Big Joule Theif

[Tectalabyss]

Question

Hello All.

I have a small question how long are the run time's with a 1.5 volt AA battery JT setup.I have gotten them to work but never have gotten the run times to more than two weeks and that was with a feedback circuit that didn't work that well. Tec

[Tectalabyss]

Wellcome

Hi pentiger.

This is my 1st post on the forum after a month of reading, saving data, pics, videos and building a few JT's & Bedini circuits. I have a fairly diverse background and may be able to help you trouble shoot your problem. I don't want to come across as a "know it all" by any means. This area intrigues me as the 1st time I read abt it and I'm highly reluctant to accept "never", impossible", or "can't as an answer. I do wish the forum had a "Welcome" area to cover introductions for new members. To all that have experimented, posted, I cannot name all of you or thank you enough for sharing. Failed tests show as much as successful ones IMHO. I just hope to add what I can and help where I can. I love the "open source" concept.

Watching 6v tick down as seconds go by is not acceptable especially running down in 10 min. I didnt see your circuit posted so lets approach this from a strictly diagnostic/elimination of the high drain.
You disconnected the secondary and it had no effect. Actually, it shouldn't as its working on the collapsed field of the primary. Unless you are trying to feedback as in recharging. This leaves 2 possibilities from what I see.
Your circuit is drawing a tremendous amount of current or the battery cannot supply the current needed. What is your 6v source? 4AA's, a 6v lantern battery? Rechargeables? One failing battery in a string can cause the effect you are seeing. As it dies off it cannot conduct the voltage from the others. When it fails I'd measure each individual cell to see if one is greatly lower than the others. You don't mention an Amp rating for the 6v. A 9v rectangular rechargeable is abt 200ma....it would fall off fast compared to 4AA's rated at 2800ma.

You also need to check the current draw of the running circuit. It must be oscillating if the secondary has output. An apparent high current draw as you describe should produce heat somewhere(assuming the batteries have the current capability). The transistor or the coil would be the 2 highest suspects. If you are using a diode in the circuit, it may be in backwards allowing current to flow to ground, but the circuit still operates.
If you have a meter capable of reading voltage, you can disconnect the + lead to the circuit and put a 1ohm resistor from the battery + to the + input of the circuit. Set the meter to read low volts, start the circuit and take a reading across the 1ohm resistor. The reading in volts is the equivalent of the current draw in ma's. So, if you are reading .750vdc, that's 750ma current draw with the JT basically idling.

If you could do these tests, post the results, helping would be easier. Also a schematic of what you are building and a pic of the project will add in solving the mystery.

Hope this helps you.

V

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.

Tec

[NickZ]

@Pentiger
I watched your video, nice looking coil.
I think that you need to make the big coil work using only one AA battery first, and see if it will light the regular leds. Once you can do that ok, then see what else it can do. You shouldn't need all those batteries (6v) to light your 110 Led lights. I am lighting a 50 Led Christmas Lights Set, off of one dead AA. It would probably would light 100 leds or more with one dead battery, when using a one inch coil.
The Ac Led bulbs require much more Current than you are giving it with the Jt. Try to connect direct to the bulbs bypassing the components that are inside. I have a couple of AC 16 Led bulb emergency back-up lights, that use a run capacitor inside instead of a battery. Those bulbs will not light from my Jts, unless I connect direct to the bulb.
NZ

[pentiger]

Hello Vaporize and NicZ,

Thank you for all the good info. I re-winded the primary with thinner wire. Now I have less volts on the secondary but it works a little better in terms of the voltage going down. I am not lighting an unmodified CFL only unmodified LED bulb as Jeanna has mentioned. The toroid is one from ebay

FERRITKERN (Ringkern), FERRITE CORE (Ringcore) 78x58x20 - eBay (item 170509165013 end time Dec-02-10 02:21:36 PST)


I made a short video of the problem.

YouTube - Big Joule Thief

I replaced the rechargeable 6v with 4D cells. One or two batteries doesn't give me enough volts to light the bulb.

The resistor in the base is 500ohm, 1K was to big and light wasn't bright even with 6v input.

I would really like to have this bulb working.

