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Author Topic: 2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?  (Read 80036 times)

Mk1

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Re: 2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?
« Reply #30 on: December 04, 2008, 12:24:22 PM »
I have leds that give me from 1.2 to 1.5 volts with 6 micro amp each there red in a clear casing they can be driven by the sun or from light bulb.
3 Of them in series got me 4.5 volts.Now are they cheaper them small solar panel.Just ad a joule thief and voila! Joule thief are small transformer they can be built for voltage or amperes.The 2n3055 may ad amps i did not test it , i cant spare one they are so useful .

Mk1

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Re: 2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?
« Reply #31 on: December 04, 2008, 12:34:18 PM »
Texas instrument made a ic version of the joule thief , that can be easily powered from form radio waves or piezo or solar , or hall effect even pelletier.

http://jumpcut.com/view/?id=FB209A1A37F511DDB1D9000423CEF5B0

also leds if can get power from the sun where could we find more, we have uv leds ,infrared leds ?

thanks to texas instrument we should make it a better world.

http://mae.pennnet.com/display_article/342401/32/ARTCL/none/none/1/The-Joule-Thief-harvests-vibration-energy-to-power-devices-in-the-field/

a series of transformer will get us a usable output.


Steven Dufresne

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Re: 2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?
« Reply #32 on: April 06, 2012, 04:38:25 PM »
This topic's been quiet a long time but since it's the right place...

I connected 5 of these 2N3055 solar cells in series and got them to power a small 1.5V calculator using indoor lighting, and of course sunlight works too.

My tests showed that I got the most power using the collector as negative and the base as positive and ignoring the emitter.
 
It does have to be at most 1 foot away from a 27 watt compact fluorescent lightbulb to work. I'm getting the needed voltage but it's the current that doesn't let me go further from the bulb. I'm thinking of adding a second set of five transistors in parallel to get more current but I've run out of them and the local store doesn't have any in stock yet.

Anyhow, here's a video of my initial experiments with just one transistor:

http://youtu.be/526xslmO6Ds

and here's a video with the five transistors in series (solar panel?) powering the calculator:

http://youtu.be/2bUc8RqSFXs

More photos and write-up can be found here:

http://rimstar.org/renewnrg/make_solar_cell_using_transistor_2n3055.htm

I also did some testing it with a fresnel lens but nothing very rigorous. I figured I'd stay away from the heat issues and just go the multiple transistor route like I did.

-Steve
http://rimstar.org   http://youtube.com/rimstarorg

conradelektro

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Re: 2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?
« Reply #33 on: April 06, 2012, 07:26:16 PM »
Texas instrument made a ic version of the joule thief , that can be easily powered from form radio waves or piezo or solar , or hall effect even pelletier.

http://jumpcut.com/view/?id=FB209A1A37F511DDB1D9000423CEF5B0

also leds if can get power from the sun where could we find more, we have uv leds ,infrared leds ?

@Mk1

I would like to ask you to post the name (devide number or part name) of the Texas Instrument ic version of a Joule Thief. The link you provided does not work any more.

Thank you in advance,

Conrad

Hitman

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Re: 2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?
« Reply #34 on: April 07, 2012, 05:10:10 PM »
Hi all,
About 4 years ago I constructed a solar tracker using green leds to power the circuit. I tested different leds and found the greens ones put out the most power.

Cheers Michel

Steven Dufresne

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Re: 2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?
« Reply #35 on: April 07, 2012, 07:31:32 PM »
Hi Michel,
Do you remember how much power a single LED put out, or voltage and current?
-Steve
http://rimstar.org   http://youtube.com/rimstarorg

About 4 years ago I constructed a solar tracker using green leds to power the circuit. I tested different leds and found the greens ones put out the most power.

triffid

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Re: 2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?
« Reply #36 on: September 21, 2013, 05:55:21 AM »
Sorry for the long delay in answering someones question here.I never measured for amps.Just volts.two volts and I was happy!triffid

the_big_m_in_ok

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Re: 2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?
« Reply #37 on: September 22, 2013, 10:38:01 PM »
Out here focusing tha 6" lens  incenerates stuff. Don't think it would last long.
       Vorg has a point.   A 6" magnifying glass, with a naturally short focal ratio compared to the diameter, in the noonday sun, would probably focus a  REALLY   BRIGHT spot on something and have a temperature hot enough to reduce freshly cut, green plant cellulose fibers to carbon with lots of smoke and heat.   Focussing the spot on the palm of your hand would likely do the same thing.
 
Did the transistor melt?   Burn?
 
--Lee