1825 Building a Simple Vibration Energy Harvester

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[@toml.8210]

Thanks to Rob, People all over the UK are wondering what happened to their microwave ovens, which are now missing parts! lol

[@kooshanjazayeri]

i wish you film these in 8K so that the next generation can enjoy it as we all do

[@cheesynuts4291]

I’ve have sat watching large cotton wood trees dancing in the slightest of breezes and thought how a “tree” covered in small generators that look like leaves.

[@lopsumtathro]

like a reverse aquarium air pump, they have a magnet on the vibrator and a static coil but exactly the same principle. I once replaced the magnet that comes in them with a bit of broken neo50 and got a significant pressure increase from the pump.

[@s11-informationatyourservi44]

So putting this on my headboard makes spicy time even more “productive” XD Thank you for another awesome tutorial

[@OKFrax-ys2op]

I’m picking up good vibrations, Roberts given fine citations.

[@Dalorian1]

Im glad i found you man. You are my new favorite Maker on youtube 😀

[@bensmobilevideo4363]

Thank you so much! You solved several challenges I have been dealing with. Well done!

[@franzschmidt6199]

Its a great way to make use of the coil and thanks for showing how to remove it. This is an excellent way of speeding up the power generation in lieu of a transmission. Door bells used to work that way in reverse. No offence though one can reproduce the same effect with much less tools when the coil is stationary and the magnet is attached to the hacksaw blade.

[@sunindragupta9236]

would be much simpler to vibrate the magnet instead

[@FatherOfTheParty]

Gentle Persuasion = Percussive Maintenance

[@ogi22]

There is a special name in polish for that tool. I will attempt to translate it. handle controlled kinetic pulse generator😅

[@CCoburn3]

While its use as an energy harvester is minimal, I can see more uses for this as a sensor. Measure the generated electricity when the thing vibrates, and you have created a nice little seismometer. In fact, any application where you need to detect vibration would work. Plus, you could reverse it. Attach your saw blade to a sounding box, and you could use electricity to cause the thing to vibrate to make sounds. While none of this is going to win any Nobel Prizes, there are any number of projects a young person could do with this device to win science fairs.

[@Baikur1]

The STABILIZERS - energy suckers (transoceanic fiber-optics powering, etc)!

[@pauldent3059]

Couple dozen inside a lamppost boom, save a ton of energy

[@kevinleebailey]

Those coils are great for making high impedance speakers for crystal radios Piezoelectric transducers are great vibration energy harvesting devices too and they are also great for making high impedance speakers for crystal radios. I've never got round to it but I have always thought about making a wind belt that uses piezoelectric element transducers instead of coils and magnet's.

[@ryanlebeck259]

Those little induction fans are in many more things than microwaves, though those little blocks of copper are quite fantastic. I'm using one to boost up a transformer because with a transformer you just need the coil in the proper proximity for it to activate the transformer coil, so you could in fact set one coil to generate and surround it with other coils clapped in iron and watch the transformer generation along each of the transformer coils.

[@thebytespider]

this reminds me of the wind wobble generator thing you did a few years ago. I don't recall seeing how that turned out

[@naturesmoments1297]

Fantastic, very enjoyable watching👍

[@peterlang777]

gallium liquid metal with galfenol nanoparticles converts sound directly to electrical power

[@Dave_D.]

So we should use a strange engine to wobble it for us.

[@JungleJargon]

A jewel thief works pretty good.

[@InfinionExperiments]

Hey RMS, have you done a video on energy harvester circuits yet? If you need DIY MPPT schematics, DC-DC style joule thief schematics without winding a secondary, or just ebay links to some energy harvester circuits let me know.

[@jasonmorello1374]

if you had a few or a bunch of those, you could rig them up like your thunderbolt design, as those cores are better for transmitting the magnetics than any old bolt off the shelf, it would do well.

[@JungleJargon]

Robert, you are a man after my own heart… just a little more so.

[@2scots]

Simply fascinating.

[@angelusmendez5084]

Awesome 👏

[@justtinkering6713]

This is similar to the wind generator that generates electricity even when the wind doesn't blow. Artificial muscle.

[@dolata000]

Normally I find your explanations to be quite clear and obvious. However, this time I just can't visualize how one removes the coil from the motor. You breezed over that part a bit too quickly.

