Big Joule Theif

[NickZ]

Guys:
I just wind the coil with tightly stretch masking tape, and also after each layer, so that you can see where where the last turn was, as you're winding it.
Good luck with those big coils.
NZ

[Vaporizer]

@ Tectalabyss,
Any cheap paint should be fine as long as its not a metallic type. I was sitting here examining my new toroids and I'll try to take some pics and post. The 3" painted ones feel as smooth as glass. The bare ones you can feel sharp edges and if you run your fingernail along the sharp edges, its very gritty feeling and grooves my fingernail. Not good! I always end up moving my windings tighter and this would surely cut the enamel wire coating. The paint would stop the shorting to the conductive ferrite toroid at least. I always lose track of my large # winds.

I'll try my dremel tool with a sandstone and also emery cloth taking pics before and after it all including paint. Hopefully the emery cloth will work as everyone doesnt have a dremel. We will soon know.

[Tectalabyss]

Another question for the more experienced here than I am. (that would be abt anyone! lol) Theory is one thing, doing is another and I respect that.

I've read that with JT's, LED's are better light than cfl's. Bang for your buck ma wise. I have 4 9w that I will use, I already have them.........plus 25 or so 12,000mcd from other projects long ago.
I was cruising ebay and found these LED's:
High Power 1W StrawHat 8mm White LED Lamp Light 240,000mcd @ 300ma.
But I also found 10mm white 140,000mcd that are stated @ 20ma. ?
Seems the 10mm would be a much more efficient LED to use unless I'm missing something obvious or its mis-stated. Both are rated with a forward dc voltage of 3.4-3.6v.

Anyone here with experience on these that can comment or recommend?
Thanks in advance!

Hello Vaporizer and All.
I've been running tests with the 5mm Flat tops/ strawhats / 10mm's right now I just don't have enough data to give you a for sure answer if you have a bread board than you can power a few at a time maybe series and parallel to answer your question, sorry I couldn't be of more help. Tec

[Tectalabyss]

Hi Tec,

I was thinking about a spray paint - KRYLON Amazon.com: Krylon Spray Paint, 12 oz Emerald Green: Home Improvement or one of these products Caswell Inc. - Plasti Dip Products

I am thinking about the masking tape as well, but since I will be rewinding 360 turns I would like it to be more permanent.

I will let you know.

pentiger

Hello Pentiger.
Vaporizer had some good ideals. Has for myself I've always just used cheap spray paint I just try not to get it to thick. And I use a small variable resistor to help find the sweet spot I thank lidmotor for that.Hope this help's Tec

[Tectalabyss]

Removing sharp edges

I was considering paint myself. It would be thinner than tape and the closer the wire to the toroid the better from what I have read.
I was going to use the clear satin finish Krylon urethane 10 min dry I have. A metallic paint may cause some induction issues IMHO.
I see no reason why a person can't remove the sharp edges(if present) and then paint allowing it to smooth everything over.
My 2 3" toroids arrived with what looks like a rust colored primer(very smooth) and my 10 2 3/8" arrived bare.

Comments appreciated.

Hello Vaporizer and All
@Vaporizer Yes removing the sharp edges before coated sounds on the mark and well thought out I have even sprayed uncoated magnets with cheap paint to help keep them from chipping work's pretty well.I have ran a JT with 6 and 6 removed led from e/c ran 64 leds in series on the secondary not real bright but a low drain on the 1.5 volt AA battery I will have to run a test to see how long it will run. Not sure of how many winds on the secondary lost count .when I get time I will try around 400 to 750 and try the modified cfl. Tec

[Vaporizer]

Another question for the more experienced here than I am. (that would be abt anyone! lol) Theory is one thing, doing is another and I respect that.

I've read that with JT's, LED's are better light than cfl's. Bang for your buck ma wise. I have 4 9w that I will use, I already have them.........plus 25 or so 12,000mcd from other projects long ago.
I was cruising ebay and found these LED's:
High Power 1W StrawHat 8mm White LED Lamp Light 240,000mcd @ 300ma.
But I also found 10mm white 140,000mcd that are stated @ 20ma. ?
Seems the 10mm would be a much more efficient LED to use unless I'm missing something obvious or its mis-stated. Both are rated with a forward dc voltage of 3.4-3.6v.

Anyone here with experience on these that can comment or recommend?
Thanks in advance!

[Vaporizer]

I was considering paint myself. It would be thinner than tape and the closer the wire to the toroid the better from what I have read.
I was going to use the clear satin finish Krylon urethane 10 min dry I have. A metallic paint may cause some induction issues IMHO.
I see no reason why a person can't remove the sharp edges(if present) and then paint allowing it to smooth everything over.
My 2 3" toroids arrived with what looks like a rust colored primer(very smooth) and my 10 2 3/8" arrived bare.

Comments appreciated.

[pentiger]

Hello Pentiger and All.
If a toroid has sharp edges you can put some type of thin tape over them to protect the magnet wire while you are winding this will help keep the enamel on the magnet wire from being shaved off while winding.hope this help's Tec

Hi Tec,

I was thinking about a spray paint - KRYLON Amazon.com: Krylon Spray Paint, 12 oz Emerald Green: Home Improvement or one of these products Caswell Inc. - Plasti Dip Products

I am thinking about the masking tape as well, but since I will be rewinding 360 turns I would like it to be more permanent.