Thanks again and hopefully you can give me some ideas on how to improve it.

pentiger

[NickZ]

@ Pentiger:
Can you let us know where you got the 3 inch toroid, (if that was the correct size)?
It think that the reason you are draining the battery too quickly is because you are using an unmodified CFL, and/or 120 volt Led Ac. bulbs. You have to gutt the CFL, and the 110v Led needs to be connected direct to the bulb, and not through the rest of the components that are inside.
I just finished wiring a one inch toroid, as Slayer's video suggested, with a secondary, and was finally able to get my anolog volt meter to get off its ass, and show some voltage. Finally... It was like an emocional orgasm for me, or something like that. Plus, I can now light my 50 Led Christmas Tree Lights Set, on a single dead AA. The system stays totally cool, and no noise is heard. I could not light a gutted CFL with it yet, as the coil probably needs more turns on the secondary. I only did about 250 turns, and ran out of space. In anycase I don't know if there has been anyone able to light a CFL off of a one inch toroid, don't think so... Sure works good for everything else though...
Now I am beginning see some of the magical effects that the secondary circuits on the Jt can produce. It was pretty frustrating at first having no induction at all. The secondary circuit produces radiant pulses at much higher voltage, but without the dangerous electrifing shocks, at least not yet.
Anyways, Pentiger good luck with that big coil, and keep us informed as to how it goes with that.
NickZ

[Vaporizer]

Hi pentiger.

This is my 1st post on the forum after a month of reading, saving data, pics, videos and building a few JT's & Bedini circuits. I have a fairly diverse background and may be able to help you trouble shoot your problem. I don't want to come across as a "know it all" by any means. This area intrigues me as the 1st time I read abt it and I'm highly reluctant to accept "never", impossible", or "can't as an answer. I do wish the forum had a "Welcome" area to cover introductions for new members. To all that have experimented, posted, I cannot name all of you or thank you enough for sharing. Failed tests show as much as successful ones IMHO. I just hope to add what I can and help where I can. I love the "open source" concept.

Watching 6v tick down as seconds go by is not acceptable especially running down in 10 min. I didnt see your circuit posted so lets approach this from a strictly diagnostic/elimination of the high drain.
You disconnected the secondary and it had no effect. Actually, it shouldn't as its working on the collapsed field of the primary. Unless you are trying to feedback as in recharging. This leaves 2 possibilities from what I see.
Your circuit is drawing a tremendous amount of current or the battery cannot supply the current needed. What is your 6v source? 4AA's, a 6v lantern battery? Rechargeables? One failing battery in a string can cause the effect you are seeing. As it dies off it cannot conduct the voltage from the others. When it fails I'd measure each individual cell to see if one is greatly lower than the others. You don't mention an Amp rating for the 6v. A 9v rectangular rechargeable is abt 200ma....it would fall off fast compared to 4AA's rated at 2800ma.

You also need to check the current draw of the running circuit. It must be oscillating if the secondary has output. An apparent high current draw as you describe should produce heat somewhere(assuming the batteries have the current capability). The transistor or the coil would be the 2 highest suspects. If you are using a diode in the circuit, it may be in backwards allowing current to flow to ground, but the circuit still operates.
If you have a meter capable of reading voltage, you can disconnect the + lead to the circuit and put a 1ohm resistor from the battery + to the + input of the circuit. Set the meter to read low volts, start the circuit and take a reading across the 1ohm resistor. The reading in volts is the equivalent of the current draw in ma's. So, if you are reading .750vdc, that's 750ma current draw with the JT basically idling.

If you could do these tests, post the results, helping would be easier. Also a schematic of what you are building and a pic of the project will add in solving the mystery.

Hope this helps you.

V

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.

[pentiger]

Hello, I hope that someone can confirm this.

With the Big Joule thief when I try to power an unmodified LED bulb or a CFL the battery(ies) drain within couple minutes.

It's not usable.

I did a Jeanna's Light type setup and with a 108 LEDs bulb my 6v rechargeable lasted 10 minutes. I saw how tenths of volts were going down every second.

Also even without load on the secondary it was going down fast.

I did a small JT with a small toroid before that lit 36 leds and it worked good.

The big toroid seems to drain battery very fast.

Any thoughts are welcomed.

pentiger

[pentiger]

Hello, I finished my Big Joule Thief, and I am not satisfied. At 2.5V input I got 65V at 6V input I got 550V and was able to light a CFL from the secondary 360 turns. It lasted very short. What am I doing wrong?

