Joulethief SEC exciter and variants

[Slider2732]

That's fascinating. I know that in the Stiffler SEC 18X circuits, there are the 2x 1N4148's to the Base of the transistor in series to protect it. Also, that in a couple of YouTube videos he has the PSEC self runners and they seem to use something similar in terms of series 1N4148's on the power inputs.
Hmm, I presumed they would run in parallel, like some motor circuits have used. The idea for the parallel connecting appears to be that more of the energy gets through the connection than just 1 AV plug, with its speed, current and voltage limits.
Your experiments raise the eyebrows somewhat

[Nick_Z]

@ Slider, Jonny Davro, and All:
I'm still working a lot on the Slayer/Davro/Dr. Stiffler type Exciter circuits. And have been taking Jonny's advice, on the manner to test the circuits using different value caps, coils, and wall adapters with different voltages and current levels.
The 2cm L3 coil that Jonny showed in his video has impressed me, so I replicated one which is only 1 inch or so long, and 1/2 inch wide. Using about 120 turns of 30 gauge magnet wire over a small solder tube, and a 3 inch by 1/4 inch ferrite rod, fully inserted into the solder tube. The results have been very much worth the effort, as once the ferrite rod was placed inside, the output became MUCH stronger. And the RF burns are also very intense, not a tickle. Even a small amount of plasma can be seen. Ferrite is where it's at, at least on this tiny coil, which is almost as strong as an my 1.5 inch by 10 inch tall Exciter air core, which is much much bigger.
Just to let you all know that I'm still very much at it, but I had to re-register, so I'm back to my first post.
I'll see if I can upload a picture or two of my current Exciter circuit set ups, soon.

Nick_Z

[Slider2732]

Looking forward to the pic of the setup
Your coil sounds a lot like the Stiffler L3, though the gauge is normally 22ish on those. I remember some incredible tiny exciter coils by Lid, Jonny and Slayer about a year back...they were incredible and I definitely want to get back to diddy exciter coils myself. Ferrite tuning seemed essential for them. I've always wanted to know the cut point, where ferrite becomes essential and why. Gauge, diameter, voltage input etc.

[Nick_Z]

Guys:
Here's a video that I just made showing the small one inch Exciter coil, with the ferrite core. Similar to Jonnny's 2cm one. It works very well, especially considering the size, and so easy to wind, as it only take a few minutes to wind, compared to the bigger ones that can take hours, or even days.
The output is similar, they are all running on separate wall adapters, using 4 to 6 volts input.
I can't seam to run these circuits on 12 volts without frying the transistors. So, I'm still looking for solutions on that issue, I've tried two or three diodes with or without the led, various capacitors, etz...
I'll get it... sooner or later.

Here's the video:
Tiny Exciter coil circuit lighting CFL bulbs - YouTube

[sorveltaja]

I noticed a strange thing, when testing recently bought low-priced led lamp.
It has a battery compartment for 3 x AAA batteries. Haven't used any of those with it, though.

So, I connected it to the extented AV-plug(as mentioned earlier), without capacitor, and it showed some light:



Actually not as bright, as on that picture(due to my camera's exposure settings), but still clearly visible.

After that, I tested that led lamp, with only the source batteries(2 x AA, used ones, output being ~ 1V), without that exciter circuit.

Result? No light at all.

[Nick_Z]

In trying to increase the light output obtained from my Exciter circuits, I've bought this 24watt CFL bulb. Works great so far... the bigger the bulb the better. It does however draw more current from the input source, which also causes the transistor to get hotter that when using the small CFLs.

[sorveltaja]

@ Nick_Z, could the answer be to lower the input source's voltage/amperage to the point, where that same input source doesn't see the output load?

Just a thought, as I've lately played with a very basic exciter circuit, having under 1V source voltage, and an extended AV-plug, which provides rather nasty spikes, when the involving capacitor is shorted.

There seems to be plenty of energy, around the tower coil, even with very low input voltage/current.

[Nick_Z]

I've tried many different input sources to light my Exciter circuits. From my homemade Carbon/Al cells, AA batteries, to various voltages and current Ac. to Dc. wall -adapters, to 12 volt batteries, and even from a solar cell panel that I wired up, using several garden lights.
I can get an AA input source Exciter to light a CFL, (somewhat dimly) but in all my test all the CfLs light rather dimly, when compared to their regular Ac 110v input source. So, that problem is what I'm working on now. The transistor heat is the main bottle-neck to obtaining higher light output. It may be due to the primary windings that I use, but stretching the three winds, or moving them does not resolve the heat issue. The best input source that I've found to work well so far is a 5 volt, 350mA cell phone charger. Although I used different ones, as they are all a bit different.
I run my three Exciter circuits all night long, each night, they do make for great night lights, that can light my whole house well enough to see. The goal is to make them produce their normal rated light output intensity, instead of a fraction of it. Looks to me that a wireless connection is not the best way to go, but a wired connection doesn't seam to provide any better output to the bulbs. I'm going to try an Av plug to the CFLs to see if there is any improvement over wireless.
Any ideas are welcome.
Nick

