Capacitor in my circuit..?

[Benja]

Dear forum,

I'm studying Mechanical Engineering in Australia, but I am interested in electronics.
I don't know too much about circuits at the moment, thus why I came here. I'm sort of into making use of every bit of energy, being a budding engineer, and I was wondering if anyone could help me build a small project.

Ok, so a general description of my project is a small Dc Motor-Generator (out of an old remote control car). I recently discovered that turning the motor manually produces electric current, so I dismantled and unsoldered all the wires. I attached a larger wheel onto the axle of the motor, and attached a voltmeter to the positive and negative terminals.

I got up to around 2.3V pretty consistantly with turning the wheel, but it wasn't really a useful power yet. I realise I could upsize my wheel to make it turn faster, and create more power, but I was wondering if I could set up a circuit to fix it.

I've heard Capacitors store electricity between two plates, but I don't know much more. Is it possible to load the capacitors with my 2.3V until the voltage becomes a more useful 10-12V?

Sorry if this is a inane question, but I really don't know.

Benja,

 

[colors]

do you need greater voltage?

 

[crutschow]

A capacitor can store a DC voltage (charge) but it can not, by itself, increase the voltage. For that you need something like a boost switching regulator. And, of course, if you increase the voltage, you reduce the available current by a proportional amount.

 

[Benja]

A capacitor can store a DC voltage (charge) but it can not, by itself, increase the voltage. For that you need something like a boost switching regulator. And, of course, if you increase the voltage, you reduce the available current by a proportional amount.

Thankyou so much, that really helps. That's a bit disappointing thought...
I think im going to need to go back to the drawing board.

 

[vlad777]

DC motors are not used as generators because they have brushes that ware out.
Use bicycle dynamo instead, it will give you higher voltage but you need to use bridge/rectifier to get DC.

 

[shortbus=]

Try switching to a stepper motor instead of your DC motor as a generator. Steppers can be had for little or no money by taking apart a broken computer printer.