Joule Thief

[jeanna]

Hi everyone,
I awoke this morning thinking I had made a big mistake and I needed to just come quickly and say so, but first I checked a few things. I did make a mistake in the way I was thinking the circuit is, but it is still way better than the sum of the separate  circuits added together.

I was not checking the amps properly so the meter was not recording the amps from the added circuit. So, adding the circuit does add some amp draw.

It goes from 30 mA on the breadboard circuit to 45mA when the 2 are put together and properly tested for amps.

The second one by itself which adds 15mA to the total, uses 104mA by itself.

@jesus. I understand. I know how to use photoshop, so for me it is quicker than learning a new program. I just need to install it, which is easy enough. I think today will be a good day for that.

(I have a macintosh and mac and windows are antagonistic operating systems, so I cannot just get the program you suggest. Thank you. I am switching everything even the mac to linux which is free and supported worldwide by open source folks who help each other like here. I am doing that a little at a time, though.)

@Ist/Gadgetmall, I love this little solar flower thing. There is a stubblefield reminder in this if you recall the stories that he "lit up the ground" ... trees , mmm yes. Trees lit up is much prettier than street lights any night of the year!

@Bill, thanks, I went looking for a galvanized gift size pail yesterday afternoon. None here. But I do have a big one I can use to try it out. I think it would be good looking  - and good safety- to have one little one on each step going up to the front door. Just water it occasionally!

@Koen,
Try them anyway. Kubikop on youtube (sorry no link) shows a really tiny toroid in his basic how to make a joule thief video. I wouldn't be able to do it either, (it is way too small) but we are playing with different numbers of turns.   The important thing is to get the magnetic field of/around that toroid to oscillate. There are several different ways people here are accomplishing this. I just "got" how xee2 has been doing this today, so, give the little ones a try.
BTW, I think kubikop used varnished wire. You can use the same color wire. You must not connect one wire to itself, so just do something to distinguish them visually so you twist different pieces of identical wires together once they are wound.

@xee2,
I am still working on the circuit you drew. I have found that when I think you are misunderstanding my question to you, it is I that misunderstands your answer. I just need time.

And, perhaps photoshop.

I will be back. with a drawing. It really isn't as special as I thought. Just the battery cap seems to make a difference. - thanks xee2 for insisting on the battery cap!

Thank you everybody,

jeanna

[Pirate88179]

@ All:

Have a look at this: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2391318/nextreme_candle_power_demo/

I think this is very closely related to the Peltier Junction or a thermal couple of some kind. Not really related to what we are doing, but it could be with the addition of a jt circuit to use that same generated energy to light a bunch of leds.  The folks making this probably don't even know about the jt circuit.

Bill

[jeanna]

OK here it is... I hope 

EDIT ADD: One at a time they draw 135mA total but when added together like this they draw only 45mA.
I want to perfect this a bit to find resonance, maybe...
jeanna

[jeanna]

Thanks Bill,

He has good suggestions in the end. I thought "pretty ridiculous" in the beginning. Was he really proposing to use a candle flame to light a led? No, it sure looked like it for a while though. 

Yes, use the heat from the hot wall in your house in the summer to cool the inside of it. reverse in winter.

I hope the jt can do some of this like warm your coffee if not cook it.

jeanna

[Pirate88179]

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/915226/free_electricity_from_thin_air/


I had seen this video before but it was a while ago.  Now, with all we know about the jt circuits so far,the 2 volts this guy pulls out of the air should run our toroids....non-stop!!!!  I realize this energy comes from radio transmissions...but....so what?  Just about everyone has these transmissions around them so why not tap into them for some free light?  If we all did this it would not cost the radio station any more than what they are already paying and we all get free light.  It looks simple enough to build, even I can probably make one. (ha ha)

Jeanna:

You could light all of your walkway and garden lights for free, forever using this method.  I will give this a go and report when I get the time.  He has a schematic and parts list at the end of the video.  Less than 2 bucks in parts....now that is right up my alley!!!

Bill