Joule Thief Dream Coil

[jeanna]

Nice,
Have them leave about 1/5 of the toroid unwound max.
It is safer to leave 1/4 but with a small toroid, there are limitations.
Cool!

Are they willing to make you machine wound samples so readily?
That is very convenient.


And there is a big difference in the transistors.
The flashlights do best with the 2N2222 or 2N3904. They do best because they use the least amount of mA from the battery.
The power to get the super high volts comes from the TIP3055 or the TIP31. (I think the 31 uses less mA.) All of these are available from radioshack, so see which ones your local one carries for now.

Also in the end you use a plain resistor, but for now it is best to use a pot. rs has 2k pots, I think.
Well they have enormous ones but a 1K pot is the best for this, and when you get it right which will be different with each set-up, then you can put in a regular one for the kit.

I am having a really fun time with the LoA 20leds bulbs. They are a lot brighter than the cfl and easier to start.
These are rated as 40w equivalent, but theylie. Really they are about 20w equivalent (in the wall).

I am making a video now so I will check back.

jeanna

[Foggy-Notion]

I can read loud and clear "101 is not the place for posting questions"
but then scroll down to keep reading and completely forget where I am,
and start asking questions.  I appologize for that.
So I'm over here now and not sure where to ask.

But I don't want to start a new thread for this, so the question is,
Large Ferrite Rings, or Toroids, seem to be difficult to find.

Can I just use a large ferrite ring magnet?  or a small one for that matter?
Becuase I have a lot of those laying around.

I was a big fan of the board game "Mouse Trap" and still like that stuff,
but Solid State deffinitly has it's advantages.  I'd like to dabble in both.

Thank you.

[jeanna]

...
So I'm over here now and not sure where to ask.
..... so the question is,
Large Ferrite Rings, or Toroids, seem to be difficult to find.

Can I just use a large ferrite ring magnet?  or a small one for that matter?
Becuase I have a lot of those laying around.
...

Is there a reason you have not tried this?
My answer is always... there is only one way to know.

The large toroids are not necessary in any way.
They might be if you want to get over 800 volts, but so far, I have a 3/4 inch toroid that is getting me 600-800spiky volts.
That is in part because I am using the heftier transistor.
Those draw more amps into circulation and it is my speculation that this is why they get higher volts.
The circuit made with the same toroid and everything else but with a 2N3904, or 2N2222 will only get 250v. Now that is still enough to light a neon.
And, I will say it took me nearly a year to get good enough to wind it to get that.

BUT...

If you use the leds in parallel and mix a little series in there, you can both protect the leds and light many with high frequency looow volts.
See my globe lamp video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1KxE_87MLs which uses 24 leds soldered in a series string of 6 with each led having 3 other leds spldered to it making each led the same as 4, therefore there are 6 leds with the brightness of 24.

Carry that to another level, if you make one with 50 leds you will have the light equivalent of a 50 watt light bulb, that runs for 12 hours on a single AAA battery or much longer on a AA.

Just start.
You need the practice.
I say that because everyone needs the practice.

And please have fun!!,

jeanna

[Foggy-Notion]

Thanks for reply Jeanna,

Haven't tried any of it yet. Reason being, a low budget, I want to know what I need
before ordering things I wont need or use long, also have too many projects going ;0(

Ok, and unlike a regular transformer, which shouldn't work with straight DC anyway,
this not only spikes to mimic a pulsing, allowing transformer type action to occure
with DC, but it then takes on it's own strange behavior so that voltage really isn't
governed by the number of turns? Or am I misunderstanding?

In other words, If I want a larger Ferrite ring for more amps, but only give it a 2:1 ratio
of turns, it could still quaduple, or what ever it wants as far as voltage, because the
voltage is recycled back EMF spiking echo? How can I controll the voltage with these
larger ferrite rings? Or can I get a steady voltage of 250 and then just use a step down
transformer to acheive a steady but beefy 12 volts ?

