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Any interesting ideas for low voltage (3V) dynamo?

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bloby

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Hi. As part of my uni project I will generate a small voltage with the use of steam engine and dynamo connected to it. I was wondering what interesting I could show at the next stage and figured out that it would be really cool to have something which for example could generate sparkles or even a plasma ball. Yes, I read about it and most probably such low voltage won't generate much of the above (especially a plasma ball!) but you get the idea of what I am around ;) Something which can be seen and ideally proving that "I now have electricity" just like "Let there be light" ;)

Connecting LEDs is an option but rather not spectacular so if you have any suggestions I will appreciate!!!

Many thanks!
 
Something which can be seen and ideally proving that "I now have electricity" just like "Let there be light"

So connect a light bulb.

Seriously despite all the little gadgets that can be connected to a generator to make a point the basic incandescent light bulb is always great and gets the point across. You want to be cool? Model out a small town or villiage and as darkness comes have the tiny buildings illuminate one by one.

Ron
 
Thanks Ron. It is in fact interesting although I can't really use a small town or village modelling with the rest of my installation. What about the wire inside of a light bulb, is there a way I could somehow make my own which would illuminate?

P.S. Sparks seem very proper to my project but is there a way to make them last for longer time (as opposed to use of steel wood which most probably would caught fire after few sparks) ;)
 
If it's high voltage you're wanting, you might take a look at this page which has a very simple 2-transistor HV generator that will give you up to 30kV (so they say). Dunno how well it'll work with only 3 volts, but if you could crank the generator a little faster (pour on the steam, boys!) you might be able to get it to work. (Please excuse the horrible ASCII graphics schematics!)
 
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When I was a kid a popular science fair project was to take a small DC motor (with internal magnet) and spin it as a generator. Most kids would create a small carbon filament similar to those used in the first Edison bulbs and place in in a small glass envelop. Then suck the air out of the envelop and get their filament to glow. There was just something about that warm glow to demonstrate the presence of electricity that made these projects interesting.

If this is about a small project simply to demonstrate the making of and presence of electricity I guess personally I lean towards the simple basics. While LEDs and other fancy things are interesting they really don't capture the essence of electricity. Arcs and sparks can be cool but require some substantial voltage and current. Considering you have maybe 3 volts and likely limited current there is only so much you can do. A steam engine is another marvel unto itself creating mechanical energy, the generator converts that mechanical energy to electrical energy, you really only need something subtle and simple to demonstrate that electrical energy.

That would be my take..... :)
Ron
 
Arcs and sparks can be cool [...]

Yes, they are.

[...] but require some substantial voltage and current. Considering you have maybe 3 volts and likely limited current there is only so much you can do.

Limited voltage, yes, Limited current? You (and me and the O.P.) might be surprised how much current one could get out of a little steam-driven dynamo. Probably enough to generate a respectable HV spark, I'd guess.

If the O.P. gears up the dynamo, they can get a higher voltage out too.

I'd be curious to see some V/A measurements for this setup ...
 
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Well aside from the warm fuzzy feeling I get from a clear glass incandescent glow I also like Jacobs Ladders. :)

Ron
 
That would be so cool if you could run a miniature Jacob's Ladder from a working steam engine! Maybe make a little diorama of Frankenstein's lab to go with it ...
 
Even if the dynamo has limited current output it should be possible to generate sparks periodically by the age-old method of charging up a fat capacitor slowly then discharging it rapidly through a step-up transformer driving a spark-gap.
 
Sorry for the long reply but my project is not only this so I had to focus on other parts as well :)

Thanks a lot for your ideas. Jacob's ladder looks superb but I don't think I will be able to construct it with such low voltage (browsed idea on the web). Using an actual bulb or even making a simple carbon filament glowing thing seems for now the most interesting and well looking so I will try to focus on that.
 
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