Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Robot Videos => Topic started by: Gordo4444 on August 08, 2008, 06:57:12 PM

Title: The Joule Thief
Post by: Gordo4444 on August 08, 2008, 06:57:12 PM

I thought this was pretty interesting... Something like this could have unlimited uses in the small robotics field of work...


[youtube]gTAqGKt64WM[/youtube]

Title: Re: The Joule Thief
Post by: izua on August 08, 2008, 09:28:50 PM

Heh, cool name for a voltage booster.

Title: Re: The Joule Thief
Post by: BANE on August 10, 2008, 06:20:21 PM

I haven't looked at the link yet, but how are they boosting voltage and how much longer will a battery like that last?

Bane

Title: Re: The Joule Thief
Post by: Commanderbob on August 10, 2008, 10:22:02 PM

The battery is actually drained faster! However you can use it down to a lower voltage, around 0.5V I think. You do get a lot less current at that voltage so you could not power much. I made a Joule Thief a while ago and they work pretty good. I used it to power a LED off a super capacitor.

Title: Re: The Joule Thief
Post by: BANE on August 13, 2008, 11:16:34 PM

What would be the voltage out put on a fully charged one?

Title: Re: The Joule Thief
Post by: JonHylands on August 14, 2008, 07:56:42 AM

If you're looking for a reasonably priced commercial version of this, Dimension Engineering has one:

http://www.dimensionengineering.com/lvboost.htm

I am using one of these in my Seeker 2x mini-sumo emergency stop remote control, to boost a couple AAA batteries to 5 volts, so I can run an ATmega168 and a few other things...

- Jon