That is, power it with a 12 volt battery, "it" being between 12v power supply and a 12v
electric motor, spiking and hissing,whatever, step it back down to 12 volts, and have
more amps that I started with?, ...to run that motor?

Also, when a transistor is used as a switch, does that mean it is turning on and off rapidly?,
repeatedly? By itself?

And if so, is a Relay similar? How does a Relay differ? Can a Relay be used to pulse DC
so it can be stepped down by a transformer? That's my impression though factory spec sheet
was not very clear.

And because te circuit is spiking, it will work with a transformer, regardless?
No need to further pulse the DC with Relays, etc?
Ok, what is causing the spiking? The whole combo, or certain components of the circuit?
If I remove either the Resistor, or the Transistor, or both, will it still spike or pulse somewhat
due to the wire turn configuration? (Will a secondary used as a transformer still work?)

Do these components come in big size? Same names? Where?
Bottom line is, I want to run an electric car, with half the batteries, etc..
er? ...like, forever. ;-P

Thanks.

[jeanna]

OK, great, and I am right there with you.
The only way to get a handle on this is to get your hands on it.
It would be like watching an advanced art video with special brushes that have techniques that are different from basic brush techniques, but you never picked up a regular brush.
You do not need to do this much, but it really helps to understand what the heck someone is saying.
I will take your q's :

Reason being, a low budget

Did you see my little thing on jt 101 about using the cfl inside toroid?
This is cheap or free depending on if you have any cfl's on hand or if a neighbor is throwing one away.

also have too many projects going ;0(

I can relate to that one.

Ok, and unlike a regular transformer, which shouldn't work with straight DC anyway,
this not only spikes to mimic a pulsing, allowing transformer type action to occur

Almost.
The spikes are the result of the pulses and the pulses are the result of the center tapped toroid.
The spikes are normally filtered out and so there is scarcely any info on them.
If you call them bemf, some people feel they must correct you.
If you can, watch the lecture 16 from MIT physics 802 taught by Walter Lewin.
He is a great teacher and he can explain the regular thing and why.
The back spikes happen as a result of lenz law when it is all turning around at the moment the transistor turns off, but then turns on again.

that voltage really isn't
governed by the number of turns?

One of the factors that adds to the level of the voltage is the number of turns.
Another is the speed of the switching. [again walter lewin lecture 16]

In other words, If I want a larger Ferrite ring for more amps,...
... then just use a step down
transformer to acheive a steady but beefy 12 volts ?

Here I would refer you to Bill Beaty on amps. His is the closest I know of to what I realized a year ago.
You must stop thinking you need amps.
Amps is a rate of joules per second going either way on a wire.
It does not matter which direction nor how often the direction changes, it is a rate of joules passing a point in time.
So, in a dc set up, it all goes one way, and you lose it all. Like water over a waterfall. Once it is down, you need to haul it back up.
But if you picture a beach wave, and capturing the motion of the same amount of water moving both ways, you can see it is your choice...
You can capture the water going over the falls, or going back and forth. It is much cheaper and easier to use the waves.

...., and have
more amps that I started with?, ...to run that motor?

Check out bedini. He got it, and you can too. His is not a joule thief, but close, so check it out.

Also, when a transistor is used as a switch, does that mean it is turning on and off rapidly?,
repeatedly?

yes

By itself?

no. xee2 described this very well. I am sure he will be happy to repeat it on the jt thread.

Relays are more mechanical, even though they are electromagnetic, they physically move the bar open and closed, noisy too.

...
If I remove either the Resistor, or the Transistor, or both, will it still spike or pulse somewhat
due to the wire turn configuration? (Will a secondary used as a transformer still work?)

This is why I am trying to understand the mag amp. So far, no smiles, but I am persistent.
It is possible, I just do not know how...yet.

I hope some of this helps either you or someone else who happens to read this.
But, really... make a simple joule thief  then make another one with a secondary as I described in the post on jt101 last night, then go from there.
You will have 2 very useful things. They are not JUST an exercise. You can use both of them for different purposes.
But this will get you started.

And, thanks for asking these questions.

jeanna