[@aprilliac]

The fan is attached to a rotor and the rotor is held on by a sort of clamp with bearings. There are generally two bolts holding it on, often the only bolts on the entire motor. Just remove all that and then cut through the thin side opposite the coils. You can then bend it a bit and the coil will fall out. The coil is sort of clamped on there. It makes sense if you see it in person. It shouldn't be too difficult to figure out.

[@hunnybunnysheavymetalmusic6542]

Those coils stack really well for axial flux generators too.

[@AutoNomades]

Nice ! I always have wonder maybe we could harvest noises and other parasitic vibrations from roads to enlight them and reduce the noises ! Or making some electree cities, fancy fences ...

[@el3ctros]

Piezoelectric speaker (cheap buzzer speaker) can be used as a generator in reverse. generates electricity from vibrations

[@In_fluss]

Thank you very much, I was wondering what to do with them bits. Just picked up 4 microwave ovens and am in the middle of getting the bits out that I want. 👍👏👏👏👏👏😇

[@marcfruchtman9473]

It's sort of amazing how many different methods of energy harvesting there are! Small note to those who don't have experience with LEDs... they don't have a built in way to limit current... so, if you put these in a circuit without a current limiting resistor (or something to limit current)... they will typically self-destruct if the circuit power is more than around 50 milliamps +/- for more than a second or 2, so you want to add a resistance that will keep them in a safe level of current ~ 20mA or less.

[@InfinionExperiments]

I wanted to add that that particular THT LED should be able to tolerate a relatively high pulse current (above 300% of 20mA for short periods) when the coil voltage forward biases the LED. However, the 120/240V coil will produce enough voltage to reverse bias the LED which is much much worse. It will punch holes through the junction, destroying the LED in short order. Knowing the Peak-Peak voltage range would be an important part of designing what you attach the coil to, but at the very least RMS could add a Schottky diode in anti-parallel with the LED to protect it from reverse bias and clamp the voltage from exceeding 5V. He could also use two anti-parallel LEDs.

[@marcfruchtman9473]

@@InfinionExperiments Good points... but wouldn't it still be advisable to include a current limiting resistor if he planned to keep a LED in the circuit for more than a very brief period?

[@Infinion]

@@marcfruchtman9473 Yup, resistors are a perfect and cheap current limiter. You were right in what you were suggesting as a good practice.

[@EUPThatsMe]

You'll have a simple seismometer if you mount this vertically in a protective tube with as long and thin of a "hack saw blade" as possible. Best if you bolt it to your foundation or a slab outside and then use an arduino/Raspberry pi to read the value over time.

[@mancampovestiminvatam]

Might be used as a low output, zero friction dynamo for bicycles. Mostly to provide some very basic lighting. The wobbling component must withstand millions of moving cycles and some low voltage components might increase cost. Nevertheless, I'd be happy to see some market-ready products.

[@jamest.5001]

You can put 1000's of these on a Tesla, recharge it as it bounces down the road! Fit egg shaped wheels to generate more power!! 😂

[@Buzzhumma]

Now to make a rotary cam on a drone motor to get more power out than in 😂

[@daneking1209]

Love this channel! BUT you have not made your 2nd most important video yet. All these ways of HOW to generate electricity, but NO videos on how to harness this energy for battery changing. Come on we need this piece of the puzzle or all efforts of building are for not. Please make this video. Cheers!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I have done loads of them - you just haven't seen them - in fact I don't make that many anymore because on the whole folks don't watch them - it's just odd to my mind - but there you are - any way I will do another - just for you

[@reeferbeleafer9912]

@@ThinkingandTinkering I heard you say in a previous video that you LOVE Patrick Kelly. I too, think the guy and his work was just great. Never seen any of the designs on your channel though, I have looked to no avail. Some of those designs are fascinating and deserve at least a mention, I think. Especially the Buoyancy generator or the William F Skinner device. Both very basic and mostly mechanical in operation.

