Joule Thief

[synchro1]

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6ud3BPLb7o

[TinselKoala]

Just got 20 1N34A's for $17.90 from SpaElectronics.

0.45 each for 10 or more..... so 9 dollars for 20, plus shipping......
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/

[TinselKoala]

@synchro: You might be interested in this.
I just made a video showing some work repeating some of Sohei Thoth's work with "wireless" (actually coreless) JT using Tesla bifilar coils as inductors. Very interesting stuff. Not super efficient but interesting nevertheless. I was amazed by how far apart I could place the two coils and still get brilliant light in the LED bank. Also the "enhanced" version using the 70 nF cap across the 2n2222a 1K base resistor produces much better performance and even greater separation distance.... and does not have the reduction in brightness with distance the way the "standard" basic JT without this cap behaves. The lights stay at full brightness until they finally shut off at the extreme separation distance of the coils of about 15 cm.

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

[stprue]

Wow, that's a great site.  good deals on DMM's too. 

Good find TK.

[e2matrix]

A quick look on eBay will find you a 100 pcs. of 1N34A for $10.05 including shipping,  50 pcs. for $6.69  so just around 10 cents each or a little more and those were just the first few I saw without digging for the possible best deals there.  Of course it will take you a few weeks typically to get them but just saying the place TK mentioned is far from the low price.   Otherwise a good place for bigger things it looks like.