Joule Thief

[jadaro2600]

Words of warning and praise...

The electronics goldmine Electronic Surprise Box  that I got in the mail contained a bunch of stuff - by bunch I mean about 4 pounds of stuff.  There were 32 400vdc capacitors and 32 orange neon bulbs as well as a few circuit boards, a water pump, a few inductors, and a few other things I think are piezoelectric / or condenser microphones.  It also had a few cigarette lighter plugs w/ fuzes.

I think the neons made it worth it ...I can't tell which lead is the positive on these capacitors though.

I also got  a solar cell, and lots of transistors and lots of toroids - I should have much to post in the time to come.  Perhaps I'll even try that washer idea that I posted a page back.

Hello all please correct me if i am wrong but the transistor used 2n2222 or 2n3904 makes a big difference in length of wire going to the base or collector. in my testing i have found that if the same length wire is not used. the shorter wire has to go to the base on a 3904 and on the 2222 it has to go to the collector.

this may or may not help getting JT's to work the first time

just trying to help and thanks to all for the great information

I've noticed similar phenomenon; the 2n2222 works better for me than the 2n3904.  I made this observation using equal lengths of wire though with transistors made from the same company.

[Pardon]

2N3904 can only switch one-third the current of the 2N2222 , but otherwise has similar characteristics.

what do you mean by the shorter to the base and longer to the collector ?
i don't see why one would need a shorter wire on the base and the other on the collector.
you have a picture of what you meant ?

Sorry but i don't have a pic. i have a coil that has 20 turns going the the Base/trigger and 70 turns going to the Collector/power. what i get with a 10 k ohm base resistor is .64 volts at the base and i get 1.03 volts at the collector. the bat voltage is 1.05 with no connection. the amp draw is .06 ma. that is the only coils of wire on this torrid the trans is a 3904.
with a 2222 trans i have to switch the base and collector wires and the base voltage using the same coil now has a base voltage of .04 and the collector is now 1.04 volts and the led is not as bright with this trans. the amp draw is now .09 ma.

so i am getting a better performace from the 3904. i wanted the highest voltage on the collector before adding a secondary to it

[innovation_station]

 

FIRST THIS SONG ... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q77oJSOSiCs

and now my work

ist!

enjoy

[altrez]

@TheNop

I took 3 different nails of 3 different sizes. I made the JT circuit and it works fine I can light all my LEDS with it. However I can not get a pickup coil to work with the nails either. I am not sure why. i have tired to do this so many different ways with so many different types of wires and core's. And I have never had any problems making an extremely powerful JT pushing over 30 LEDS and running very brightly from my AA.

I just cant seem to grasp the concept of the Pickup coil. I have wound my own transformers with no problems at all. And they always work. So its not like this is a new concept to me.

My Steps thus far:

4 diffrent types of toroids.
3 diffrent types of nails.
3 diffrent types of wires
2 diffrent types of transistors.
1-36 turns on priamery JT bifilar coil
1-80 turns on pickup coil.

Not once not even a flicker from the pickup coil. And no voltage on the pickup coil when tested with a diode.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[nievesoliveras]

@TheNop

I took 3 different nails of 3 different sizes. I made the JT circuit and it works fine I can light all my LEDS with it. However I can not get a pickup coil to work with the nails either. I am not sure why. i have tired to do this so many different ways with so many different types of wires and core's. And I have never had any problems making an extremely powerful JT pushing over 30 LEDS and running very brightly from my AA.

I just cant seem to grasp the concept of the Pickup coil. I have wound my own transformers with no problems at all. And they always work. So its not like this is a new concept to me.

My Steps thus far:

4 diffrent types of toroids.
3 diffrent types of nails.
3 diffrent types of wires
2 diffrent types of transistors.
1-36 turns on priamery JT bifilar coil
1-80 turns on pickup coil.

Not once not even a flicker from the pickup coil. And no voltage on the pickup coil when tested with a diode.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Remember that for the pick up coil to work you must take out any LEDs you have connected between the ground and the collector.

Jesus