I will let you know.

pentiger

[Tectalabyss]

Hi NZ

My latest primary ratio is 4,6 as in one of Jenna's setups. I guess this works better for me, but it's really true that there is a short in the secondary. With this setup I was able to light 64 leds at full brightness from 2.3v. The short circuit however drains my batteries and the transistor is not even warm.

I will rewind it and see then. I am also waiting for the really big toroids, like the ones Lidmotor and Jeanna used. I will be getting coated ones that will work best.
I did try to run it without load on the secondary and it was still lowering my voltage on the batteries however at much slower rate.

For now I will have to stop testing because the whole thing has to be re-winded.

Pentiger

Hello Pentiger and All.
If a toroid has sharp edges you can put some type of thin tape over them to protect the magnet wire while you are winding this will help keep the enamel on the magnet wire from being shaved off while winding.hope this help's Tec

[pentiger]

Pen:
Have you rewound the primary and see if you still have a problem. Maybe using different turn ratios. I use a 20 - 20 turns for my primary, but, if I don't use a pot while running on even a single AA battery with nothing on the C and E rails, the transistor will get so hot in less than one minute that you can't hold it, or touch it. But, if I lower the input a bit, and have a red led between the rail, there is no heat. Everything run cool and last a long time. If there is excesive heat in the components, there is waisted energy, and shorter run cycles.
Secondaries windings can also show wierd side effects, like one wire lighting the Leds, and things like that. So, it might not be a short in the coil, just because you feel the juice by touching the coil, as the Surface of the secondary wire is also conducing. As the secondary voltage gets higher, and higher, the radiant effects show up. That's where the magic is, and where tuning is most important. If we can get the Jtc coil to resonate, the input voltage can be turned way down to almost- practically....nothing!!?
Pen: Have you tried running your set up without anything connected onto the secondary? Just on to the transistor C and E, using one led, and a single AA battery. Will it run like on that, with no heat build up, and also will it last alot longer than what you are now getting by connecting through the secondary?
NZ

Hi NZ

My latest primary ratio is 4,6 as in one of Jenna's setups. I guess this works better for me, but it's really true that there is a short in the secondary. With this setup I was able to light 64 leds at full brightness from 2.3v. The short circuit however drains my batteries and the transistor is not even warm.

I will rewind it and see then. I am also waiting for the really big toroids, like the ones Lidmotor and Jeanna used. I will be getting coated ones that will work best.
I did try to run it without load on the secondary and it was still lowering my voltage on the batteries however at much slower rate.

For now I will have to stop testing because the whole thing has to be re-winded.

Pentiger

[NickZ]

Pen:
Have you rewound the primary and see if you still have a problem. Maybe using different turn ratios. I use a 20 - 20 turns for my primary, but, if I don't use a pot while running on even a single AA battery with nothing on the C and E rails, the transistor will get so hot in less than one minute that you can't hold it, or touch it. But, if I lower the input a bit, and have a red led between the rail, there is no heat. Everything run cool and last a long time. If there is excesive heat in the components, there is waisted energy, and shorter run cycles.
Secondaries windings can also show wierd side effects, like one wire lighting the Leds, and things like that. So, it might not be a short in the coil, just because you feel the juice by touching the coil, as the Surface of the secondary wire is also conducing. As the secondary voltage gets higher, and higher, the radiant effects show up. That's where the magic is, and where tuning is most important. If we can get the Jtc coil to resonate, the input voltage can be turned way down to almost- practically....nothing!!?
Pen: Have you tried running your set up without anything connected onto the secondary? Just on to the transistor C and E, using one led, and a single AA battery. Will it run like on that, with no heat build up, and also will it last alot longer than what you are now getting by connecting through the secondary?
NZ

[pentiger]

Thanks guys,
Back to the drawing board for me....

I will have to unwind it and paint it.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Pentiger

[Tectalabyss]

I agree

Hi pentiger, That was what I thought might be happening, short circuit to core. I use either electrical tape or masking tape to prevent short circuit to core and prevent enamel from scraping off. On one toroid I wound with 26 gauge without using tape, at almost every turn the enamel was scraped off, which can either short to adjacent coil or core. Good luck.
peace love light
Tyson

I very much agree with Skywatcher I've had the same thing happen myself I have dipped my toroid in enamel paint and let it dry and re-dipped a few time's Then wound my coil with good result's Good luck Tec

[SkyWatcher]

Hi pentiger, That was what I thought might be happening, short circuit to core. I use either electrical tape or masking tape to prevent short circuit to core and prevent enamel from scraping off. On one toroid I wound with 26 gauge without using tape, at almost every turn the enamel was scraped off, which can either short to adjacent coil or core. Good luck.
peace love light
Tyson

[pentiger]

Hi Guys,

I found a problem with my toroid. I was getting upset seeing my volts go down so I almost quit then accidentally I touched the secondary winding an felt volts going trough my fingers. Then I held one end of the wire from the secondary and run my fingers trough the winding and in multiple places I felt these sparks.

I guess that here lies my problem. The wire shorts out with the toroid and I that's why It drains battery like that.

If you think that it shouldn't matter please let me know.

Thanks, pentiger.