Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Lighting a LED with a lighter
17 views
Skip to first unread message
Jan Panteltje
Oct 2, 2012, 10:23:15 AM10/2/12
to
Got a light?
http://youtu.be/hjsgwQs0LTw
I added a power MOSFET, it drives the output via an extra turn on the transformer,
At 15 mV the LED comes on. more light,
the resistance of the thermocouple wire I use now really limits power (= LED current)
The sky is the limit I think.
New circuit diagram, update part in red:
http://panteltje.com/pub/lighting_a_LED_with_a_candle_circuit_diagram_with_added_power_MOSFET.gif
I have ordered 2 E type 600 ï¿œC thermocouples from ebay for more power experiments.
This should also rock on a single solar cell? Those are ordered too.
This movie was made in daylight.
http://youtu.be/hjsgwQs0LTw
I added a power MOSFET, it drives the output via an extra turn on the transformer,
At 15 mV the LED comes on. more light,
the resistance of the thermocouple wire I use now really limits power (= LED current)
The sky is the limit I think.
New circuit diagram, update part in red:
http://panteltje.com/pub/lighting_a_LED_with_a_candle_circuit_diagram_with_added_power_MOSFET.gif
I have ordered 2 E type 600 ï¿œC thermocouples from ebay for more power experiments.
This should also rock on a single solar cell? Those are ordered too.
This movie was made in daylight.
miso
Oct 2, 2012, 3:07:05 PM10/2/12
to
> http://www.turboflame.co.uk/
I got mine off of ebay. I've soldered antennas in the field with this
lighter. It will quickly light an Esbit or a camp fire. It has a
platinum wire by the flame that does some magic to make the light more
wind resistant.
Hardware stores in the US stock gas furnace "thermocouples", but really
they are thermopiles. I don't know if they can be adapted for your use.
I saw the thermopiles you ordered off of ebay and that is probably the
best route since they have spade lugs on them.
Jan Panteltje
Oct 2, 2012, 3:41:17 PM10/2/12
to
On a sunny day (Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:07:05 -0700) it happened miso
<mi...@sushi.com> wrote in <k4fe0o$d7h$1...@speranza.aioe.org>:
>On 10/2/2012 7:23 AM, Jan Panteltje wrote:
>> Got a light?
>> http://youtu.be/hjsgwQs0LTw
>>
>> I added a power MOSFET, it drives the output via an extra turn on the transformer,
>> At 15 mV the LED comes on. more light,
>> the resistance of the thermocouple wire I use now really limits power (= LED current)
>>
>> The sky is the limit I think.
>>
>> New circuit diagram, update part in red:
>> http://panteltje.com/pub/lighting_a_LED_with_a_candle_circuit_diagram_with_added_power_MOSFET.gif
>>
>> I have ordered 2 E type 600 ï¿œC thermocouples from ebay for more power experiments.
>> This should also rock on a single solar cell? Those are ordered too.
>>
>> This movie was made in daylight.
>>
>
>You guys across the pond should be using
>> http://www.turboflame.co.uk/
Looks good, 1300 ï¿œC is nice too.
But I get 4 lighters for an euro or so?
>I got mine off of ebay. I've soldered antennas in the field with this
>lighter. It will quickly light an Esbit or a camp fire. It has a
>platinum wire by the flame that does some magic to make the light more
>wind resistant.
>
>Hardware stores in the US stock gas furnace "thermocouples", but really
>they are thermopiles.
I did some research, the 'flame sensor rods' (like ebay 350299611985) are just simple thermocouples, and cheap, 6 or 7 $.
Those are very suitable, but only give 25 mV open circuit see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple
The thermopiles are BIG (that is long) and start above 25 $.
So I ordered some type E (ebay nr 230851975230)
No need to keep them IN the flame, at a max temperature of 600 ï¿œC they give 43 mV open circuit, beating all others.
The current circuit already starts at 15 mV, one would think for 100% power transfer 21 mV across the thermocouple and 21 mV across my circuit.
