Joule Thief

[jeanna]

WOW, what a great thread!

It has taken me all day to read this and probably it's a good thing it is christmas eve, or more posts would have been made. I love this thread.

I am seeing 2 threads inside this one and I need some clarification, please.

I am confused (?) about where the bifilar torroid is in all these camera circuits. Is this just an incorporated element when in the flash ckt? I think I saw one in a pic somewhere, but I am missing them in most of the circuits.

@Bill,
I am so impressed that you are lighting 2 40w fluorescent tubes with one camera circuit. egads!!!

In fact Freezer and xee and nieves, and all the rest oh and IST ... cool!

I have one kodak one ready to go. I also have a 15 w growlight I got for experiments. This will be the experiment . tomorrow. So, please help with the choice of circuit.

I get that there are lots of ways to put this together.

I guess I'll need to reread the thread again tomorrow. I expect to try xee's latest explanation first. Is there a recommendation? ooo this is gonna be fun.

--------

About 4 years ago, I made what I called LED candles. I made them to learn how to make a plain circuit with a resistor etc. They had a little switch and a 47R resistor. I used amber because amber looked more like a candle and somehow it was OK that the light was so small. I found that a kind of paper called --- I forget, rolled into a tube made the light glow and look like a candle. I will remember the paper later.- a kind of fake parchment. (I love the clear marbles.- what about the 'strawberry' design being used on so many christmas lights?)

These amber candles would be bright from 2 AAA batteries for 2 weeks and not in need of recharging for another week, so they were good for 3 weeks.

I made a few using whites. Those candles, using the same set up would burn for 6 to 8 weeks. It isn't that they aren't using the batteries, it is just that they are so bright that even when almost gone, they are still light. - and yes, jim, the light is not as pleasant.

Also on the LED side of things, I have had a string of 35 LED's draped over my window for 2 full years now. They still work great. I never have unplugged them. They make the kitchen and living room bright enough to see. 2.4 watts... And these are a great source of ambient light. If I can get a few grow lights lit using a couple of c batteries and a joule thief for the winter, I will be really pleased.

As far as where next goes... My thought is to see how long  it can go on how little battery. Basically, what are the limits.

I am wondering also about the fact that at the same time the frequency is higher and goes quiet, and the circuit is powering more length of light. So, perhaps it is using for power what was being made as heat. Am I mistaken that the transistor was cool with the extra light and no sound??

OK for now (a bit scattered), I will check in tomorrow.

jeanna

[xee2]

@ jeanna

The Kodak transformer does not work as good as the Fuji. I think the same instructions for cutting anode diode lead and connecting one end of tube to lead at cathode end of diode will work (with other end of tube to negative of battery). But you will have to find where the flash switch is and short it out and this will be different on the Kodak.You may need to put a capacitor (value not critical, such as 0.01 uF) in series with the tube to prevent shorting the base bias when using the Kodak.
Good luck.

The Joule thief does not need to be bifilar to work. The camera transformers are equivalent to a Joule thief transformer with an extra winding.

[spinner]

@ jeanna

The Kodak transformer does not work as good as the Fuji. I think the same instructions for cutting anode diode lead and connecting one end of tube to lead at cathode end of diode will work (with other end of tube to negative of battery). But you will have to find where the flash switch is and short it out and this will be different on the Kodak.You may need to put a capacitor (value not critical, such as 0.01 uF) in series with the tube to prevent shorting the base bias when using the Kodak.
Good luck.

The Joule thief does not need to be bifilar to work. The camera transformers are equivalent to a Joule thief transformer with an extra winding.

It's good to see that you people are getting the results, a success. Lighting bulbs with just a volt or two is an achievement.,,,
As long as you are aware that power (U/I) conversion is not really a "FE"....

Cheers!

[nievesoliveras]

Greetings!!!

I made a composition and added most of the circuits on one paint graphic. The second one is from a kodak circuit.

Happy holidays!!

Jesus

[Pirate88179]

It's good to see that you people are getting the results, a success. Lighting bulbs with just a volt or two is an achievement.,,,
As long as you are aware that power (U/I) conversion is not really a "FE"....

Cheers!

@ Spinner:

Yes, I believe we are aware that nothing "unconventional" is taking place here.....except......what amazes me is that this process has been around a long while and is supposedly "well known", yet, look at ist's flashlight.  If you were in the flashlight business, would you not want to make a light that will run off of a "dead" battery and be just as bright, if not brighter, and last many times longer on only 1 AA battery and not the 3 they used?  In lighting these long tubes, I am getting much more light (probably for a longer time although not tested yet) than my camping light which lights a small 6" tube using 8 D sized batteries.  That light only lasts about an hour on high, which is not all that bright.

Now, as far as FE is concerned.....when/if this operates off of my earth battery (I am going to try both the toroid style and the Fuji circuit) then I believe I have an FE lighting device that will work all the time, day or night.

So, I believe that while these circuits themselves are not ou by any means, they are possibly an essential tool due to their efficiency and maybe can be coupled to other devices like the earth battery, Bedini SSG's, solar cells, small wind power devices....etc.  Anyway, these are why I am playing with these.  Merry Christmas.

Bill