I suppose I'd qualify as either an electrician or a mechanic. Know a few card tricks but I'm no stage magician. Sounds like fun. I have some scientific background. Not professionally but my dad was studying to be a chemistry teacher and had a lab in the basement while I was growing up. I'm open minded but also skeptical. Who wouldn't want to take an expenses paid road trip to see somebody's invention ? Wouldn't miss it for the world.

Right, and I have my own skill set and tools.  With the proposed forum, there would have to be a logical process by which the volunteers are selected.   I could debunk a few types of devices, but surely there are members better suited to examine other types where the principals of operation, or even the verification of operation are beyond my scope of knowledge (just using myself as an example because I don't want to claim that everyone else doesn't know all there is to know).

I have to say though that I think it's more than an expenses paid road trip (or even flight).  The volunteers would bear immense responsibility.  All monies spent would be recorded, and a total trip cost per volunteer would be public.  #1. "Audiomaker" spent $286  #2 Tom spent $187 #3 TK spent $1024 and was not heard from for 3 additional days at the Nevada site (that's a joke TK )

Also, as a volunteer you have to take it pretty seriously as you're spending fund money.  One should be frugal, be able to provide terrific feedback to the group (pic's,. vid's, data, explanations of findings), and above all, not endorse a hoax, fraud, or mistake because that's going to be a huge embarrassment to that volunteer after becoming a huge embarrassment to the group.
While not required, I would also think it a welcomed idea that volunteers are participants in the program overall.... in other words, might wish to consider having a history of donating to the general fund, and perhaps that could be considered during the selection process?

Anyway, it's a rough draft.

I'd certainly be willing to contribute to such a fund whatever I could, or even cover my own expenses for such a trip if within my means at the time. And of course I'm not interested in forwarding a hoax but would do my best to give an objective assessment. Your proposal sound good.

But what I've been thinking about is this water wheel thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhwQt1tJYa8

It was a long time ago when I first came across this. The first time I watched the video I was rather disappointed that the machine wasn't allowed to operate longer. (less than a minute). The guy seemed hasty to unplug it and I suspected the reason for that might be because he knew it was about to run down.

But how could it run for even 45 seconds or so.

Reviewing the video again I noticed some rather large capacitors on the generator: These can be clearly seen at 2:59, 5:28, 6:04, 6:25, 6:50 and he even makes mention of them at 7:14

The first tome I watched this which was years ago, I didn't know much about capacitors or what function they could possibly serve in a generator.

I know more today, but had forgotten about then in connection with this device.

A capacitor serves basically the same function as a rechargeable batter. It is a temporary storage device. The only difference between a capacitor and a storage battery is that a capacitor stores static electricity while a battery stores the electricity in the form of a chemical, or chemical reaction.

A battery takes a long time to charge. A capacitor charges up almost instantaneously.

Conclusion?

Tentatively, I would say that the generator draws on energy stored in the capacitors, which appear to be quite large and are probably capable of holding a considerable charge, so it is able to run for a brief time, possibly a minute or two, then things would begin to wind down, if it were left to run for more than a minute.

The capacitors discharge more slowly no doubt than they would normally because some energy is being reclaimed by the device, the power chasing its own tail, as in many such arrangements, but this could not go on for long due to losses and inefficiencies.

Since the generator was modified and the capacitors added by someone else, the gentleman in the video may have no idea what they are for and so may not be intentionally perpetrating a hoax.

Well I think it's important that the volunteers draw from fund money and not fund the trip themselves.  The reason is that the person is already donating their time and experience, possibly putting their own vehicle (and person) at risk, and generally supplying tools they paid for.  Keeping this in mind, it makes sense to at least pay fuel/flight, food and hotel for that person so not as to discourage people who are qualified, but might not be motivated due to financial hardship.

That "fund" would be a cooperation of a much larger group of people.  I would suggest that if 1 in 100 members on this board donated $10 ($6200), that would fund possibly 3 expeditions to most places.

