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Now you can have a regulated power supply constantly at your fingertips with NO batteries to replace or recharge! This Instructable shows you how to modify a keychain dynamo flashlight into a lean mean supply that can replace batteries for any projects requiring quick 5 volt direct-current (5V DC) power.
If you've even included digital logic, analog chips, or a microcontroller into a project there's a good chance you've had to find a way to provide 5V DC to your circuit. There are few primary sources of 5V, so you can use a wall wart to convert AC power (which obviously limits where you can take your new gadget) or you can spend extra time building a regulator circuit to get multiple 1.5V batteries to the needed voltage. These solutions are required for some circuits, but for smaller gadgets, wouldn't it be nice to have an always-ready supply so you can go straight to working on other aspects of the project?
By adding a few electronic components to a widely available dynamo flashlight, you can power small devices for short periods without using up outlets or batteries. The improved dynamo is great for the workbench or showing off new projects just about anywhere.
This Instructable covers how to assemble and install a step-up DC-DC converter that turns the varying low voltage of the keychain dynamo's generator into a constant 5V. The step-up circuit charges a large capacitor which provides energy storage and some power even when the dynamo isn't turning.
By following the steps in this Instructable, you can accomplish all this without manufacturing a special circuit board or using hard-to-solder surface mount components. To get the electronic parts inside the keychain case requires some circuit origami, but after about an hour of tinkering you will have a neat device that can source up to 50 milliamps of current at a constant 5V DC while winding and milliwatts of power for minutes after!
If you've even included digital logic, analog chips, or a microcontroller into a project there's a good chance you've had to find a way to provide 5V DC to your circuit. There are few primary sources of 5V, so you can use a wall wart to convert AC power (which obviously limits where you can take your new gadget) or you can spend extra time building a regulator circuit to get multiple 1.5V batteries to the needed voltage. These solutions are required for some circuits, but for smaller gadgets, wouldn't it be nice to have an always-ready supply so you can go straight to working on other aspects of the project?
By adding a few electronic components to a widely available dynamo flashlight, you can power small devices for short periods without using up outlets or batteries. The improved dynamo is great for the workbench or showing off new projects just about anywhere.
This Instructable covers how to assemble and install a step-up DC-DC converter that turns the varying low voltage of the keychain dynamo's generator into a constant 5V. The step-up circuit charges a large capacitor which provides energy storage and some power even when the dynamo isn't turning.
By following the steps in this Instructable, you can accomplish all this without manufacturing a special circuit board or using hard-to-solder surface mount components. To get the electronic parts inside the keychain case requires some circuit origami, but after about an hour of tinkering you will have a neat device that can source up to 50 milliamps of current at a constant 5V DC while winding and milliwatts of power for minutes after!
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Signing UpStep 1How it works
Electric generator
Current flowing into a motor creates a magnetic field in coils attached to the shaft, which turns in the presence of a magnetic field from fixed magnets. When a motor is run in reverse -- power is applied by turning the shaft -- a voltage is induced in the coil. Faraday's law says this voltage is proportional to the rate the magnetic field changes in the coil. Thus the faster the shaft is turned, the greater the voltage.
Gear ratios
A series of gears are used within the keychain to get the generator spinning as fast as possible. When you crank the handle, it sets three compound spur gears in motion. One half of each compound gear has a small radius and the other half has a large radius. When the small radius is turned, the teeth at the edge of the larger radius change location at a proportionally faster rate. By cascading these compound gears, the cranking rate can be multiplied several times and the generator shaft can be turned much faster than a human could turn it.
The need for the step-up converter and storage capacitor
The keychain's gear ratio can generate a few volts with reasonable cranking, but the voltage is not high enough to reach 5V. This voltage also varies quickly based on the shaft rotation rate. To get a steady 5V output, a step-up converter is needed. The specific integrated circuit chosen -- the MAX756 -- can turn voltages as low as 0.7V into 5V and comes in a handy 8 pin package. The step-up circuit is based on the application circuit in the MAX756 datasheet.
http://datasheets.maxim-ic.com/en/ds/MAX756-MAX757.pdf
Even though these dynamo keychain flashlights are advertised as needing no batteries, they appear to have three coin-sized batteries inside. The generator is soldered to this coin battery stack in a somewhat crude charging circuit. However, I do not think these batteries are meant to be rechargeable, and they tend to drain quickly after the initial discharge. This Instructable replaces this coin stack with a large capacitor that can be recharged more frequently and is more efficient.
