Abstract Have you seen the new Shake N' Light flashlights on TV?

How do they get energy to light up the bulb without using batteries? Do this experi ent to ake your own otion powered generator and find out! Objective "n this experi ent you will ake a si ple generator and investigate the relationship between agnetis and the indu#tion of ele#tri#al #urrent! MODEL INFO $lashlights are handy ite s% but a dead battery renders a flashlight useless% so fresh batteries ust always be available! &ou #an% however% ake a flashlight that uses agneti# power! &ou'll need a few household and hardware ite s% plus an L'D fro a hobby store! The agnet(powered flashlight will never need batteries and will always be ready to light your way! Instructions )!
o

*ut the newspaper down on a work surfa#e! *la#e an e pty water bottle and the water bottle #ap on the newspaper! Let the e pty water bottle and #ap dry% if ne#essary!
o

+se the ruler to easure five in#hes up fro the botto of the water bottle! ,ark a line using the pen#il! ,easure six in#hes up fro the line using the ruler! ,ake another line on the bottle with the pen#il!
o o

-rap ele#tri#al tape around the line near the botto of the water bottle! .ontinue wrapping the tape around the bottle until the tape #ir#le is )/0(in#h thi#k! .ut the tape off fro the roll with the s#issors! 1epeat this pro#edure at the other line!
o

-rap the ele#tri# wire around the water bottle inside of the two lines of ele#tri#al tape! Leave )2 in#hes of ele#tri# wire trailing free at the botto line! Stop wrapping the wire on#e it's #ir#led the water bottle 022 ti es! Leave six in#hes of ele#tri# wire trailing free at the top line! .ut off the wire fro the spool using the wire #utters!
o

*ut so e #ellophane tape around the ele#tri#al wire that's wrapped around the bottle% to help hold the wire in pla#e!
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+se the utility knife to #ut a s all hole in the #enter of the bottle #ap% and to ake a s all not#h in the side of the bottle #ap! The hole ust be large enough for your L'D to fit through!
o

"nsert the white L'D into the hole in the bottle #ap fro the inside% so the white L'D peeks out fro the hole! 3pply sili#one paste around the hole to #e ent the L'D into pla#e! Let the ther al paste set!
o

+se the wire strippers to strip )/0 in#h of insulation off of ea#h of the two wires that are trailing off of the water bottle! Solder one of the wires to one of the two #ondu#tive pins of the white L'D! Solder the other wire to the other #ondu#tive pin of the L'D!
o

Drop the agnets into the water bottle! 3rrange the wires atta#hed to the white L'D so they go through the not#h on the side of the bottle #ap! S#rew the bottle #ap onto the water bottle!
o

10

Shake the water bottle to #ause the agnets to ove a#ross the #oiled ele#tri# wire and generate ele#tri#ity to power the L'D! Look at the light #o ing out of the L'D that is being generated by your agnet(powered flashlight! Tips & Warnings

&ou #an use any kind of plasti# #ontainer for the body of the 4flashlight!4 +sing the wrong kind of agnets #an lead to insuffi#ient power for lighting the L'D!

PERHAPS THE SIMPLEST HOMEMADE ELECTRICAL GENERATOR IN THE WORLD

(Note: this article has been published: The shake-a-gen J. P. Hare, IOP press, Journal of Ph sics !ducation,
"epte#ber $%%$, p.&'(-&') reproduced here b per#ission of IOP* Note: for details of talks and +orkshops on this topic click here: talks and +orkshops The ,er si#ple, but effecti,e generator described belo+ is the (lateral thinking* result of a nu#ber of #ore sophisticated designs I ha,e been in,estigating for # N!"T- fello+ship. It sho+s in a +onderfull engaging +a the funda#entals of electricit generation. The generator is #ade fro# a coil of +ire (about .%%-/%%% turns* +ound around the outside of a plastic '.##-fil# can. The t+o coil ends are connected to an 0!1. - #agnet is then placed in the can and the lid snapped back in place. (Note: the #agnets need to be the ,er strong - 2are !arth Neod #iu# t pe*. -ll ou need to do to create electricit and light the 0!1 is shake the fil# can 33

Picture showing v rious st ges o! the !i"# c n gener tor$ Shown in the #i%%"e is one o! the s# "" &'ut strong( # gnets$ MA)ING THE GENERATOR -lthough ou can si#pl +ind the coil directl around the plastic fil# can (see picture of the first protot pe* it is neater and easier to #ake a si#ple bobin to +ind the coil round. Here4s ho+ to do it: Ste* + 5ind a '.## plastic fil# can and re#o,e the lid. 6ut out t+o cardboard circles about .%## dia#eter and cut out their centres (''## dia#eter hole* so that the fit snugl onto the canister. "pace the t+o circles about /c# either side of the center of the can. 7ind on a fe+ turns of insulation tape on to the can, either side of the cardboard to hold the# in place. Ste* , 8se the cardboard circles as a bobbin (or for#er* on +hich to +ind the coil. 7ind on .%% to /%%% turns of thin, insulated copper +ire. -dd a la er of sellotape to keep the# fro# un-+inding. 2e#e#ber to lea,e about /%c# or so of +ire free at each end.

