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Author Topic: Joule Lamp  (Read 344854 times)

Lynxsteam

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Joule Lamp
« on: May 11, 2012, 07:26:52 AM »
The Joule Lamp is a takeoff on the work many here have been doing.  Its a cross breed between Laser Saber's Joule Ringer 2.0 and a tesla coil.  I liked the simplicity and elegance of a transformer with a transistor that can light 110 volt lighting very efficiently.  I didn't like the buzz and the difficulty in finding the right E core transformer.  The simplicity and quietness of an aircore coil is convenient.
The idea of reverse biasing the transistor with the wire from the light is novel and interesting.  The small signal transistor works but is right on the edge at 220 ma and 12 volts.  I have burned up a lot of transistors trying to find the limit.
So I went back to the 2N3055 with a germanium diode across the emitter to base and bingo! no problems.  The light is very bright and I can adjust from 350 ma down to 200 ma by moving the primary coil down.  If I stretch the 27 turn primary the length of the secondary the ma draw goes up.  If I scrunch the primary down the ma draw goes down.
On 6 volts the light is dim and the ma draw is 90-135 so nothing spectacular except the light dims with lower voltage.
I wanted a 12 volt supply so the 2N3055 is the answer.
Everything else about the setup is the same just replace the smaller transistor with the 2N3055.  A Tip3055 would probably work fine too.
I attached a schematic.  Everything is the same except the transistor which is now the 2N3055 power transistor.

conradelektro

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2012, 03:12:46 PM »
When I click on the Joule Ringer Thread http://www.overunity.com/10179/joule-ringer/msg322132/#new I get a blanc page?

@Lynxsteam:

Nice lamp, I will try your set up (no resistor from base to positive rail, diode from base to ground).

My coil-zilla (diameter 163 mm, length 340 mm, opposing coil halves) is almost ready.

The secondary (finished) has two opposing windings of 400 turns each (800 turns in total) and the primary (on the way) will have two opposing windings of 50 turns but a tap after each ten turns (100 tuns in total), so that I can test different step up factors easily.

This tapped primary should have about the same function as stretching or compressing the primary along the secondary. In my design, using two times ten turns of the primary will have the highest step up rate (intended for a 2 Volt to 3 Volt power supply) and using two times 50 windings of the primary will have the lowest step up rate (intended for a 12 Volt power supply).

Secondary coil: copper wire 0.3 mm2 with plastic and silk insulation (I bought the silk coated wire just for the looks)

Primary coil: bell wire with plastic insulation (the thicker insulation should create a longer primary coil to cover more space on the secondary coil)

Greetings, Conrad

P.S. The opposing coil halves were suggested by Peanutbutter 29.

Lynxsteam

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2012, 05:05:28 PM »
That coil looks really great!  I like the idea of multiple taps.  It may work better than my small diameter ones. 
Today I found just the right sized plastic tube to go around the secondary.  Its a thin wall 1-1/2" drain extension from Home Depot.  Now I can wind my primary a lot better and have better insulation between coils.
I also found that LaserSaber's 2N3055 is the best for the circuit and there is no need for the diode.  Now its just the aircore coil and transistor.  The CFL is bright now on 12 volts.
I am going to mount the air core transformer on a board and show where the wires go.  I think it will be much clearer.  And then see how many bulbs I can light.

b_rads

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2012, 05:24:23 PM »
@Lynxsteam:
Last night I wound a new secondary to the specs you have given.  I will try to replicate as close as possible to your working model before looking at any modifications.  Your DIY videos are great and this is going to be a lot fun.  I really like the idea of the spacer tube between primary and secondary, please let us know how that works out.  Have you tried a variable resistor to change the current draw and if so, does it work?
 
Thanks again,
Brad S  :)

SkyWatcher123

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2012, 05:34:38 PM »
Hi folks, Hi lynxsteam, thanks for sharing again.
I will be trying this setup as soon as I find a 3/4" diameter tube of some kind, can the primary be wound directly on top of the secondary I wonder, we will see.
In meantime I will try my 1-1/2" diameter pvc tube that I already had wound with 30awg wire, will have to use two 18awg wires in parallel to come close to your 12awg wire.

Also, I cannot access the joule ringer thread either.

peace love light
tyson  ;)

Lynxsteam

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2012, 05:35:36 PM »
Here's a picture of the plastic tube that can slip over the secondary.  The primary can be wound on this very cleanly.  I have a suspicion this extra insulation will be helpful.  If I wind my bell wire right on the secondary the bulb dims and power draw is up.  If I keep the bell wire off the secondary by about 1/8" - 1/4" its much better. 

SkyWatcher123

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2012, 05:57:58 PM »
Hi lynxsteam, lol, that's the exact pvc tube I have for my secondary tower coil.
What did you use for the secondary tube, thanks.
peace love light
tyson

Lynxsteam

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2012, 06:20:51 PM »
Use 3/4" PVC shed 40 pipe for the secondary.  I should confirm that with 30 awg wire this outer tube will fit over.  It will probably be like a glove, but I will check this afternoon.

Qwert

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2012, 06:44:25 PM »
...
When I click on the Joule Ringer Thread http://www.overunity.com/10179/joule-ringer/msg322132/#new I get a blanc page?
...
This error is a common nuisance to this forum: you never know which link won't work today. I have the exact link to the Joule Ringer; just change the last number appearing in the link to get the desired post/page:http://www.overunity.com/10179/joule-ringer/80/

just change the number 80 at the end of the link for desired post number.

