Hi there,
I am currently working on a project where i am using magnets to generate some energy. Pretty much a generator. I am getting close to 3v pk-pk from this generator, which after being rectified gives me approximately 1V.

So what i want to do now is boost this 1v to a something a bit bigger than that, im not sure as to how much i can boost it to but from what ive read around the web around 5v seems possible. Im not sure if that is possible. Once boosted im looking at storing the output into a battery.

Im stuck on how i go about actually designing the boost converter to boost the 1v signal to somethin around 5v. Ive seen many different circuits around but im not sure how to start on what i need to do in terms of picking the right components and also what design.

Any help as to how i go about designing the boost circuit and also how i choose the right components for the circuit would be much appreciated. And also if you have any ideas or any thoughts to help me that would be great. Or any links that you think might help me start or find useful would be good too.
Thanks

 

Inductor not indicator haha

 

Look up LTC3105 and LTC3108.

 

My suggestion would be to feed the AC from your permanent magnet "generator" into a small transformer to increase the voltage, then use a bridge rectifier into a cap.

Assuming this is a very low power generator you can get tiny audio coupling transformers that might do the job.

 

...a small transformer to increase the voltage, then use a bridge rectifier into a cap.

+1
A transformer isn't 100% efficient but here it will greatly help to minimize the rectification losses. And it'll give you the "boost" to boot.

 

Hi there,
I am currently working on a project where i am using magnets to generate some energy. Pretty much a generator. I am getting close to 3v pk-pk from this generator, which after being rectified gives me approximately 1V.

So what i want to do now is boost this 1v to a something a bit bigger than that,

Use an AC transformer on the 3V p-p AC waveform to increase it's amplitude, then rectify it. Boosting up 1V is ridiculously inefficient.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I was told that using a transformer would not be the best thing to do in what im trying to do as my input from the magnet generator keeps changing.

What i want to do as a project is to apply this technique on a stationary bike with a flywheel. So have magnets on the flywheel which go past the coil as a the bike is pedaled. and then rectify the signal and then boost it. What im doing at the moment is a smaller scale test to see how much i can get, so im assuming i will have values a bit bigger than what im getting at the moment.

Im stuck with how i start designing a boost converter. I havent done much with inductors so not sure how i calculate the L and C values.