[@rittzbyitch3682]

​@@ThinkingandTinkering I've been following this and your first one years ago involved also a microwave piece and used wind on a rod type that generates energy from the vibration, tiny amount but concept works. Please Great Sir to conceptualize the same concept to work on ocean waves as some sort of floating device type that harnesses the up and down motion of waves. Also that floating device machine in question can also be possible to work with wind as well as a multiplier?...that can be hooked up to a battery that uses the ocean itself as electrolytes as practically a salt water battery? Maybe a floating pod that has solar roof panels that is powered by vibration from both waves and wind that possibly hooked up to the ocean water itself as battery...sorry HIGHLY THEORETICAL.

[@ProlificInvention]

I wonder if you could figure out a piezoelectric based generator for mounting in a shoe that would charge a battery for emergency phone charging purposes, or perhaps a front mounted "headlight" for your shoe...

[@trottophone]

Trevor Baylis, the inventor of the Clockwork Radio, was working on that very thing 20 years ago.

[@homeland8765]

Is there a practical way of harvesting noise and converting it to electricity that can power office or commercial equipment, not only LEDs?

[@InfinionExperiments]

Was half expecting you were going to use the hofler tube thermoacoustic engine from 1439 / 1434 / 1444 to drive the magnet.

[@Spinningininfinity]

Now where do I attach the massage unit 😁🥰

[@nichudnic2469]

so how many of these could we string together to be more useful like 2kW?

[@marcogallazzi9049]

Nice one 👍🏼.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Historynerd42]

Is that how a Geological seismograph works?

[@Coffeesurgeons]

Sorry after your last video how can I trust this is genuine???????

[@stewiex]

I would guess something similar is used in seismometers for detecting earthquakes. Although for that application it may make more sense to put the coil on a pendulum and the magnet on a base that would stay at rest (or vise versa but I'd suspect the magnet would need to be not as strong if it was on the pendulum unless additional weight was added).

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

you could always give it a go mate - sounds like a great project for you to try

[@TheChzoronzon]

What reminds me is the MC cartridge of a turntable

[@toml.8210]

Or you could mount it near a place where people are constantly walking, like a footbridge or a railway. Rob's wind vibrator would come in handy in this case.

[@PopcornPapiii]

Can you look into MIT toroidal wind propeller applied in a generator setup?

[@vladivelinov88]

Your channel is going great and your content is so refreshing, but is it worth investing in some better camera equipment so we can enjoy your content in slightly better video quality?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

you are spot on mate it would be good - now all I need is the money to do it - or maybe a sponsor

[@DFPercush]

I think something was messed up in the settings on this video, normally it's not this bad.

[@marcfruchtman9473]

Rob, could you add a few more options in the Donation page? 5, 10 ,25 100, etc? ALSO... everything is out of stock! How am I supposed to get cool conductive inks to the USA? LoL

[@karlmyers6518]

Got to love a vibrating anything lol

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - don't you though lol

[@TheChzoronzon]

don't be naughty

[@karlmyers6518]

My phone is always doing it on this channel lol

[@11219tt]

What's the reason for the magnet at the end?

[@dma2239]

What about a homemade piezoelectric crystal ?

[@no1slisteninganyway]

That should male a fair earthquake detector.

[@williambianchi2006]

Would it be possible to use the stack effect to passively operate an energy harvester like this one? Maybe a black pipe inside a clear tube, orientated vertical like a chimney, in sunlight. Draws ambient air in through bottom, heats it in the pipe, hot air rises and exits the top, and this energy harvester vibrates in the moving air at the top?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I would suppose so

[@ile84]

Good to know as I happen to have couple of microwave oven fans lying about. 👍

[@nubletten]

This video is hit by some bug i think. Could you re upload this so i can see what you are doing? Other videos on the toob plays just fine.

[@fuller-media]

Hi Rob what is your take on Vanadium redox flow battery?

[@TrollingAround]

Plays at 240p no matter the setting I choose? Anyone else experience this?

[@jimbefit3073]

Soo many ideas! 😄🙃😊 even a pinwheel with something to bump it. Attached to a cat toy! Make it earn its keep a little more! (I'd have to get a cat first) thank you sir.