I can now light the LED by holding the type K home made (twisted wire) thermocouple a bit above the flame.
It is not a project, although I suggested in sci.physics to ask a million from DOD to research 'soldiers equipment powered by body heat',
LOL, 30 type K will do...
And actually, now we have some stabilized ! 2V across the LED, I can run a PIC, it is a negative voltage so it should be upside down,
but there are many interesting things you can do with a PIC, although in this case I have not been able to think of one...
:-)
Its all just play, a proof of concept, and I think it was Martin Brown who a while ago asked about it here.
Nice for a science fair.
Well there you are Martin, if you are still around.
I have some solar cells on order, and this was also just a muscle training g for a .5 V single cell converter.
I have a hundred watt on the way (ebay nr 180958528777) 36 panels of .5 V 6 A each
It is for that 6A where the power MOSFET comes in...
If the nukes fall at least I will be able to power my short wave radio, and that is an other chapter altogether.
Now lets talk about that Si4735 FM AM chip, any experience with that?
<mi...@sushi.com> wrote in <k4fe0o$d7h$1...@speranza.aioe.org>:
>On 10/2/2012 7:23 AM, Jan Panteltje wrote:
>> Got a light?
>> http://youtu.be/hjsgwQs0LTw
>>
>> I added a power MOSFET, it drives the output via an extra turn on the transformer,
>> At 15 mV the LED comes on. more light,
>> the resistance of the thermocouple wire I use now really limits power (= LED current)
>>
>> The sky is the limit I think.
>>
>> New circuit diagram, update part in red:
>> http://panteltje.com/pub/lighting_a_LED_with_a_candle_circuit_diagram_with_added_power_MOSFET.gif
>>
>> I have ordered 2 E type 600 ï¿œC thermocouples from ebay for more power experiments.
>> This should also rock on a single solar cell? Those are ordered too.
>>
>> This movie was made in daylight.
>>
>
>You guys across the pond should be using
>> http://www.turboflame.co.uk/
But I get 4 lighters for an euro or so?
>I got mine off of ebay. I've soldered antennas in the field with this
>lighter. It will quickly light an Esbit or a camp fire. It has a
>platinum wire by the flame that does some magic to make the light more
>wind resistant.
>
>Hardware stores in the US stock gas furnace "thermocouples", but really
>they are thermopiles.
Those are very suitable, but only give 25 mV open circuit see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple
The thermopiles are BIG (that is long) and start above 25 $.
So I ordered some type E (ebay nr 230851975230)
No need to keep them IN the flame, at a max temperature of 600 ï¿œC they give 43 mV open circuit, beating all others.
The current circuit already starts at 15 mV, one would think for 100% power transfer 21 mV across the thermocouple and 21 mV across my circuit.
I can now light the LED by holding the type K home made (twisted wire) thermocouple a bit above the flame.
It is not a project, although I suggested in sci.physics to ask a million from DOD to research 'soldiers equipment powered by body heat',
LOL, 30 type K will do...
And actually, now we have some stabilized ! 2V across the LED, I can run a PIC, it is a negative voltage so it should be upside down,
but there are many interesting things you can do with a PIC, although in this case I have not been able to think of one...
:-)
Its all just play, a proof of concept, and I think it was Martin Brown who a while ago asked about it here.
Nice for a science fair.
Well there you are Martin, if you are still around.
I have some solar cells on order, and this was also just a muscle training g for a .5 V single cell converter.
I have a hundred watt on the way (ebay nr 180958528777) 36 panels of .5 V 6 A each
It is for that 6A where the power MOSFET comes in...
If the nukes fall at least I will be able to power my short wave radio, and that is an other chapter altogether.
Now lets talk about that Si4735 FM AM chip, any experience with that?
Jan Panteltje
Oct 2, 2012, 3:44:54 PM10/2/12
to
On a sunny day (Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:07:05 -0700) it happened miso
<mi...@sushi.com> wrote in <k4fe0o$d7h$1...@speranza.aioe.org>:
Correction, I am using type T now, not K.