Ste* "crape off so#e of the insulation (sa .## or so* fro# the ends of the +ire (using sandpaper* and connect to the 0!1 (it does not #atter +hich +a round*. "older the connections if possible. 8se so#e sellotape to secure the +ire and 0!1 to the botto# of the can. Ste* . Pop a s#all (but po+erful* #agnet into the can and snap the lid back on. Hold the can bet+een thu#b and forefinger at the t+o ends of the can (+ith thu#b or forefinger on the lid to stop it co#ing off 3* and shake. The 0!1 +ill light 33

C"ose u* o! the sh /e0 0gen & 1thous n%0turner1( HOW THE GENERATOR WOR)S - generator +orks b a #agnetic field inducing a ,oltage into a coil of +ire. I#portant points to note are that the ,oltage increases as the nu#ber of turns of +ire on the coil beco#es larger and the si9e of the coil and the strength of the #agnetic field increase. The #agnetic field (or the coil* needs to be in constant #otion to produce:induce the electricit into the coil. This can be done b #o,ing the #agnet or b #o,ing the coil - the effect is the sa#e. The coil (or the #agnet* needs to #o,e in such a +a that the coil continuall passes through the #agnetic field. The t pe of +ire in the coil is also i#portant. 5or e;a#ple, thick +ire #eans there +ill be less po+er loss, but the do+n side is that the coil +ill get ,er large +hen a great nu#ber of turns is needed. In a practical generator so#e trade off has therefore to be found bet+een the si9e of #agnet, coil and the +ire. The peak ,oltage generated b this little de,ice is gi,en b : <=-;>;N 7here - is the cross sectional area of the can (%.%%%? #@*, > is the rate of change of #agnetic field (ca. +e need to use ,er strong #agnets ha,ing a surface field of sa / Tesla (see #agnet info. belo+*, so shaking it sa . ti#es a sec +e get > = . Tesla : sec* and N the nu#ber of turns. If +e +ant an 0!1 to light brightl +e need to generate peak ,oltages of about &<A rearanging the for#ula allo+s us to esti#ate the nu#ber of turns: N = < : (- ; >* = & : (%.%%%? ; .* = about /%%% turns - happ +inding 3 (Note: this si#plified for#ula assu#es the dia#eter of the coil is Bust a little larger than the dia#eter of the #agnet so that the changing #agnetic flu; passing through the coil is as great as possible, see diagra#

belo+* (Note: 5or a good reference book ha,ing the details of the ph sics see -d,anced Ph sics, To# 1uncan, &th !dition. page. $?/. I"CN %-D/).-./))-&*

AC or DC This si#ple generator is called an -6 generator. This #eans that the ,oltage appearing at the t+o +ires alternates bet+een E and -, and - and E each ti#e the #agnet goes fro# one end of the can to the other. -s a result the generator can light a bulb or an 0!1 +ithout ou ha,ing to +orr about +hich +a round the connections need to go (as the are effecti,el re,ersing all the ti#e an +a *. Ho+e,er, this si#ple generator is not good for running radios, calculators or other de,ices that need a direct current (16* that is produced for e;a#ple fro# a batter . 6lick here for a rectifier and storage de,ice - a si#ple circuit to #ake a 16 ,oltage fro# the gen and store the energ . Fou can ha,e fun though connecting up speakers to the generator output, as ou can hear the electricit alternating - but please don4t use our parents best Hi-5i "peakers 3, tr using +alk#an t pe headphones etc. WHAT T2PE O3 45L4 SHO5LD I 5SE 6 -l#ost an 0!1 (light e#itting diode* +ill +ork +ell in this design because the take ,er little current (about %.%/-*. 0!14s can be obtained fro# an electronic co#ponent store (e.g. such as >aplins* or perhaps scrapped fro# an old radio or to that contains one. - lo+ ,oltage bulb #a also +ork in this design (sa a (< at %.%/ -#p. bulb but #ost ,er lo+ ,oltage bulbs (e.g. /.$.<* +on4t +ork ho+e,er because the take too #uch current*. 6lick here to find infor#ation about 0!14s

