Anybody done anything cool with super capacitors?

[dg]

I just ordered a few parts from DigiKey and was just a few dollars under
their minimum order so I added some 5.5V 1.5 farad capacitors just for fun.
I have always wanted some to play around with but I really don't have any
particular use for them.

So, what kind of cool stuff have you done with them?

Thanks,
--Dan

 

[Jamie]

do some welding ! ))

 

[William P.N. Smith]

their minimum order so I added some 5.5V 1.5 farad capacitors just for fun.

So, what kind of cool stuff have you done with them?

I've always wondered what kind of LED flashlight I could make from
those things...

 

[R.Lewis]

fun.

I've always wondered what kind of LED flashlight I could make from
those things...

--

Don't wonder, just calculate.
supercap + led = pi** poor torch

 

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

I just ordered a few parts from DigiKey and was just a few dollars under
their minimum order so I added some 5.5V 1.5 farad capacitors just for fun.
I have always wanted some to play around with but I really don't have any
particular use for them.

So, what kind of cool stuff have you done with them?

Thanks,
--Dan

I bought some 1F pulls from Allcorp, and I used them to store a charge
from the solar cell to power a flasher. The cap takes about a half
minute or less to charge up, and the flasher flashes a red LED for five
hours. I discussed it here or on s.e.m or
alt.binaries.schematics.electronic and I think you could find the thread
under Forever Flasher.

 

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

for fun.


I've always wondered what kind of LED flashlight I could make from
those things...

I bought a 'Micro Forever Flashlight' for $20, and it has a clear
plastic case, so the insides can be seen. I see a supercap inside but I
can't read the value. This flashlight is charged up by shaking it so
the magnet passes thru the coil and generates the charging current. It
takes a helluva lot of shaking, and the light doesn't stay lit for very
long. I give it a C- grade for performance.

I'm assuming that this is what you want to do with the supercap. If you
use a battery, either throwaway or rechargeable, there is no need for a
supercap.
But then, if you use an incandescent blub, it will stay glowing for
awhile after you release the squeeze handle on one of those hand squeeze
generator flashlights. So you really don't need a capacitor there,
either.

 

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

for

Don't wonder, just calculate.
supercap + led = pi** poor torch

Ahh, but several supercaps and at least three, maybe 4 or more white
LEDs, and you begin to get a more reasonable light output.

I've removed the motor and gear ass'y from a couple old CD-ROM drives,
and I soldered a superbright red LED to the motor leads. On one of them
I can crank the larger gear and generate a reasonably bright light
output as long as my hand holds out. It might make a decent 'free
energy' light maker, if it had a supercap on the output. See, I have to
hold the gear/motor with one hand and crank it with the other, leaving
no hands to do whatever it is that needs to be lit up. Soo....