I would say if the "in state" route were taken, that most people could get within their state, stay 2 nights at a hotel and get back for $333...or  $1000/trip.   That would be 6 devices examined for $10/1in100 members.

I doubt more than a few devices would come up annually that would really stump the board and look promising, and while I cannot speak for anyone else, I'd happily donate $30/year.
If 1 in 100 people were like me, that would be $18k annually.  That should get the top 10 prospects validated, or off the radar for that year.   I've blown well over $30 worth of my time in the last month trying to separate the hoaxes from prospects and still don't have an answer on some of them.  For me, $30 would be a bargain.

These numbers are pretty rough.  In practice, they could be quite different.  You might only get 3 devices in a year that really need a second look, but those three might be in the USA and be able to be examined quite cheaply.  The 4th might be in Yugoslavia, and that's going to cost a lot more.  However, if that's the "one", it all balances out.

Example: 18K in the fund.  3 devices in the USA @ $1000/device = $3k.  1 very promising device in Yugoslavia @ 10K/device (3k each to send 3 people for 3 days).  Balance = +$5K in reserve.

You see my point.  Each expedition would surely have a different cost, but overall it cost even a small percentage of members a relatively small amount ($30 in my example of my easy donation) to achieve and examination of 3 interesting devices in the USA plus one interesting device on foreign soil.  In the example, the fund still had $5k left over to apply towards future expeditions.

As the wealth of the fund would be publicly known, people could donate more as the fund required.  For example, lets say that $20k is a good amount to have on hand to cover almost any spontaneous venture.  If the fund were sitting at $22K, and there were no new candidates worth a look, then there's no point in "overfilling" the fund. 
If I put in my $30 and the fund reached $22K, then if at the end of the year it were sitting at $15K after a bunch of "local" searches, maybe I'd just add $10 because of the rate of new devices was slower than the fund requirements to investigate them.  Make sense?  Kind of a "fill as needed" situation.

A bunch of smart people and a little experience should net the knowledge of what it cost on average to get 3 volunteers to a site.

......

....so back to the water wheel.  I know nothing about this thing other than what I saw on YouTube.  Perhaps it was already proven to be a hoax...maybe not.  Just don't know.

The mechanism I'm proposing would have already likely answered my question about that device, and that's the point, because no matter what that answer is, a logical path presents itself.

Which brings up another conundrum. As I tried to point out earlier, secrecy, patents, non-disclosure agreements etc. don't exactly mix with transparency and the posting of findings in an open forum.

If an inventor is at all concerned about protecting his device, he isn't likely to open the door to a rag tag group of researchers. There may be other hurdles to overcome that haven't been considered.

So, my suggestion would be to start with a pilot project involving one expedition and see where it leads.

Which brings up another conundrum. As I tried to point out earlier, secrecy, patents, non-disclosure agreements etc. don't exactly mix with transparency and the posting of findings in an open forum.

If an inventor is at all concerned about protecting his device, he isn't likely to open the door to a rag tag group of researchers. There may be other hurdles to overcome that haven't been considered.

So, my suggestion would be to start with a pilot project involving one expedition and see where it leads.

To some degree, if an inventor wishes to maintain secrecy, they probably shouldn't be posting their work on YouTube using 10 camera angles showing every part of the device to the whole world.

The "Discovery Team" is not a raiding party.  It is for inventors who want exactly what the board can offer.  Exposure. 

Take two examples:

1. Inventor has a suitcase sized black box with padlocks on it that hums and powers a lightbulb.  The inventor refuses to open the box. They simply have a YouTube video of a humming box and a claim.   I would suggest that this candidate is probably not going to get any focus from the forum...end of story.

2. Inventor is already showing the bulk of the machine (ie...water wheel).  The intent is "Look Ma, no Hoax!".  They are Trying to demonstrate that is is not a hoax already.  They are Trying to let us examine it already in a way (video) that is inadequate.  This is the type of device that I think would get a second look.

Now, does that leave room for secrets?  I think it still does.  All the discover team has to do is find the hamster wheel...or not.

