Living offgrid with small solar system(s)

[Muhendis]

This = the joule thief + 3watt led

That resistor and TO92 package (probably an Asian variant on the LM117 linear regulator) looks very much like a constant current source to me and certainly not a joule thief. It's ok but not very efficient for low power apps.

[George Harmony]

This = the joule thief + 3watt led

That resistor and TO92 package (probably an Asian variant on the LM117 linear regulator) looks very much like a constant current source to me and certainly not a joule thief. It's ok but not very efficient for low power apps.

Wow @muhendis,

You, @crossy @jingjoe and @ihmo are really specialists who knows a lot. Exactly right, thats why i odered also toroids.

I can order packages here unsoldered and soldered ones with or without battery casing and with or without leds.

[George Harmony]

Here is another commercial version of a saltwater lamp+charger. But, when i go their website it does not show how to order...??????

http://www.sweatcharger.com/2015/09/sweat-charger.html?m=1

Nice design.

How can such small "box" thus not so big anodes/cathodes give 500mA ????????

Edited June 22, 2016 by George Harmony

[KonaRain]

I have a huge forest, and lots of dirt. I like the carbon tubes! And thanks for the links.. Keep up the good work!

Can I clip on to the ginger and ferns?

The ginger is wet..

Aloha

Edited June 22, 2016 by KonaRain

[Muhendis]

I have a huge forest, and lots of dirt. I like the carbon tubes! And thanks for the links.. Keep up the good work!

Can I clip on to the ginger and ferns?

The ginger is wet..

Aloha

That is a fine looking bit of jungle you have there KonaRain. Best thing to do in answer to your question is to stick two pins into your ginger root and measure the voltage between them. As for clipping onto the ferns you need to be careful you don't electrocute yourself.

[Crossy]

Ah, the "resistor" is a 47uH inductor

The device is a CL0117 LED driver http://akizukidenshi.com/download/ds/chiplink/CL0117_EN_a.pdf nice find George.

Now I understand how it works.

@G. Usual question

[KonaRain]

Ive got quite a few used batteries, can't throw them in da trash, Im ready ti wire the ferns..the farther the wires apart, the more voltage/current?

Thanks

[Jing Joe]

Ah, the "resistor" is a 47uH inductor

The device is a CL0117 LED driver http://akizukidenshi.com/download/ds/chiplink/CL0117_EN_a.pdf nice find George.

Yes Crossy, that I/C was a nice find.

That answers how some of my LED torches operate from one cell. (that get a bit warm from a degree of inefficiency)

And it also shows how a whole new technology of thinking is evolving around LED's, not just battery design/rethink but how to drive them.

E.g. Associated I.C's to suit.

Wonder what Edison would be thinking if he was here today?

It was probably his determination that encouraged others to develop the humble germanium diode and now to LED's ??

Was reflecting on all this yesterday on seeing the cheap 5W LED small torch in ALDI store.

Amazing.

It will be interesting to know some of George's currents when his M/M is going again.

[Muhendis]

Ive got quite a few used batteries, can't throw them in da trash, Im ready ti wire the ferns..the farther the wires apart, the more voltage/current?

Thanks

You're as daft as I am.

[Muhendis]

Ah, the "resistor" is a 47uH inductor

The device is a CL0117 LED driver http://akizukidenshi.com/download/ds/chiplink/CL0117_EN_a.pdf nice find George.

Yes Crossy, that I/C was a nice find.

That answers how some of my LED torches operate from one cell. (that get a bit warm from a degree of inefficiency)

And it also shows how a whole new technology of thinking is evolving around LED's, not just battery design/rethink but how to drive them.

E.g. Associated I.C's to suit.

Wonder what Edison would be thinking if he was here today?

It was probably his determination that encouraged others to develop the humble germanium diode and now to LED's ??

Was reflecting on all this yesterday on seeing the cheap 5W LED small torch in ALDI store.

Amazing.

It will be interesting to know some of George's currents when his M/M is going again.

Yep! What a clever little device. Long way different from my Linear regulator thoughts.

[IMHO]

IMHO I agree with your comment "Given the seemingly short lifespan of tech gadgets and people's hunger to upgrade them- often for little to no benefit - it probably won't be that much of an issue " I also had in mind larger products like car batteries, PV storage, electric automobiles and grid storage to say nothing of the millions of warehouse forklift trucks. All these applications regularly replace their batteries and keep the battery manufacturers and distributors busy. What would be the scenario if the batteries all came with a 200,000 cycle life expectancy?

