Not sure if anyone has presented this in this simple way, but here's the idea of the "Human Electrolyte" and a very brief introduction on the JT circuit I am working on... Fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWiWgE2hbb8I am currently tuning a JT circuit and single crystal battery (tuning the battery - ratios of components of a single battery) that can hold a charge for a day to a week so that when watered, helps plants that require a regular watering (specific minerals and electrolytes described below). It's a fun little project. Here's an article I helped write many years ago about useful plants for filtering air for the home.
http://lifesgift.org/lg/Display.cfm/18588I tend to favor the Heart-Leaf Philodendron since I have yet to kill one and they do well with low light - great for a night light marriage. My thumb of death has shown no mercy on the other plants I have tried to grow, but not this one. Hopefully my new battery electrolyte doesn't kill the Heart-Leaf Philodendron - it would be a first for me... heart breaking for sure since these plants are very hard to kill (I mean I haven't managed it yet after many years!).
I'll post more if there is any interest. I have selected magnesium and copper, as they are good for plants and easy/cheap to acquire, and borax and sea salt - they are also good for plants in small quantities. I want just one battery to bury with the plant, so none in series. I like a flashed pulsing LED, so I have at least that much done for the low voltage circuit - 0.8-1.7 volts... I tend to get a steady less powerful light at more or less than that, except down to about 0.6 volts, where it starts blinking sharply again every 20-60+ seconds down to about 0.45 volts. Ideally, the crystal battery will stay above 0.9 and less than 1.5 volts for a week with a weekly watering of it's symbiotic plant.
I am working on tuning the light dimmer switch with a Photoresistor, which is about done. The pulsing light lets the crystal battery recharge, plus a light dimmer has the same effect for a longer period as available, but the key seems to be tuning the crystal battery to the load - less than 1.7 volts and more than 0.8 volts. More or less gives a steady low stream of light, which is not what I want. 0.45 to about 0.6 volts gives a very slow, but fairly bright blink - 30-90 seconds per pulse.
LED's are also an issue. The green ones I have, which are rated the same as the white and blues actually use less power, so the circuits and batteries must be tuned to something slightly less for them. I'm learning that it's all about the tuning, and as big of a fan as I am of LidMotor and LaserSaber (my favorite posters), they don't offer near enough information on tuning for what I need.
I understand. It's tough to do... and even tougher to document the tuning process. They have so many successes, they don't have time discuss their many many failures. For every minute of video these guys provide, it may take them another 60 minutes to explain FULLY what they do to tune it and get them working, so its up to us pummel through the tuning process. I don't mind going into this great detail explaining what I learn about tuning a circuit since I don't see anyone else doing it on the level I am discussing here.
If you are interested, post something and I will work more toward sharing my little hobby. Fun stuff! I have well over 100 failures for every minor success, which I would be glad to share as time permits provided at least someone is interested and I can get some suggestions on how to fix them.
I hope to hear from you soon! Otherwise, I will just share my very rare successes. I know a ton about what doesn't work (the Edison strategy) and a few things that do (working on Telsa's understanding of electricity, but have a very long way to go).
Thanks in advance for any motivation you decide to provide. Have fun and keep pushing forward!
- Teo
