EER Joule Thief using an earth battery to start a joule thief.

[lasersaber]

I ran a quick experimented and put the magnesium ribbon and copper in 2 separate pots of dirt without plants (magnesium in one, copper in the other) ... I watered the soil and checked 10 minutes with my meter; there's around 1.36 volts, but no ams :-( I've checked several times throughout the day with no change except the volts change slightly.

   Maybe it's because the soil is separated?

In my experience If you have the soil separated you will get no milliamps.  The wires need to be in the same body of soil.  Awhile back I made crude a NS coil and did some interesting tests.  When I placed the coil in my creek it generated 100 milliamps.  When I placed it in a plastic bucket containing the same creek water it only produced 50 milliamps.  http://www.overunity.com/index.php?topic=8640.0  I wonder what would happen if you grounded your soil pots?

Right now I am in the process of building a very faithful replication of the NS coil.  I found out that it's hard to get soft iron and cotton covered wire.  I have all the parts on order now.  I will post my results here on this forum.

[in3d]

Hi Lasersabre,

   I also think the 2 wires need to be in the same soil, but will continue testing with the separate pots. I may buy a long coco fiber pot, submerge it in a long/large plastic planter trough and keep it indoors with philos in it.

   I believe the moving creek water is the result of the higher milliamps. It reminds me of Lord Kelvin's Dropper (I REALLY want to test that this Spring) where they theorized expanding the concept and funneling a waterfall through massive coils. Perhaps if you were to put a small water pump or bilge pump in the bucket to cycle the water, the milliamps may increase.

   BTW: I took my (2) 2ft PVC magnesium and copper wire water batteries (12ft of each wire) on Saturday (both wires in the same cell x 2), wired them in series and hooked them to a JT with a secondary; they lit 2 super bright LED's steady for 24 hours (1 LED on the primary; 1 on the secondary), but began pulsating rapidly after 24hrs (Sunday evening). This morning, they were still pulsating at the same rate with no apparent slow-down. The JT is the same basic one created at the URL shown below (same sized toroid), but I wound the primary half way around the toroid and the secondary a smaller gauge wire around 30 times. When I added a second LED to the secondary, it cancelled out the first LED on the secondary, but the primary LED remained on. Both LEDs were rapidly flickering this morning.

The JT I'm using, except with a secondary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTAqGKt64WM

Shannon

[jeanna]

It is interesting to have some definitive answers on these things
Same pot.
Keep the wires connected to enhance rather than drain...etc.

Right now I am in the process of building a very faithful replication of the NS coil.  I found out that it's hard to get soft iron and cotton covered wire.  I have all the parts on order now.  I will post my results here on this forum.

Be careful!!
When we researched those places selling cotton covered wire, we found that the wire was enameled wire and not at all bare copper. This will waste a lot of time if you make this and find non bare copper wire deep in your NS coil!!!

I love what all you fresh experimenters are doing. This is going somewhere.
Don't you agree, Bill?

jeanna

edit add

The JT is the same basic one created at the URL shown below (same sized toroid), but I wound the primary half way around the toroid and the secondary a smaller gauge wire around 30 times. When I added a second LED to the secondary, it cancelled out the first LED on the secondary, but the primary LED remained on. Both LEDs were rapidly flickering this

If the led goes out when you add a second one in series it means you have about 7-10v spikes on your secondary.
This is very good information.
30T giving you 7-10v might just mean the frequency is very very high, like MHz (which it is).

[Pirate88179]

Jeanna:

I totally agree.  The more folks we have that are building and experimenting, the more results we will see, both on what to do, and what not to do. (equally important in my view)

You have always asked folks to post stuff that didn't work out like they thought so that others could learn from that.  I still think this is a very good idea.

I am glad you pointed that out to Lasersaber about the cotton covered wire.  Some of the wire like that I looked into had a teflon liner between the cotton and the wire.  Maybe someone will find a source of true cotton insulated wire very close to what they used to use in NS's day.  That would really open thing up for us.

I am still considering contacting a factory that makes shoelaces for tennis shoes.  All of my laces are actually cotton tubes that have been ironed flat.  If we could get a good sized roll of this (I am sure they make it in long tubes) it would still be a lot easier to insert our wire into the tubes as opposed to wrapping it or using string like I did.  If I am right about this, it should be pretty economical...well... hopefully.

Bill

[jeanna]

Hi Bill,
They do. I used to buy shoelace by the 2kyard roll. It is cheap too, but remember, it still has to be loaded onto the wire.
If you sew it around the wire it will be secure and you only need to do a yard at a time.
I really don't think there is an easy way..

=============
@all,

I wanted to correct a mix-up I made.
It turned out well, so that is great.

I was thinking about 2 series EER's in 2 pots when I suggested one in each.
I am glad I suggested it because it is a good control.

But it certainly makes sense that nothing happens.

jeanna