Probably the same solution tech gadgets employ: planned obsolescence

Jokes aside, the increasing number of devices powered with the help of batteries probably goes a long way to offsetting lower frequency of replacement?

Not my industry, just guessing

[George Harmony]

Air electrodes are the most researched component of the metal-air battery due to the big savings when you can replace expensive platinum as the catalyst. In fact, most patents awarded on this subject are on the synthesis and production of the air electrodes

If a cheap one can be made we all have a lifetime "metal air battery"

Metal-air battery is an attractive type of battery because it has high energy density (more energy can be stored and generated in the battery) and has a straightforward design. This arises from the unique feature of metalair batteries, when compared with other batteries such as nickel-metal hydride batteries and lithium batteries, such that one of the electroactive materials (i.e. oxygen) does not need to be stored within the battery. With abundant supply of oxygen in the air, metalair batteries have extremely higher theoretical energy densities than their traditional aqueous and lithium-ion counterparts.

http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/ideas/113626-salt-lamp-how-it-works-challenges Edited June 23, 2016 by George Harmony

[George Harmony]

Ah, the "resistor" is a 47uH inductor

The device is a CL0117 LED driver http://akizukidenshi.com/download/ds/chiplink/CL0117_EN_a.pdf nice find George.

Now I understand how it works.

@G. Usual question

Usual question. Be patient pls.

I permit myself a day off with my experiments.

But i have a question. All parts you see here i already have. Toiroids i ordered and it came with only 2 wires. Dont want to rewind myself. How can i make a joule thief with only 2wires coming out of the toroid??

[Crossy]

G. It's all about give and take.

I will answer your questions, if you answer mine.

Just go back through the thread and note down all the questions I and others have asked and to which you have singularly failed to respond and answer them in a single post.

By the way, what value are those toroidal inductors? Core material?

[George Harmony]

Premade toroid 100UH/3amp.

Its not that i dont want to measure but my digital mm is kaput. Tell me how i can measure open circuit amps/current with a analog one. Will bring to an electrical workshop tomorrow.

This is also worth to be replicated ??

http://www.dogonews.com/2016/1/29/ingenious-plant-powered-lamps-bring-light-to-remote-village-in-peru

[Jing Joe]

Its not that i dont want to measure but my digital mm is kaput.

Tell me how i can measure open circuit amps/current with a analog one.

I'll get in first while the others are sleeping.

You open the circuit while the LED is burning. e.g. at one of the clip connections on the battery, set the M/M scale to 25ma? DC and use both leads at the open circuit.

Get the polarity right or the analogue meter will read backwards which mightn't hurt for one second.

This has been suggested before in Crossy's URL great notes how to use a meter and in my email to you.

Good luck.

[George Harmony]

This is the analog MM. I did before,but it seems that i measure short circuit ???

Something else. Just for fun i ordered this for the amazing price of 2.78 usd, not yet 100bht. I will rip off the panel, battery etc....and try to make a waterpowered lamp of it ??....

Or charged the buildin battery with medelis cells or other types of air-cells

Edited June 23, 2016 by George Harmony

[Crossy]

Tell me how i can measure open circuit amps/current with a analog one.

Read this:-

http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/t_and_m/analogue-multimeter-voa-vom/how-to-use-using-analog-meter.php

I've posted it before and it tells you exactly how to use an analog meter to measure Volts, Amps and Ohms.

Believe it or not, some of us are old enough to remember when there was no such animal as a digital anything. We measured voltage and current just fine back then, from uV and uA to kV and kA, all by looking at a needle and a scale. We used slide-rules and log-tables too, calculators hadn't been invented.

EDIT By the way. You have already made a joule-thief with a 2-wire inductor, it's in one of your previous posts. I doubt you'll be able to make anything even as good as that unit.

Why not concentrate on developing your battery technology? You have a nice known load to use in comparing the various solutions

EDIT 2 Anyway, if you want to make those toroids into transformers, just split the winding at whatever ratio you need, unwind a couple of turns and presto! Exactly what you require

[George Harmony]

.....

Why not concentrate on developing your battery technology? You have a nice known load to use in comparing the various solutions

EDIT 2 Anyway, if you want to make those toroids into transformers, just split the winding at whatever ratio you need, unwind a couple of turns and presto! Exactly what you require

1.cause i already know which type of battery is i think suitable for my ideas.

2. Before i order i asked the supplier if i can direclty make a joule thief with that toroid. Ofcourse he wants to sell and the answer was yes. Then i complaint. You know what he answered?? Similar to your answer. ???????

