Thursday, November 16, 2006

CD Lamp

61 CDs illuminated down the center. Not an LED project but could be easily converted to a 1 watter or more.

The website contains all you need to know to build one as well as improvements the author would make in a second version.

http://photocreations.ca/cd_lamp2/index.html

Ultra Capacitor 350 Farad

Designed as a cylindrical package similar in size to a standard "D" cell battery, Maxwell's BCAP0350 ultracapacitor is ideal for automotive subsystems, medical devices, UPS/backup power, wind turbine pitch control, and many other applications requiring a pulse of energy that cannot be efficiently provided by a battery or power supply alone.

The BCAP0350 works in tandem with batteries for applications that require both a constant low power discharge for continual function and a pulse power for peak loads. In these applications, the device relieves batteries of peak power functions resulting in an extension of battery life and a reduction of overall battery size and cost.

The BCAP0350 is also an ideal source of back-up power and pulse. It can provide extended power availability, allowing critical information and functions to remain available during dips, sags, and outages in a power supply or battery change. And, like all Maxwell ultracapacitors, the BCAP0350 is capable of accepting changes at the identical rate of discharge.

http://www.maxwell.com
http://www.maxwell.com/ultracapacitors/products/medium-cell/bcap0350.asp

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

High-Powered Laser DVD Laser

Make a DVD Burner into a High-Powered Laser

The laser pictured above has a peak output measured at 225 mW (average output 200 mW). It's a visible red at about 650nm. It can light matches, pop balloons, cut electrical tape, and so forth. It can do pretty much anything a Pulsar 150 from Wicked Lasers can do, because it's basically the same thing. The only differences? This laser was home-made, and cost about 1/3 the price.

http://www.vilos.com/lasers/lasers-howto.html