That said, if the inventor in example one has a box the size of a toaster with an electric outlet on it, and that outlet is powering a 1200W hair dryer for 5 days and still going....  Well even that sealed box might be worthy of trying to find the hidden wires or magical mirrors, even if we never get to look inside.
If something like this were the case, you'd have 3 investigators on cots with sleeping bags taking shifts staring at this device for 5 days after having attempted to discover any possible external power source.
The findings...in this case.... would be that this amazing toaster sized box is either legit, or it is the best magic trick going.  I would suggest that 3 smart people from this board are going to find the trick if there is one.  That box on video, or on a website might be convincing, but 3 people with non-contact test equipment who can actually pick up the box in person is going to be hard to fool.

Consider for the moment, the magic trick where the woman is horizontally levitated.  This magic only works on video, or from select audience perspectives.  Let any layman on the stage and the trick is over.

I think there are a lot of pitfalls we could theoretically come up with, but I also think in practice that it would be easier than you think.

That thought is based on my belief that Hoaxers and Fraudsters do not wish to be discovered.  I believe the grand share of candidates who would allow in-person examination of their work would really believe it works, and by nature of us knowing about it, means they already wish people to know about it.  Those are the people we are trying to help.

....Hypothetical....

Let's look at the sealed toaster-sized box running the hair dryer...

I'm on site (using me, because I can only speak for myself, but you could substitute anyone).

Toaster is running 1200W hair dryer.

1.  I ask, "can I use my own hair drying I brought with me?"  Inventor "Yes/No".   Reply Noted.

2. I ask, "can take this to another room?"  Inventor "Yes/No".  Reply noted.

3. I ask, "can we pick it up and look at all sides?"  Inventor "Yes/No" Reply noted.

4. If the answer to any of these questions is "No",  I ask "Why Not" Reply noted and test continues.
For instance, maybe it's bolted to a workbench.  "can we slide the workbench over to this side of the room?"  Inventor "Yes/No". Reply noted.

5.  So now lets say I have this toaster moved to the other side of the room still bolted to the bench.  I plug in *my* hair dryer and it runs.  I also put my oscilloscope on the output and my ammeter and start recording (I have pretty good equipment).   I survey the workbench and entire area with the inductive voltage sensor, IR temp probe, and magnetometer noting any anomalies.

Nothing so far.

Well maybe the workbench itself has a bank of hidden batteries built into it... inspect for that...nope.

I look for any connection of this toaster box to the outside world....nada.   TK is busy checking for RF's at the same time.

Result, no hamsters found.

I would suggest it doesn't really matter if we got to look in the box, and this is an extreme example.  Most devices (water wheels) are a lot more transparent.

Well what do we have here? 

1. A truly amazing hoax?  Ok, but one that definitely needs more pursuit.

2. A toaster sized battery that can power a hair dryer for days?  Well that's amazing in itself even if it's not OU/FE.

3. A way to telegraph enough energy through the air to run a hair dryer without frying us?  Well... that's interesting.

4. A homemade toaster sized nuclear reactor?  Ok.... I hope I'm at home watching on the internet for that one

5. A device that legitimately, by means unknown is providing power more than we are supplying it by conventional methods of input.

I'll buy that.

Hi,

I know I am taking a bit chance here as most comments about Mike Brady has been quite rude and negative but here goes.......

I need some assistance from those willing to help provide information ONLY.....
.
I am not sure if you actually know my dad (Michael Brady- Perendev) or are friends with him, but I am trying to clear his name and not quite sure how to go about it.  I believe he did not have a fair trial and was not given the opportunity to present evidence etc.  I have not seen my dad since 2009 and would really like to do my best to get him out of where he is currently.  He does not deserve this and is not guilty.

If you have any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated as well as advise how you are linked to him, maybe if you are a good friend of his you can help.

I know this is like attempting find a needle in a haystack but nevertheless I have to try.

Thank you for reading
Jackie Sasso
Daughter of Michael Brady