[@musef7883]

Saw your video just as I was finishing disassembling a microwave I found. And I was thinking of removing the motor and winding a thick primary coil for a makeshift flyback transformer. Most flybacks I find have rectifiers in them so I can't use them together with my CW voltage multiplier but I figured this would be a nice way of using it. What are your thoughts? Do you think that that would be a good way to use the fan bit? Great video as always.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it wouldn't be a flyback transformer mate and if you go over 10k volts you are going to burn out the insulation probably - but you would get a couple of thousand volts out of it

[@musef7883]

@@ThinkingandTinkering thanks rob, cheers

[@TheWalter777]

make a small kite on it or a flag and put thousend on top of your house. .. than you understand me👍👌

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nope - I don't understand you

[@TheWalter777]

@@ThinkingandTinkering maybee you made the inercore to tight. instead of the sawblade you glue a wire on the innercore, if you let it resonate by flutter it will supply current. so instead of the magnet on the end ,a kite(or flag) that pullse. i replied this in earlier vidio of you.

[@mattg6472]

Cool so do you like triboelectric better or vibrate the coil in front of a magnet better ?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I don't have a preference mate

[@tusk242]

Interesting, , people have a way of tossing out their microwaves away, but did not see the energy that was saved actually work,, do you have one, to show how much energy is saved in it, and could it be harmful if touched with damp hands.?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I don't understand

[@DeeP_BosE]

Aha.. Diy Engine vibration sensor

[@jakewallace6077]

I love it. You just made a giant old school tattoo machine that produces energy from vibrating when voltage is applied. Brilliant. Edit. Only washed up until the hacksaw blade was introduced before typing this, so I hope that he doesn't mention this in the video or I'm wasting my time here. Haha

[@McRootbeer]

and now to attach this to a Stirling engine.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice lol

[@johnc3403]

I'm watching in 1080p but it looks like 144p at best, maybe even shot with potato!

[@WilliamTythas]

with as bad as the roads are around here I could probably recharge a Tesla in a matter of minutes

[@jimdaly5077]

✔️👍🔔.👍🐝🌞

[@StArikAriel]

Sorry, no capito :/ Maybe a video more understandable for simple plebs would be of help/interest for more people? :)

[@reubenlongworth3586]

Ideal !!! when I actually find someone to enter into a relationship with me again I can strap a couple to my backside, thanks again reuben X

[@Rockerrobin]

Do you think Tesla actually figured out zero point energy to pull the electrons out of the atmosphere? Rediscovering this technology would be vital for the future of humanity.

[@mattg6472]

It would be vital . I think he did . Do you have the basic circuit diagram of Tesla's? The basics of atmospheric are actually quite simple . It can be improved in so many ways that's where it gets complicated

[@jerrodlopes186]

"Vital" is a bit of an overstatement, don't you think?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I have no idea mate

[@TheChzoronzon]

All the late loony ideas of Tesla has been proved to be poopoo... the guy didn't even accept the existence of the electron, ffs Contrary what your pop-science reads have told you, any 2 year college student of electrical engineering knows an order of magnitude more about electromagnetism than ole Nikola Sorry to burst your bubble... but the Tesla comic-book superhero current status is becoming definitely cringey by now

[@mattg6472]

@@TheChzoronzon does a person need to accept the existence of an electron without proof ?

[@littleworkshopofhorrors2395]

After yesterday, do we believe you?😉

[@jamesemery1]

looks like it was filmed on a potato like 1980's broadcast tv

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@TheChzoronzon]

what a charming way to point out a punctual tech issue...

[@jamiewhale5317]

Audio...

[@hirnlager]

piezo + wather = electricity

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

indeed

[@dnitchke]

the Video quality is terrible very blurry

[@blaylockr1]

Now, every time you light an LED on video, I have trust issues... (◡︵◡)

[@karlmyers6518]

First lol

[@mattg6472]

You didn't even watch the vid lol

[@Teknopottu]

@@mattg6472 Dude was the first to comment lol

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - awesome

[@samhorowitz7593]

Excellent idea Rob! I can imagine something like this outside to harvest wind or maybe on our windows at home to harvest energy from our sounds inside the house. So many possibilities from this

[@chillnorton7073]

Check your Messenger 😉

[@theinternetis7250]

Second lol

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - silver mate!

[@dominicgodfrey8015]

Did you make your own camera 🥔 🤔

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@carlosvazquez8875]

Can you mix this with the 3d printed Darwin turbine?