SkyWatcher123

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2012, 07:38:29 PM »
Hi folks, I realized my cfl was probably a larger one than I thought, so I gutted a 13 watt I had and it lighted the same, then I used a larger transistor and it lighted the cfl much better, though I accidentally placed a wire across base and positive and fried my last large transistor, well at least I know it works good even with the larger 1-1/2" diameter secondary tube and I was using 25 turns of I think 20 gauge speaker wire, though less turns on the secondary will probably make the cfl much brighter.

By the way, I still cannot access page 32 of the joule ringer thread, though I can access all the other pages, odd.
And yes I used your trick conrad and still can't access page 32.
peace love light
tyson

conradelektro

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #10 on: May 11, 2012, 07:46:00 PM »
@Qwert: thank you for the link to the Joule Ringer thread, I could read it, but posting to it does strange things like the post is not visible but is listed on the home page.

I could wind the tapped primary of Coil-Zilla. But only two times 40 turns fitted on the paper which I have prepared on top of the secondary.

I still have to make some sort of stand or support for the coil which will also be the "frame" for the intended reading lamp. A bit over sized the whole thing, but strange things have to look strange otherwise nobody will believe in the strangeness.

Greetings, Conrad

Lynxsteam

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2012, 04:33:37 AM »
Great looking coil.  It is strange looking and I am sure it will be a source of conversation.  It would be a shame if no one noticed it.

I uploaded part 3 of how to make the Joule Lamp.  For this forum the most interesting part will be about 2/3 of the way through.  I show multiple CFLs and little increase in amp draw.  An AV plug CFL running off one wire, and the effects of changing the primary on brightness, and amp draw.  Hopefully seeing this on video and the drawings will help others to replicate and improve it.  I need to try some LED bulbs on this circuit.

I also built this circuit on an actual board which greatly helps to show how simple it is.  Video link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_-6fyeGEaw

JouleSeeker

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2012, 07:58:00 AM »
  Thanks for your innovative research on this, Lynxsteam.  Your vids are clear and very informative.  I'd like to try this.

Question -- on your part 3, you show one CFL lit up "before the AV plug".  I don't understand how this CFL is connected to output power -- can you clarify?
Also, would you recommend (based on your experience) using "warm" or "cool" CFL's?   

PS -- I found some 13W- 60W equivalent CFL's at a local store on sale for 50 cents each; bought a bunch; made by "Greenlite".
 MUCH cheaper than 120V LED-bulbs! 
I'm very interested in emergency 12V lighting also.  I think we're gonna need it when the electrical grid goes out (for a reason such as EMP burst, for example...).

Lynxsteam

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2012, 01:33:47 PM »
I like the whiter light, it seems brighter on these circuits.  But it is personal preference. 
These CFLs will light up if just one wire is attached similar to Tesla Coil output.  I tried a lot of things in that video.  The brightest output will be AV plug or connected across the two AC outputs. 
I think to use LED bulbs the primary turns need to be 10:1 ratio.  With 20:1 like I am using here the output voltage is too high for LEDs.  On closer inspection I count 680 turns on the secondary I am using.  I tried a 3watt LED bulb and it works with 50 turns but the amp draw was crazy high at 1.5 amps.  Maybe with 70 turns carefully placed on the primary the amp draw will drop to where it should be.  The E core Joule Ringer 2.0 draws .357 amps for this same LED bulb.

Here is the circuit diagram using the 2N3055 transistor for 12 volts and CFL bulbs.  It shows better just how simple this is.

« Last Edit: May 12, 2012, 02:53:18 PM by Lynxsteam »

JouleSeeker

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Re: Joule Lamp
« Reply #14 on: May 12, 2012, 05:16:13 PM »
Thanks for the reply and for the well-drawn schematic, Lynxsteam!

I wonder how much of the "Tesla coil" operation is due simply to air-core transformer effects, and how much is due to TESLA-COIL effects based on resonance?  I'm particularly interested in the latter...   How can we find out?

Quote
wiki:   A Tesla coil transformer operates in a significantly different fashion from a conventional (i.e., iron core) transformer. In a conventional transformer, the windings are very tightly coupled and voltage gain is determined by the ratio of the numbers of turns in the windings. This works well at normal voltages but, at high voltages, the insulation between the two sets of windings is easily broken down and this prevents iron cored transformers from running at extremely high voltages without damage.
With Tesla coils, unlike a conventional transformer (which may couple 97%+ of the fields between windings) a Tesla coil's windings are "loosely" coupled, with a large air gap, and thus the primary and secondary typically share only 10–20% of their respective magnetic fields. Instead of a tight coupling, the coil transfers energy (via loose coupling) from one oscillating resonant circuit (the primary) to the other (the secondary) over a number of RF cycles.
As the primary energy transfers to the secondary, the secondary's output voltage increases until all of the available primary energy has been transferred to the secondary (less losses). Even with significant spark gap losses, a well designed Tesla coil can transfer over 85% of the energy initially stored in the primary capacitor to the secondary circuit. The voltage achievable from a Tesla coil can be significantly greater than a conventional transformer, because the secondary winding is a long single layer solenoid widely separated from the surroundings and therefore well insulated, Also, the voltage per turn in any coil is higher because the rate of change of magnetic flux is high at high frequencies.
With the loose coupling the voltage gain is instead proportional to the square root of the ratio of secondary and primary inductances. Because the secondary winding is wound to be resonant at the same frequency as the primary, this voltage gain is also proportional to the square root of the ratio of the primary capacitor to the stray capacitance of the secondary.

Can you tell us --What are the voltage and frequency of your output signal?