[pentiger]

I did 320 turns on my new toroid and I still have some space. I wonder if I should keep going to 400 turns. Also how many turn should I do on the primary?

Thanks.

[pentiger]

Hello Pentiger.
I have found two coils that may be what you are looking for BGMicro dot com has them. you can unwind them and wind them to your liking or to Jeanna's to see if you can make it run off 1.5 volt's first. hope this helps Tec

Thanks, these toroids are a god deal, however today I received a 3.07 inch toroid from ebay and I will try it first.

I am winding it as I type. I would like to fit around 300 turns. I'll let you know.

pentiger

[NickZ]

@Electricity:
Have you done anything with that HV TV core, yet?
Why waist Jt output on CFLs? They are not the most economical way to go... Leds use 1/2 (or less) current power. And are cheaper to buy.
I've been building my own Led lights sets by combining color bulbs to suit my needs. Its possible to have the right kind of light quality needed, even from Leds bulbs, (with dimmers pots). One thing that commercially made Led lights do not provide for, is dimmers.
The best bang for the buck may by the 10 mm White Leds, 100 for $11 at Ebay, or the ones sold at Radio Shack, but their 10mm led bulbs are only 10 degree viewing angle, (but 28.000 in intensity). Those are especially usefull for intense spotlight lighting. Very strong but limited 10 degree spread. Possibly grouping them would work fine, as together they would have a much wider spread with no shading.
I've been making my own light combos using some red and blue color bulbs in with the white ones, and have been able to make a more acceptable warmer led color for lighting inside my house. Jeanna mentioned that the warm white leds are not as bright as the regular white ones. I don't know about that, but I imagine they are easier on the eyes.
Anyways, it's all fun...
NZ

[Tectalabyss]

Thanks Tec, I did have some luck with 70blue leds from 6v battery and transistor TIP3055 with radiator (it gets hot) but it doesn't last long only couple minutes.
I hoped it would be couple hours but unfortunately not. Maybe if I had a larger coil with secondary winding, like Jeanna had. I don't know how long her's lasted.

I will test it again and maybe post some pictures or video.

pentiger

Hello Pentiger.
I have found two coils that may be what you are looking for BGMicro dot com has them. you can unwind them and wind them to your liking or to Jeanna's to see if you can make it run off 1.5 volt's first. hope this helps Tec

[pentiger]

Great to see you back I watched your video great! Hows the little one doing ? Tec

@PenTiger I tried a few more times with the 12 volt JT no luck maybe someone here can get it to work ? Tec

I am still Running tests with my 12 volt backup led light and sofar I am very pleased with the results I and running two 20 led modules each with a 47 ohm 1/4 watt resistor for a total of 40 leds I will have more when I receive my shipment of 5mm white leds.I can run them in series has long as I don't go over 4 so on my pc board I have a + pos rail and a - neg rail with the resistor on the - neg rail. this allowed me to add has many leds has will fit on my small pre-drilled board. Tec

Thanks Tec, I did have some luck with 70blue leds from 6v battery and transistor TIP3055 with radiator (it gets hot) but it doesn't last long only couple minutes.
I hoped it would be couple hours but unfortunately not. Maybe if I had a larger coil with secondary winding, like Jeanna had. I don't know how long her's lasted.

I will test it again and maybe post some pictures or video.

pentiger

[Tectalabyss]

Just a little update on what i've been working on

YouTube - Joule Theif Evolution; The Eternity Light Project

it's good to be back

Great to see you back I watched your video great! Hows the little one doing ? Tec

@PenTiger I tried a few more times with the 12 volt JT no luck maybe someone here can get it to work ? Tec

I am still Running tests with my 12 volt backup led light and sofar I am very pleased with the results I and running two 20 led modules each with a 47 ohm 1/4 watt resistor for a total of 40 leds I will have more when I receive my shipment of 5mm white leds.I can run them in series has long as I don't go over 4 so on my pc board I have a + pos rail and a - neg rail with the resistor on the - neg rail. this allowed me to add has many leds has will fit on my small pre-drilled board. Tec

[Inquorate]

Joule thief evolved?

Just a little update on what i've been working on

YouTube - Joule Theif Evolution; The Eternity Light Project

it's good to be back