See the schematic for the layout of the entire circuit. The specific components were chosen for easy hand soldering while being the smallest sizes that were still rated for the voltages in the circuit. Note: The MAX756 datasheet has C3 as a 150 uF capacitor. The 150 uF capacitors I found were much physically bigger than the 100 uF ones and wouldn't fit within the small keychain. Thus I replaced C3 with a 100 uF capacitor and it appears to work fine.
Current flowing into a motor creates a magnetic field in coils attached to the shaft, which turns in the presence of a magnetic field from fixed magnets. When a motor is run in reverse -- power is applied by turning the shaft -- a voltage is induced in the coil. Faraday's law says this voltage is proportional to the rate the magnetic field changes in the coil. Thus the faster the shaft is turned, the greater the voltage.
Gear ratios
A series of gears are used within the keychain to get the generator spinning as fast as possible. When you crank the handle, it sets three compound spur gears in motion. One half of each compound gear has a small radius and the other half has a large radius. When the small radius is turned, the teeth at the edge of the larger radius change location at a proportionally faster rate. By cascading these compound gears, the cranking rate can be multiplied several times and the generator shaft can be turned much faster than a human could turn it.
The need for the step-up converter and storage capacitor
The keychain's gear ratio can generate a few volts with reasonable cranking, but the voltage is not high enough to reach 5V. This voltage also varies quickly based on the shaft rotation rate. To get a steady 5V output, a step-up converter is needed. The specific integrated circuit chosen -- the MAX756 -- can turn voltages as low as 0.7V into 5V and comes in a handy 8 pin package. The step-up circuit is based on the application circuit in the MAX756 datasheet.
http://datasheets.maxim-ic.com/en/ds/MAX756-MAX757.pdf
Even though these dynamo keychain flashlights are advertised as needing no batteries, they appear to have three coin-sized batteries inside. The generator is soldered to this coin battery stack in a somewhat crude charging circuit. However, I do not think these batteries are meant to be rechargeable, and they tend to drain quickly after the initial discharge. This Instructable replaces this coin stack with a large capacitor that can be recharged more frequently and is more efficient.
See the schematic for the layout of the entire circuit. The specific components were chosen for easy hand soldering while being the smallest sizes that were still rated for the voltages in the circuit. Note: The MAX756 datasheet has C3 as a 150 uF capacitor. The 150 uF capacitors I found were much physically bigger than the 100 uF ones and wouldn't fit within the small keychain. Thus I replaced C3 with a 100 uF capacitor and it appears to work fine.
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Stupid question, What would happen if you increased the size of the capactor?
Really impressive instructables, it's a piece of art. Thank a lot for that information about MAX756, it'll solve some of my problems about a good 5V source!!!!! :D
I DONT GET WERE R1(1) GOES IN STEP 10 (C)
I was struggling to put a similar max756 circuit with usb in the removable solar panel/battery pack of my Ikea Sunnan lamp, to use it as an PDA-battery backup. Your origami idea is a very space efficient solution! ( But I wont not solder directly on IC, too affraid to burn it).
I also plan to hook the battery pack to a forced ventilation woodgas stove ( like this ) and use it on a trek in the Spanish Pyrenees. While I'm at it, I could even stick a peltier to the stove and use heat to recharge the battery pack a bit. If I ever get to making an instrucatble of it, I'll link to yours.
Keep up the good work!
This Is a very Professional Instructable.
Wonderful Pictures By the Way!
Well Done!
5 *
Actually, it's 20mAh, and not 160mAh ... It's nearly identical to the keychain you used. It brings me another question : why didn't you use the battery that came in your keychain ?