Insulated Screwdriver
Ok I tried to make my own step up transformer that uses a pulsed DC current in the primary and it doesn’t work?
!!!
I took a cardboard cylinder from a used firework, dug out all the crap, wrapped 160 turns of tinned copper wire on the outside tight and evenly so it is a beautiful solenoid, held it in place with 2 rubber bands. That was the secondary. Then I wrapped an insulated steel wire around a screwdriver shaft 10 times, stretched it out a little inserted a chopstick into this primary and inserted the chopstick into the firework. I then held it all in place with tissue paper and tape and wired the primary up to a pulsed DC circuit which was made of 3.0 volts wired to a steel file which I rubbed the electrode across. The secondary was wired to a current detector but I got no signal! Why is there zero inductance in my transformer and why is there no current at all? It can’t even light up a small lightbulb!!
Ok, I think I get most of your setup: a good description & from the sound of it innovative & resourceful.
Would likely take some significant maths to solve this completely & as I don’t do this stuff everyday, maybe I won’t try now, but;
1. No power gain: You do not expect an increase in power. With such setups, indeed you expect significant losses, low efficiency so a big power loss from input to output. So, if you transform the voltage up appropriately, you still don’t expect any more power.
2. I guess you are using the file to create pulses, cunning! The actual pulse energy is quite low, so you do not expect a lot of power out. The file might be quite resistive. If you drive is only 3 volts, you want as much current build-up in each pulse as possible, so you want no unnecessary resistance in the primary circuit.
3. 160 turns is not a lot. The voltage will not be significant. The inductance is likely quite low, so even when you interrupt the current, the collapsing flux will likely not create a big voltage kick.
4. With such a setup, I suspect the actual coupling between the primary & secondary will be quite low.
5. Look up “autotransfromer”, where the primary winding is just a few turns that also form part of the secondary, saves you some work, but might not be what you want if you want to put significant current through a primary.
6. If you want the emf, high voltage, in the secondary caused by the interruption in the primary current, then loading the secondary with a load, especially a low resistance load will allow a path for current to flow & the voltage will not reach high values. Depends on what you current detector was: it may also be insensitive. Best way to see if you have any action is using something that is high impedance but detects voltage & transient voltage, at that.
Simply put, the other way round, where you load the secondary with a low-impedance current meter makes your circuit look like a current transformer, where you expect the current in primary & secondary to follow the inverse of you turns ratio, eg the opposite of your voltage step-up. So you expect to see much lower current in the secondary. You can reason this from the power in equals power out approach as well. (minus losses)
A little friend used yo play with a ;large transformer I had, but simple connecting a battery across the terminals & opening one side to get sparks.
Another way to get a decent pulse into the primary might be to charge a capacitor, then discharge it into the primary. Another question on this site today, asked about using disposable flash cameras. These used to be plentiful. They contain a simple inverter to get, probably, 500 volts on the internal capacitor, then discharge it into a transformer to make the flash.If you want even more, you could try adapting the same to discharge into your primary: just a thought & watch the voltages, could give you a but of a belt.
Anyway, you set-up sounds neat. You should be able to get it going if you can get current pulses into the primary.
Not sure whether you want a traditional voltage step up, or a flyback style action.
If you want to see flyback action, easiest way is probably to get a standard transformer, and connect a small battery across the side with more turns, usually the primary. This will run the battery down quickly, so read on. When you open the circuit, the back emf, the flux, will continue & seek to flow. If the inductance is high, a high voltage will result & there is likely a small spark as the voltage breaks down the air gap where you broke the circuit. If it is noticeable, another thing you can do is connect a small neon, or similar across the part you will open, eg the wire you join together. When current flows the neon is irrelevant. When you separate the wires, the neon is the only way for the current to continue, so it may flash, briefly.
So, if you have enough turns ratio on your step-up transformer, you may be able to get the same effect. Neons go off at about 90 volts. If you can get enough current into the pulses & interrupt quickly enough you may get a flash (each pulse).
The best performance will be tricky to guess given the setup. Based on the resistance & inductance you could work out the optimum frequency to pulse, but for small coils, it may be quite high.
If you want to do this seriously, maybe look up “Tesla coil”. While they are potentially dangerous, there are many plans on the net. In Tesla coils, they normally make the primary resonant to help getting the primary current going.
Thanks, interesting description. Sounds as if you deserve a result. Might even get one with a different detector on the secondary.
Any help?
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