WHAT T2PE O3 MAGNET SHO5LD I 5SE 6 In general the stronger the #agnet the better. There are #an suppliers of suitable #agnets for e;a#pleA !clipse, >aplin and -;#inster Tools etc. and are also a,ailable fro# #ost hard+are stores. -s long as the #agnet is strong and s#all enough to freel #o,e inside the can (as ou shake it* it +ill:should +ork. -#a9ing #agnets sell the best #agnets I ha,e used so far t pe 1$.%H fit a '.## fil# can perfectl (the are e;tre#el strong ha,ing a surface field strength of about a Tesla*: -#a9ing >agnets +eb site -#a9ing >agnets 1$.%H page (note price is for pack of '* PARTS LIST AND TOOLS "ellotape and insulation tape fine(ish* sandpaper 6ardboard 2eel (about .%# or so of insulated +ire needed* of ena#elled copper +ire (si9e is not critical but '% "7G or about %.'## dia#eter +ill do fine* >agnet: -#a9ing #agnets t pe 1$.%H fit a '.## fil# can perfectl (or failing that tr #agnets at eg. -;#inster Tools: /$?&D., or !clipse >agnets: !?$$, or >aplins: "5/)< see +eb sites* -n 0!1 (e.g. >aplins: 70?&5 and for the bi-colour 0!1 (see belo+* >aplins: HF?'!*, ( ou could tr a torch bulb, see abo,e note ((<, %.%(-** >ost of these parts can be obtained fro# a 1IF store or fro# electronic shops such as Tand or >aplins. WINDING COILS 7inding /%%% turns of +ire on a for#er is not eas . The +orst thing is +hen ou are ?%% turns in and the +ire fro# the reel starts to get all tangled and for#s a birds nest 3 6lick belo+ for details of ho+ to #ake a bobin holder for the +ire reel to stop this happening:

Shake F ash ight

The agnet passes through the #oil! .li#k the pi#ture for a #loser look! How #an you guys have so any arti#les about agnets% yet you haven't talked about generating ele#tri#ity? ,agnets #an be used to ake ele#tri#ity5 "n this arti#le% we will generate ele#tri#ity in a shake flashlight that is powered by a oving agnet! $araday's Law6 ,oving ele#tri#ity agnets near a #oil of wire yields

$ro Hyper*hysi#s 7an old but good site des#ribing physi#s #on#epts86 Any change in the magnetic environment of a coil of wire will cause a voltage (emf to !e "in#uce#" in the coil$ %o matter how the change is &ro#uce#' the voltage will !e generate#$ (he change coul# !e &ro#uce# !y changing the magnetic fiel# strength' moving a magnet towar# or away from the coil' moving the coil into or out of the magnetic fiel#' rotating the coil relative to the magnet' etc$ "n our #ase% we're going to ove a agnet ba#k and forth through a #oil of wire! 'a#h ti e the agnet oves fro one end of the tube to the other% the agneti# field inside the #oil will reverse dire#tion 7twi#e8! The voltage generated is proportional to the 9ui#k #hange in the agneti# field dire#tion% ultiplied by the nu ber of turns of wire! Voltage generated : 7nu ber of wire turns8 ; 7#hange in agneti# field strength per se#ond8! <uild a #oil

.oil of =23-> agnet wire around a length of *V. pipe! The agnet is a D.?2 #ylinder! -e take a generous supply of agnet wire% and wrap it in any turns around a non( agneti# tube! $or this exa ple% we #hose =/@4% s#hedule @2 *V. pipe siAed for a D.?2 =/@4 dia eter x )4 tall% axially agnetiAed #ylinder agnet! ,agnet wire is Bust like regular wire% ex#ept that the insulation is very thin! This is great for #oils% windings or transfor ers% be#ause it lets you get ore turns in a given a ount of spa#e! "n our exa ple% we used thin% =2 gauge wire! -e used an ele#tri# drill atta#hed to the tube to spin a large length of wire around it% for we forgot to #ount how any5 -at#h the flow of ele#tri#ity with L'Ds any turns! Sorry%

Test #ir#uit with 0 L'Ds!

3n L'D is a diode that e its light when ele#tri# #urrent runs through it! Like all diodes% it allows #urrent to flow through it in only one dire#tion! <efore going any further% let's use a pair of diodes to test our #oil asse bly to see if it akes any ele#tri#ity! Cur test setup is shown in the #ir#uit diagra below! 3ny #urrent generated in the #oil will flow through one of the two L'Ds% depending on it's dire#tion!

