Joule Thief

[stprue]

@stprue

Nice looking toroid , try something for me , i think there is a problem with the connection to the bread board , i have one just like yours and i usually need need to use the clipper cable between the pickup coil and rectifier to get good connection, or i solder a 22 gauge wire at the end so i could connect it properly to the board.

Mark

Also have you tested the toroid in other configuration ?

Than you Mark I will try this later tonight or tomorrow.  I think I will re-scrape and then try your suggestions.  I may have wound it wrong also, it is difficult to describe how to wind this coil.  When I figure it out I will post it to you with pics for your approval and then post to the forum.

[stprue]

Here's my latest coil using the Goldmine 5 for $1 toroid. This is untested, I need to get some other stuff done before I start playing with it. I spent about an hour winding this.

3 Turn Base Coil
7 Turn Collector Coil
150 Turn Pickup Coil

Pickup coil is wrapped up then down. From the end of the Collector coil to the start of the Base coil back to the end of the Collector coil.

Stay tuned... Until then, enjoy the pics!

I just noticed This is Mk style! 

[jeanna]

@Hazens,
There is probably a little piece of clear plastic preventing the battery from discharging while it is in the shipping box.
This allows the solar panel to directly light the light when the sun is out but it stays dark at night!.

I just went through this with a friend.

Xee.
Thank you for that information.
According to my calculations which may only be internally consistent and not verifiable according to the usual tests and pure sine waves which we are not making...

Your fluoro with cap is using 
22.1mw per hour
and the one without the cap which is dimmer is using
14.36mw/hr

I should try lighting a fluoro.

Here is an example of the calculations I am using. This is on 4 circuits without cap. I decided not to confound this with the cap effect.

jeanna

[stprue]

@ Jeanna

Not sure if you saw my recent failure here is a different idea.  On the inside is it overlapping over the top of the previous overlap as well as the bottom wire?  Here are the pics.

I am probably more annoyed at my self then you are!

[hazens1]

@Hazens,
There is probably a little piece of clear plastic preventing the battery from discharging while it is in the shipping box.
This allows the solar panel to directly light the light when the sun is out but it stays dark at night!.

jeanna

No, I checked the circuit and there is no photocell in it at all. There was no plastic piece preventing the battery from discharging since this kit has it's own on/off switch. I opened in up, flipped the switch and it turned on after I covered the solar panel. I looked for a photocell and did not see one, so I opened it up to take a closer look. I'm guessing the circuit senses the voltage from the solar panel reaches a certain lower limit or less than X volts which would happen if it got dark and it triggers the batteries to run the LEDs. There is a microchip in there, I'm going to look up what it is when I get a chance.

On another note. I was testing my new toroid and SUCCESS 

I was able to light a 6 inch, 4 watt florescent tube! I'll post a diagram with details later, but here are some pics. I was able to light it before and after the bridge rectifier. I capped the rectified output to get a votage reading and this new toroid is hitting 404 volts from a 1.2 volt input. Amazing that the little 1 inch Goldmine toroid is capable of this