or eg zero time.


@ Bill
sorry, about the reference I made about boxing your cat up and sending it over to me, I re read the post, it was MK1s kitty cat, ha ha.

@ Bob
Hello there Bob, welcome to the forum, it is nice to see you have been there in the background and not just looking, but are involved in the doings as well, your experience and results will be welcomed.
Bob has very kindly helped me out with another matter, thanks Bob.

@ Sparks
I also make a welcome to sparkes, we can see you have a broad range of electrical experience, thats good. Small Fluro tubes in microwaves makes a good test tool.

@all
I have come to the conclusion that we all are just about ready to delve into radient energy part of the JT, lots of us are now getting results, powering unusual things that couldn't be made to run just with a 1.5volt drycell battery.

My proposal is to use a JT to power a tiny solonoid, if this works, then move up to a larger one, if that works move to a bigger one.
Someone just might get lucky and get a big solonid working imediately.

Any takers?
Has anyone got any ideas?

We need square waves to do this
we need to make something to do it or
we need to buy something to do it.
Ie MOSFET or make and break points

We need to capture the pulse which happens when the magnetic field collapses
We need to be able to tune this so it can happen faster or slower to get the best amount of back emf.


jim

[electricme]

@ Bill
I went back and saw your reference to Bob about using a incondesant 100watt bulb, I have done this experiment, but I used a 12v christmas tree bulb.

It was very very dim, but what this tells me is, there is energy avaliable in the JT to drive it.

This could also be used as a test tool, to see if the torrid is capable of a bit of grunt, the brighter the bulb, the more energy is avaliable.

We might have to put 3 JT in parallel, on one torrid with one seperate output winding.

ps I have ordered a "sample" big torrid, several inches in diameter, has anyone else done the same?

ist, (im wispering) where are you, are you dare?

jim
 

[jeanna]

@ jeanna
The timed light switch you described just now has a spring which pushes outwards via some type of resistance, this could be a tiny hole to let air pass by or a 555 timer if it worked by power.

jim

Hi jim,

Thanks, but I was actually thinking of staying strictly with the joule thief but adding a cap.

Certainly, the 555 on single pulse mode can be used as the timed switch.

I wanted to use just the jt along with the capacitor.

Bill and Timmy are both getting their stockrooms (  ) ready with supercaps. I just thought it would show how well this jt could be pushed into active and practical service.

I did some resistance experiments last year (before you were here) to see about filling and unfilling a cap that would shine the led. I never got more than 40 seconds, I think. but it proved the concept to me. I think bill already gets a couple of minutes with his supercaps.

The switch on a spring is an excellent idea. This could be set to be on for long enough to drain the cap and refill it before it was back in rest position.

Thank you,

jeanna

[Mk1]

@all

Last nigh i made 2 new hp torroid, with real heavy gauge copper pickup coil,Today i will test to make them work from the same circuit so only one 2n3904 and 1k resistor, by looping both core at one.

[Pirate88179]

@ Jeanna:

So far, I have done 2 tests on the JT supercap system and the first time it lit for about 20 minutes and the 2nd time for a little more at about 24 minutes...after that, it dies down real fast.  This was using about a 10 second charge from an AA battery.  I have a working theory that since these take a long time to discharge, maybe the inverse is true so, when I get time, I will make some experiments doing this and keep more accurate times and try charging it up a bit longer each time.
Oh, on the second test, I was running the 3 super leds (as you have not been able to see in my video) to make a video and I just left it on my table to discharge.  Well, it lit those three 10mm leds for about 23 minutes.  I made a note of the time but I was not really timing it as I was doing something else.  I really think that with a good long charge up and by using two of the caps together (parallel?) we can see some very good run times on the caps alone.  We will see.

Oh, by the way, your computer repair people told me you will never see your computer again. (Just kidding)  I hope you get it back soon AND it works.

@ MK1:

I can't wait to see what happens with that one.  Good work.



@ Jim:

It's too late, I have already shipped my cat off to you.  Just kidding!  She helps me with all of my experiments and video making so I better keep her around here, ha ha.  I hope you are doing better.

Bill