<mi...@sushi.com> wrote in <k4fe0o$d7h$1...@speranza.aioe.org>:
Getting late, tired, sorry.
dagmarg...@yahoo.com
Oct 2, 2012, 11:03:23 PM10/2/12
to
On Oct 2, 3:41 pm, Jan Panteltje <pNaonStpealm...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On a sunny day (Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:07:05 -0700) it happened miso
> <m...@sushi.com> wrote in <k4fe0o$d7...@speranza.aioe.org>:
> On a sunny day (Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:07:05 -0700) it happened miso
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >On 10/2/2012 7:23 AM, Jan Panteltje wrote:
> >> Got a light?
> >> http://youtu.be/hjsgwQs0LTw
>
> >> I added a power MOSFET, it drives the output via an extra turn on the transformer,
> >> At 15 mV the LED comes on. more light,
> >> the resistance of the thermocouple wire I use now really limits power (= LED current)
>
> >> The sky is the limit I think.
>
> >> New circuit diagram, update part in red:
> >> http://panteltje.com/pub/lighting_a_LED_with_a_candle_circuit_diagram...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >On 10/2/2012 7:23 AM, Jan Panteltje wrote:
> >> Got a light?
> >> http://youtu.be/hjsgwQs0LTw
>
> >> I added a power MOSFET, it drives the output via an extra turn on the transformer,
> >> At 15 mV the LED comes on. more light,
> >> the resistance of the thermocouple wire I use now really limits power (= LED current)
>
> >> The sky is the limit I think.
>
> >> New circuit diagram, update part in red:
>
> >> I have ordered 2 E type 600 °C thermocouples from ebay for more power experiments.
> >> This should also rock on a single solar cell? Those are ordered too.
>
> >> This movie was made in daylight.
>
> >You guys across the pond should be using
> >>http://www.turboflame.co.uk/
>
> Looks good, 1300 °C is nice too.
>
> >> This movie was made in daylight.
>
> >You guys across the pond should be using
> >>http://www.turboflame.co.uk/
>
> But I get 4 lighters for an euro or so?
>
> >I got mine off of ebay. I've soldered antennas in the field with this
> >lighter. It will quickly light an Esbit or a camp fire. It has a
> >platinum wire by the flame that does some magic to make the light more
> >wind resistant.
>
> >Hardware stores in the US stock gas furnace "thermocouples", but really
> >they are thermopiles.
>
> I did some research, the 'flame sensor rods' (like ebay 350299611985) are just simple thermocouples, and cheap, 6 or 7 $.
> Those are very suitable, but only give 25 mV open circuit see:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple
>
> The thermopiles are BIG (that is long) and start above 25 $.
>
> So I ordered some type E (ebay nr 230851975230)
> No need to keep them IN the flame, at a max temperature of 600 °C they give 43 mV open circuit, beating all others.
>
> >I got mine off of ebay. I've soldered antennas in the field with this
> >lighter. It will quickly light an Esbit or a camp fire. It has a
> >platinum wire by the flame that does some magic to make the light more
> >wind resistant.
>
> >Hardware stores in the US stock gas furnace "thermocouples", but really
> >they are thermopiles.
>
> I did some research, the 'flame sensor rods' (like ebay 350299611985) are just simple thermocouples, and cheap, 6 or 7 $.
> Those are very suitable, but only give 25 mV open circuit see:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple
>
> The thermopiles are BIG (that is long) and start above 25 $.
>
> So I ordered some type E (ebay nr 230851975230)
> The current circuit already starts at 15 mV, one would think for 100% power transfer 21 mV across the thermocouple and 21 mV across my circuit.
> I can now light the LED by holding the type K home made (twisted wire) thermocouple a bit above the flame.
> It is not a project, although I suggested in sci.physics to ask a million from DOD to research 'soldiers equipment powered by body heat',
> LOL, 30 type K will do...