[kcarring]

12V exciter

@Nick_Z

To minimize transistor burnout on 12V, try using a finer gauge (thinner) primary. The thicker the wire on the primary, the higher the draw. You can also use a choke on the input.

cheers

[Nick_Z]

Thanks for the comments guys. Kyle, good to hear from you again, it's been a while since your last Exciter videos. I was wondering what you as well as some others like Johhny Davro, Slayer, Slider and all have been up to.
I still continue with the Exciter circuits, although it does feel like a lonely path, at times. As I caught on late in the game it seams, at the last endings.
At least Dr. Stiffler is back in action again, which I'm very glad to see. His PSEC circuits still captivate my thoughts, and imagination to try to succeed in replicating. Even though I don't have all the needed gear to play that game. Tough nut to crack, like Jonny says.
I'll try different primary windings, thinner wire, and longer winds stretched out onto the secondary. I would love to see these circuits crank out some real efficient and strong powerful light intensity. Not only just as night lights. Although I never liked CFLs before, but I do now, especially the warm whites, which can be dimmed,when gutted.
I've probably have gone through and fried at least 30 or more transistors of different types by now, in trying to obtain a higher output. But, still no cigar. Although, the bigger 25 watt CFLs are putting out more than just night light intensity, and are getting close to some real useable output power.
As always, any ideas are welcome.

Nick Z

[woopy]

Hi all
probably usefull here

hope this helps

good luck at all

laurent

diy variable capacitor 1 - YouTube

[kcarring]

@Nick_Z

Nick,

I share your desire to put excitation together with high output and plan on doing some more experiments when I have more time this winter. It can be a bit of an obsessive (tweaking forever) thing... so I like to put it down before i get too insane with the amount of time i put in.

So far, my best results have been to use a Stiffler variant / Slayer coil for LOW output, this was about 23 mA @ 12.4V, here:
(Replication 6.) Jonnydavro's SEC 15 Variant (Dr. Stiffler) - 12V / ?? mA - 15 Watt 18" Fluoro - YouTube

As far as "room lights" are concerned, i think my best success (if one considers "usefulness" in the equation) came from XEE2vids JT inverter + jonny davro inductor addition. This one kicks out the HV spikes nice at around 3-5 watts
XEE2vids JT / Joule Ringer 12v - HV CFL Inverter Replication - YouTube

[Nick_Z]

Kyle:
I know what you mean by obsessive, but it probably took the Doc many years to get to where he's currently at, so, yeah that is a long time.
But, I notice that when I'm really into it, time does not exist, only when I think back about how many days, or months I've been at this already, with only baby steps to show for it. But, it's been fun, and exciting at times, and that's what counts for me, besides making and using a real working device, nightly. In any case, I may never stop as there is no end to this, it just gets more facinating as I go along, especially when that big light that we are all after shows up.
Woppy: thanks for showing us your variable caps. I've made a couple of them that I've adapted from Am radios, as well as using the ferrite rods that come on those radios, to help to tune the small Exciters coils with.
I Love your videos. Glad to see that you are still working on the kacher circuit. Maybe we'll finally see that "self runner" someday, also.

NickZ

[Nick_Z]

Guys:
I made up a different primary coil for my one inch long ferrite core Exciter circuit. That new coil totally eliminated the transistor heat issue, and now the Exciter can be run on 12volts, with the transistor cold.
I changed from a 5 winds primary, to 10 winds. Kyle was right about adding more turns to the primary.
The new primary coil is wound on a different thinner type of copper wire with thinner insulation, not the thicker plastic coated wire, but a clear coated one instead. It was what I had on hand. So, the heat factor can be minimized by placing more winds on the primary, but, it did also drop the light bulbs intensity somewhat. I'll try removing each wind, one wind at a time, until I find the right amount of winds, which will give the best output with the least amount of heat. In this case it will probably be about 8 winds.

Today I was given 5 used 6" by 6" 9volt solar panels, the kind that are used on outside motion sensor/led lights. They are meant to run a 5 led light fixture, and charge 4 AAs, from each panel. Each panel is showing 12volts output on my volt meter, but I don't know their current output as my meter is not working on Amps.
I plan on lighting a 25 watt CFL bulb from an Exciter circuit using 4 solar panels wired together, 2 panels in series for 18volts, as well as 2 panels in parallel.
Pictures, will be uploaded, as well as a video, in a day or two...

[kcarring]

@Nick_Z

Are you going live from the solar to the exciter, as in, no battery? If so, I've never done it, but.. it'd be interesting to see if you can place the exciter itself (weatherproofed) out side, and run the end of the tower, one wire to the fluorescent lamp. It MAY (I don't know) help to tie the circuit itself to true earth ground (-) and then the other end of the fluorescent tube to true earth ground as well, or, a copper pipe in your house that reaches to ground. In this way you may be able to exploit the one wire transmission aspect, and also... put some 15V (at least) capacitors after the solar panels, as high value as u can scrounge up. You may also want to tie the B & C together with a high value resistor permanently to force trigger oscillations.

cheers
looking forward to your results - solar slayer - always been on my "to do list".