Big Joule Theif

[Tectalabyss]

Dont give up

Thanks all for the replies. The resistor is 1k just like in the picture, besides I measured it. Maybe the transistor is not good. I purchased a 2n3055 an I will try again. One coil I know I messed up because I used uncoated wire and it shorted out. But on the other hand when I used a telephone wire I got same result.
Tomorrow I will be able to post pictures of the multimeter.

In regards to LED, it should be fine, it didn't light up from the circuit, because the voltage wasn't enough.

Thanks again to everyone for help. I will have to try couple more times.

pentiger

Hello PenTiger
You are almost there.I take two wires of of the same length and tape one end of the two together, then I start clockwise wrapping them around the coil. when done " (Example One red wire & one black wire) " ( Take The Red wire from the two you taped together and soldier it to to the black wire you did not have taped.) That leaves you with a red and a black With a piece of tape on it. no way to get them messed up. from there just follow how to make a JT.As far as Transistors I have used 2n3904/2n3906/2n2222.I have only used a 2n3055 power transistor for making HV using an automotive ING coil, Now that will run a Cfl light But with my setup you need at least a 12 volt car battery.any way once you get your JT working then you can start working on a secondary winding for your cfl light. look on youtube . Hope some of this helps. Tec

[pentiger]

Thanks all for the replies. The resistor is 1k just like in the picture, besides I measured it. Maybe the transistor is not good. I purchased a 2n3055 an I will try again. One coil I know I messed up because I used uncoated wire and it shorted out. But on the other hand when I used a telephone wire I got same result.
Tomorrow I will be able to post pictures of the multimeter.

In regards to LED, it should be fine, it didn't light up from the circuit, because the voltage wasn't enough.

Thanks again to everyone for help. I will have to try couple more times.

pentiger

[Tectalabyss]

hey..,
i can't tell from the pic on the resistor.. does it look like this one below
cause everything else looks good.. if it does try a small cap across the resistor.. like a 0.1 uf or lower..

robbie

Hello PenTiger.Just a though if the resistor is right than switch the wires on your resistor and led also did you check the led with a three volt battery? just to make sure it was good I've had that happen before. Hope this helps Tec

[kooler]

Hi Slayer,

I did everything exactly like in the video from Makezine

Thanks for the reply.

hey..,
i can't tell from the pic on the resistor.. does it look like this one below
cause everything else looks good.. if it does try a small cap across the resistor.. like a 0.1 uf or lower..

robbie

[Tectalabyss]

It sounds like you may have one of your coil winding backwards.

Try reversing the polarity on one of your coil windings.

The base winding and the collector winding should be wound on opposite directions.

Hi Slayer Thanks for helping pentiger I had a stroke three months ago and my thoughts get messed up some times. My Hobie in electronics have kept me from going nuts while trying to make a recovery Tec

[pentiger]

Hi Slayer,

I did everything exactly like in the video from Makezine

two wires run together trough the toroid and then one of each opposite ends soldered together.

I re-winded it several times and still the same end result, I may have to post a video of what I am doing.

Thanks for the reply.

[slayer007]

Hello I am new here, and just recently I discovered the joule thief circuit.
I tried to duplicate it from this video

YouTube - Make a Joule Thief

I had no luck thou. The voltage measured on the collector/emitter is exactly the same as the input voltage.

Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong.

transistor 2n3904
1k resistor
torrid from a cfl lamp
telephone wire 10 turns
input voltage 2.4 v from two AAA batteries.

Thanks in advance.

It sounds like you may have one of your coil winding backwards.

Try reversing the polarity on one of your coil windings.

The base winding and the collector winding should be wound on opposite directions.

[pentiger]

Thanks Tec,

I will have to try again but still don't get how it can work



When you look at the image + is in both cases the same except that it runs trough a longer wire.

That's why I get the same voltage both from the battery direct and trough the coil.

pentiger

[Tectalabyss]

Oh a cfl light

Thank you Tectalabyss,

I did try different number of turns, and still the same result.
I will try again in the evening. Maybe I connect the transistor wrong.

By the way, I read trough the forum and found many diagrams for the JT but I am not sure which will be the best to run a CFL light.

I don't have any light on my backyard and I would like to put something bright on the table or hang above to illuminate the seating area for couple hours straight.

Thanks.

Hi Pentiger.
If It's a cfl you are trying to run than you will need a secondary winding. This will give you enough volts to run the cfl.Has for myself I've never tried this project.but others here have, Slayer/Lidmotor/& Others. Sorry I cant be of any more help in this matter. Tec

[pentiger]

Thank you Tectalabyss,

I did try different number of turns, and still the same result.
I will try again in the evening. Maybe I connect the transistor wrong.

By the way, I read trough the forum and found many diagrams for the JT but I am not sure which will be the best to run a CFL light.

I don't have any light on my backyard and I would like to put something bright on the table or hang above to illuminate the seating area for couple hours straight.

Thanks.

[Tectalabyss]

Sometime less is better : )

Hello I am new here, and just recently I discovered the joule thief circuit.
I tried to duplicate it from this video

YouTube - Make a Joule Thief

I had no luck thou. The voltage measured on the collector/emitter is exactly the same as the input voltage.

Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong.

transistor 2n3904
1k resistor
torrid from a cfl lamp
telephone wire 10 turns
input voltage 2.4 v from two AAA batteries.

Thanks in advance.

Hi PenTiger. And
You may have to many turns on your coil,Try about half or less and see.Also you should only need one AA battery for this to work.Don't Give up !I have included Two picture's one to show almost any coil will work the one I used is out of a 70's or 80's am/FM radio the coil inside is wound like a JT with three leg's.I also included a warning about led's Harming your eye's I keep it on my PC has a screen saver to remind me. Just remember Don't give up. Tec

[pentiger]

Hello I am new here, and just recently I discovered the joule thief circuit.
I tried to duplicate it from this video

YouTube - Make a Joule Thief

I had no luck thou. The voltage measured on the collector/emitter is exactly the same as the input voltage.

Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong.

transistor 2n3904
1k resistor
torrid from a cfl lamp
telephone wire 10 turns
input voltage 2.4 v from two AAA batteries.

Thanks in advance.

[SkyWatcher]

Hi xee2, thanks for the information, i assume thats something like shellac maybe. Anyway, the masking tape seems to working ok on this 1" dia. toroid. Here is a pic of it with the first secondary layer of 30 gauge at around 120 turns so far. Not sure how many turns it will take to light a fluoro if at all, will see.
peace love light
Tyson


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[xee2]

I picked up a few various ferrite toroids and I was wondering what jeanna or lidmotor or anyone else used to cover the toroids to protect the magnet wire.
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I spray mine with clear plastic.

[SkyWatcher]

Hi folks, i think this thread has some very good information within it, so I thought I'd ask a question here. I picked up a few various ferrite toroids and I was wondering what jeanna or lidmotor or anyone else used to cover the toroids to protect the magnet wire. As shown in my pic, i used masking tape since it's fairly thin. Reason i ask is, because i unwound a small toroid yesterday and found that the insulation was scraped off at every point where the wire made the sharp turns on the toroid. I plan to use a 30 gauge secondary on the one shown with masking tape and try something with those larger bead type cores, going to try and light a fluorescent, though might not happen with such small cores. Anyway, thanks for all the experiments you've shared jeanna and lidmotor and all the others.
peace love light
Tyson


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