>
> And actually, now we have some stabilized ! 2V across the LED, I can run a PIC, it is a negative voltage so it should be upside down,
> but there are many interesting things you can do with a PIC, although in this case I have not been able to think of one...
> :-)
> Its all just play, a proof of concept, and I think it was Martin Brown who a while ago asked about it here.
> Nice for a science fair.
> Well there you are Martin, if you are still around.
> I have some solar cells on order, and this was also just a muscle training g for a .5 V single cell converter.
> I have a hundred watt on the way (ebay nr 180958528777) 36 panels of .5 V 6 A each
> It is for that 6A where the power MOSFET comes in...
> If the nukes fall at least I will be able to power my short wave radio, and that is an other chapter altogether.
> Now lets talk about that Si4735 FM AM chip, any experience with that?
I've been through these exercises some time ago, and concluded it's
> I can now light the LED by holding the type K home made (twisted wire) thermocouple a bit above the flame.
> It is not a project, although I suggested in sci.physics to ask a million from DOD to research 'soldiers equipment powered by body heat',
> LOL, 30 type K will do...
>
> And actually, now we have some stabilized ! 2V across the LED, I can run a PIC, it is a negative voltage so it should be upside down,
> but there are many interesting things you can do with a PIC, although in this case I have not been able to think of one...
> :-)
> Its all just play, a proof of concept, and I think it was Martin Brown who a while ago asked about it here.
> Nice for a science fair.
> Well there you are Martin, if you are still around.
> I have some solar cells on order, and this was also just a muscle training g for a .5 V single cell converter.
> I have a hundred watt on the way (ebay nr 180958528777) 36 panels of .5 V 6 A each
> It is for that 6A where the power MOSFET comes in...
> If the nukes fall at least I will be able to power my short wave radio, and that is an other chapter altogether.
> Now lets talk about that Si4735 FM AM chip, any experience with that?
well worth putting two solar cells (or more) in series. You can make
very low input voltage converters--and I did--but the i^2*r losses
kill efficiency. There's no getting around it.
Low Vce(sat) BJTs excel in this application, at least when I looked.
MOSFETs may have improved.
Of course, if 25mV is all you have, your approach is pretty cool. I
mean hot. I mean...oh well.
Now try the reverse, the Joerg version: Lighting a lighter with an
LED. Once. Pzzzzt SNAP!
--
Cheers,
James Arthur
miso
Oct 3, 2012, 3:28:10 AM10/3/12
to
Well they use this technique in space, right? That is nuke generates
heat for the thermopile, so there must be practical ways of doing this.
You can run a Peltier backwards. Is that any better?
heat for the thermopile, so there must be practical ways of doing this.
You can run a Peltier backwards. Is that any better?
Jan Panteltje
Oct 3, 2012, 3:53:57 AM10/3/12
to
On a sunny day (Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:28:10 -0700) it happened miso
<mi...@sushi.com> wrote in <k4gpfb$72b$1...@speranza.aioe.org>:
>Well they use this technique in space, right? That is nuke generates
>heat for the thermopile, so there must be practical ways of doing this.
>
>You can run a Peltier backwards. Is that any better?
As far as I know in RTG (radio thermal generators) the plutonium
heats a whole lot of thermocouples in series, those are mounted in a circle,
inside on hot plutonium, outside on huge heat sink fins.
Several hundred Watt for several decennia is achieved.
Voyager is still having enough power for science and transmission today.
<mi...@sushi.com> wrote in <k4gpfb$72b$1...@speranza.aioe.org>:
>Well they use this technique in space, right? That is nuke generates
>heat for the thermopile, so there must be practical ways of doing this.
>
>You can run a Peltier backwards. Is that any better?
heats a whole lot of thermocouples in series, those are mounted in a circle,
inside on hot plutonium, outside on huge heat sink fins.
Several hundred Watt for several decennia is achieved.
Voyager is still having enough power for science and transmission today.
0 new messages