About MM i will do it later on. Will keep you informed.

[Crossy]

Soooo, publish your scientific results and tell us the best chemistry

Oh, and compare it on a cost per Joule basis with mass produced alkaline cells.

Your CL0117 based joule-thief is going to be hard to beat.

[Muhendis]

Tell me how i can measure open circuit amps/current with a analog one.

Believe it or not, some of us are old enough to remember when there was no such animal as a digital anything. We measured voltage and current just fine back then, from uV and uA to kV and kA, all by looking at a needle and a scale. We used slide-rules and log-tables too, calculators hadn't been invented.

Ahh. Yes the good 'ol Avo 7 and 8.

[George Harmony]

I think you must be patient cause i dont have copper pipes and already ordered. It will be a ccombination of copper and magnesium ribbon and as electrolite only water (if needed). I think also important is the membrane which is in many examples paper towels. I saw a mask in the shop and i thought, wow...thats it...porous and stronger than tissue. I will harden it with (after)sun gel or white creams or these kind of creams, cause look at the chemicals inside... ??

If ready i think i can achieve what this guy achieve and he presented it as a new invention which is bullshit. With such a big volume you can achieve it with any two metals i think.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf2oRRQGRPY

Till then i will try to make a more efficient joule thief ?

[Crossy]

Till then i will try to make a more efficient joule thief ?

Measure the efficiency of your existing joule-thief before trying to make a more efficient one.

Where did you get your CL0117 devices? Cost?

[George Harmony]

Till then i will try to make a more efficient joule thief ?

Measure the efficiency of your existing joule-thief before trying to make a more efficient one.

Where did you get your CL0117 devices? Cost?

Ok..i will measure.

Where i bought it?

Here: http://www.tokosenterled.com/senter_joule_thief_set.html

[Crossy]

Good, measure with a known source first (your AA cell). That will be your baseline, totally repeatable.

Then look at your DIY cells.

You do know how to measure % efficiency don't you? (yes, you can do it with your analog meter).

You may have noticed by now that I'm not going to give you blow by blow instructions. Just pointers and useful links. This is how one learns and remembers.

[George Harmony]

How about this one, IC Qx5252F

I can order these for only 5000 indonesian rupiah at https://m.tokopedia.com/pselectronics/ic-qx5252f-joule-thief-led-driver

Auto cut off at 0.9v ?

Specs: http://www.mikrocontroller.net/attachment/158139/QX5252.pdf

.

Edited June 24, 2016 by George Harmony

[George Harmony]

Charging AA which lightup the leds:

Such a setup of someone using this. Instead of solar charging, charging with the unreliable DIY waterbattery also connection to (some)leds.

Hope you can read the screenshots.

Ps: 2nd idea lightup some leds directly powered by the waterbattery with a joule thief and if needed a dc-dc converter (step down) for more constant output.

[Jing Joe]

Tell me how i can measure open circuit amps/current with a analog one.

Believe it or not, some of us are old enough to remember when there was no such animal as a digital anything. We measured voltage and current just fine back then, from uV and uA to kV and kA, all by looking at a needle and a scale. We used slide-rules and log-tables too, calculators hadn't been invented.

Ahh. Yes the good 'ol Avo 7 and 8.

Wow M, AVO 8 Multimeter, That brings back memories. 1959??

I even found my more-modern circular slide rule recently but had forgotten how to use it.

Edited June 25, 2016 by Jing Joe

[George Harmony]

Why bother to design a lamp. As posted b4 i ordered a camping lantarn for under 3usd...really amazing INCLUDING rechargeable AA batteries.

Says on the package 8 leds but i counted 6, very bright. You can charge it ac and with build in solar panel. Also you can also put in 3 aa batteries. If the buildin rechargeable batteries become weak just put other aa batteries in. Also usb output for hp charging.

If i receive the ordered copper pipes i put in rechargeable aa batteries which will be charged by my diy batteries and/or connect directly to the pos/neg without putting in batteries.

Already ordered 10 more of these lamps to give away via a farang who is active in social work in remote villages. Will Keep you updated if it will work.

What you want more? A lamp/hp charger to be charged ac or by solar and/or by waterbatteties ??

Perhaps those who are driving mercedes slc can sponsor also likewise hehehehe ??????

[George Harmony]

Forgot to mention that this is also possible. Burning a 7watt usb lamp ofcourse.

With a little bit diy you can expand the battery capacity ? and make it a more powerful all in one "power-tool-bank"