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Human Powered Fluorescent Light!

D

Daniel J. Stern

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yes, I know, I have too much time on my hands : )
I'll let you figure this out...

From where I sit, I see that you're using a stationary bicycle to spin a
'78-'88 Chrysler-built isolated-field alternator. Rather than taking power
off the alternator's rectified output, you're tapping the number-2 and
number-3 positive diodes -- not sure why you're doing it this way rather
than tapping one positive and one negative diode, or all three positives
and all three negatives. From there it appears you are running to a 1:10
stepup transformer and from there to a device that may be a Magnetron or a
bizarre square-frame motor. The EM field from that device, when powered,
is lighting your lamp.

How close am I?

DS
 
J

jriegle

Jan 1, 1970
0
Daniel J. Stern said:
From where I sit, I see that you're using a stationary bicycle to spin a
'78-'88 Chrysler-built isolated-field alternator. Rather than taking power
off the alternator's rectified output, you're tapping the number-2 and
number-3 positive diodes -- not sure why you're doing it this way rather
than tapping one positive and one negative diode, or all three positives
and all three negatives. From there it appears you are running to a 1:10
stepup transformer and from there to a device that may be a Magnetron or a
bizarre square-frame motor. The EM field from that device, when powered,
is lighting your lamp.

How close am I?

DS

You just about nailed it. I'm tapping in to one phase of the stator before
the diode trio to get AC. This connects to an old (and large) transformer
from an old tube audio amplifier. I use the heavy 6.3 volt filament winding
as the primary. It doesn't saturate from the 12v AC, perhaps because of the
higher frequency from the alt. I use the 120v winding to drive a step up
transformer, voltage doubler and magnetron from a old microwave oven. Power
output must be weak because the bulb won't light any more than 2" away from
the antenna. Power input feels the same as if I have a 150watt bulb as a
load.
John
 
J

jriegle

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jim said:
"jriegle" <[email protected]> wrote in message


Yikes! If that maggie is generating a few watts of RF power, you are
taking a bit of a risk by having yourself close to it. There's a good
reason that microwave ovens have all those interlocks on them.

Probably no more risk than sitting next to a wireless laptop for 8 hours a
day, or talking on a 2.4GHz phone. The magnetron operates at the same
frequency (maybe less at lower power). Although it is putting out much more
power, I can only crank it for 10 sec at a time due to the load. It will
make the 9 watt CFL glow at full brightness if I crank hard enough.

The only known ill effects of microwave energy that I'm aware of is the
heating effect on flesh. I'd have to very close to it for that. The energy
dissipates quickly at a distance in the open air.

I knew a guy that tested for leaks in wave guides back in the 60s by seeing
the sparkles when rubbing a lead pencil at the joint. He said he never
protected himself. I'd say that is pretty risky.
John
 
J

JM

Jan 1, 1970
0
quoting:
Probably no more risk than sitting next to a wireless laptop for 8 hours a
day, or talking on a 2.4GHz phone. The magnetron operates at the same
frequency (maybe less at lower power). Although it is putting out much more
power, I can only crank it for 10 sec at a time due to the load. It will
make the 9 watt CFL glow at full brightness if I crank hard enough.

The only known ill effects of microwave energy that I'm aware of is the
heating effect on flesh. I'd have to very close to it for that. The energy
dissipates quickly at a distance in the open air.

I knew a guy that tested for leaks in wave guides back in the 60s by seeing
the sparkles when rubbing a lead pencil at the joint. He said he never
protected himself. I'd say that is pretty risky.
John


While it's a rather small amount of power compaired to fully operational
magetron in that it doesn't heat up and break the cfl lamp, It's a good idea
to install a shield near the magnetron to reflect the energy away from you.
 
C

Clive Mitchell

Jan 1, 1970
0
In message said:
The only known ill effects of microwave energy that I'm aware of is the
heating effect on flesh. I'd have to very close to it for that. The
energy dissipates quickly at a distance in the open air.

I think the biggest risk is to the eyes, since they tend to behave like
white of egg when microwaved lightly.
 
J

jriegle

Jan 1, 1970
0
JM said:
quoting:


While it's a rather small amount of power compaired to fully operational
magetron in that it doesn't heat up and break the cfl lamp, It's a good idea
to install a shield near the magnetron to reflect the energy away from you.
I bolted on the shroud that origianlly directed the energy into the stirer
fan.
Perhaps it is more energy than I thought. I filled a plastic cup with about
2oz. of water and set it on the magnetron. I cranked the contraption for
about 25 sec hard. I noticed a 10 deg rise in the water temp. My computer
monitor that is 5 feet away gets a horizontal distortion bars in it
John
 
D

Don Klipstein

Jan 1, 1970
0
John said:
Clive Mitchell <[email protected]> wrote in message

There also are possible effects not mediated by temperature rise,
although the best documented effect, microwave hearing, isn't known
to occur under the conditions described.

As far as I have seen hearing of this a little more than casually,

Pulsed microwave radiation (as in what is usual for those exposed to
land and ship military/aviation radars) has thermal effects - as in
thermal expansion that is normally negligibale except it occurs at rates
to an extent that has acoustic effects that are detected by human hearing
mechanisms.
See http://arXiv.org/pdf/physics/0102007

A little aluminum foil should fix it . . ..
John [email protected] John Michael Williams

And it is well enough known among many of those who have to work close
to radar transmitters that this is an actual effect, and it is a warning
sign - it may be not easy to judge whether an exposure resulting in this
effect can cause two worse effects:

1. The microwave radiation cooks the lenses of the eyes - which are
significantly human body organs not closely connected to the bloodstream!
(This damage mode requires a temperature rise to whatever temperature
causes this damage - a temperature rise of at least several degrees C).

2. If the human brain experiences even a small (just a degree or two,
maybe less) temperature rise that occurs within a few seconds, it can
malfunction.
In extreme cases, a radar troubleshooter can get knocked out and stop
breathing and die on the job from his brain (or parts of it) suddenly
warming up a degree or two.

Otherwise, nobody has shown largely-non-disprovable cause for concern
for low level microwave irradiation!

- Don Klipstein ([email protected])
 
J

JM

Jan 1, 1970
0
You'll be suprised how little RF it takes to sustain a fluorescent lamp
glowing, that is, keep it glowing once it is started by another source. Take
a FRS walkie-talkie and press the antenna against a T5 or other small CFL
lamp while the lamp is turned on and lit. Transmit with the walkie-talkie
and then turn off the electricity to the fluorecent lamp. The spot closest
to the antenna will still be glowing dimmly. If you are carefull, you can
remove the lamp from the holders while still transmitting the walkie-talkie
and have the lamp still glowing in your hands.
 
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