3 few #ir#uit i prove ents for a better flashlight

Cur #o plete flashlight #ir#uit Now% let's add a few ore things to our #ir#uit to transfor this blinking light into a steady% usable light sour#e! )! $irst we add a diode bridge that will take the alternating ele#tri#al output of our #oil% and get it flowing in one dire#tion! See Diode <ridge 7or >raetA #ir#uit8 for a good des#ription of how this fun#tions! -e #hose a pa#kage that #o bined the &ou #an into one unit! ake a diode bridge out of four individual diodes!

-ith this diode bridge% we #an light Bust one L'D sin#e all the ele#tri#ity will flow in one dire#tion! 0! -hat we need now is a storage devi#e to s ooth out the #urrent% and provide a steady flow of ele#tri#ity instead of the short bursts provided fro our #oil! 3 #apa#itor 7.)8 fun#tions exa#tly this way! -ithout the #apa#itor% the L'D would blink on and off like a strobe light! So e hu an(powered flashlights use re#hargeable batteries to store #apa#itor to s ooth the #urrent out! ore power! -e Bust used a

=! -e also use a resistor 71)8 in series with the diode! "n this #ase% we used a =22 Ch resistor! This li its the flow of ele#tri#ity through the diode! The big power resistor used in the video below isn't really ne#essary (( we Bust had this one handy! -at#h the finished prototype in a#tion

-hat is the total output of our setup? This is great5 How u#h power does this generate? The short answer is6 enough to light an L'D% but not a lot! The ain reason for using an L'D as the light sour#e is that it doesn't take u#h ele#tri#ity to generate light with L'Ds! "f you used a regular in#andes#ent bulb% the light would look pretty weak! "f you have a##ess to an os#illos#ope% you #an easure the output power of this #ir#uit! 3ssu ing you don't% you #an easure the power #o ing out of it with a si ple ulti( eter! -e re#orded a test of the flashlight% while showing the voltage a#ross the resistor with a ulti( eter! This gives us so e easure of the a#tual useful energy produ#ed fro our test setup% after losses fro the bridge diode and any ineffi#ien#ies asso#iated with storing power in the #apa#itor! The total energy shown in the graph 7in the video below8 tops out at about a third of a -att! "t represents the energy dissipated in both the resistor and the L'D!

" want to

ake

y own flashlight! -hat variables should " #onsider?

There are any fa#tors that go into a devi#e even as si ple as this% plus they all interrelate with one another! So e key variables in#lude6 )! The nu ber of turns of agnet wire! The voltage generated is dire#tly related to the nu ber of turns! "n a perfe#t% unifor agneti# field% doubling the nu ber of turns should double the voltage! Cf #ourse% as you keep adding turns% you are both getting farther away fro the agnet% and in#reasing the distan#e through whi#h the #urrent ust travel! "t's definitely a #ase of di inishing returns! How u#h ore power would we see if we in#reased the nu ber of turns? 0! The wire gauge! -e used =2 gauge% but you #ould #onsider other wire thi#knesses! The thi#ker the wire% the ore #urrent it #an #arry with less loss! The thinner the wire% the ore windings you #an fit #lose to the agnet! =! ,agnet siAe! -e used a D.?2% be#ause we thought it would ake a ni#e siAed field% and work well with a pretty big #oil of wire! &ou ight #onsider a s aller agnet% or go even larger! Larger agnets will work ore effe#tively with even bigger #oils of wire! @! L'Ds! -e #hose a few L'Ds off the shelf be#ause they were inexpensive and available! L'Ds #an vary wildly in how u#h light they produ#e fro a given a ount of ele#tri#ity! So e are weak and eant si ply as indi#ator lights! Newer L'Ds are being used in lighting appli#ations% so eti es repla#ing traditional light sour#es! There are also interesting tradeoffs between bright% narrow bea s and di er% wide bea s of light! D! ,e#hani#al *a#kaging! .ertainly the e#hani#al pa#kaging of su#h a devi#e #an be ade better! -e added thin D.0 agnets on either end of the tube% repelling the agnet inside! This a#ted as springs on either end to keep fro wasting energy% sla ing into the ends of the tube! Cther features ight in#lude an on/off swit#h% so ething to prote#t the agnet fro s#raping off it's ni#kel plating% better opti#s% and whatever else you want in a flashlight! E! Cther storage devi#es! The #apa#itor works great to store so e ele#tri#ity% but it doesn't hold u#h! ,any shake or hand(#rank flashlights use a re#hargeable battery as a storage devi#e! These #an allow you to store u#h ore ele#tri#ity! 3 s all re#hargeable battery #an go a long way! F! <etter #urrent #ontrol! The resistor we put in series with the L'D is an inexpensive% si ple way to regulate the #urrent through it! There are other ways to #ontrol the #urrent! 3dvantages of other solutions ight in#lude using less power% and keeping the #onstant #urrent even as the #apa#itor/battery voltage drops!