This principle was used by Nikola Tesla, in his Tesla oscillator. His relay generated inductive impulses when opening the circuit. These impulses then flowed through a series resonant primary coil. The series resonant primary coil/cap, was placed where the lamp is in this video, with the capacitor on the switch side. The circuit can be found in the August 1919 Electrical Experimenter article
This brought back memories from years ago when I used 6 cell phone batteries in series to a flasher relay with a fog light for a distraction. I always tell people if your blinker is blinking faster or slower than normal, check your lights cause one is out.
Jamás pensé que se podía usar solo un relay para hacer un oscilador!!! ahora sé como funcionan las luces direccionales y de peligro de los autos!!! sin ninguna electrónica adicional! Muy buen video!
An excellent presentation; very clear; i like the accent; and the way that you add different components helps identify what the components do; and the effect that they have on the circuit…very nice…...
Am facut acest oscilator si functioneaza bine cu bec/12V si c=4700mF.Am inlocuit becul cu bagheta cu 3 leduri/12V si c=2200mF.Merge foarte bine cu un releu auto 12V/30A (alt releu nu am avut).Am montat un comutator intre borna 87a si borna minus.
Hmmm, the flasher I took apart used a thin strip of metal with a coil around it. When the coil heated up, it caused the metal strip to bend; when the metal cooled down, the metal relaxed back to its original length. Are you assuming, or do you know for a fact?
Those are the secret switch for inverters and UPS electronics controls. Relay switches as oscillators for higher currents are commonly used aside from mosfets switches which usually breaks easily when it is over used. I used that to amplify my weak Wi-Fi signal too because it creates additional broadcasting of frequency that is using only 6 volts D. C. Batteries.
Thank you for showing simply how the relay oscillator works. You have done a good job. I appreciate it. If you have a reliable 24/7 AC electric source or a set of large capacity 12V batteries I'd be interested in knowing how long the relay runs at the last frequency shown, with the incandescent lamp, before it fails.
Same principal as the old multivibrator tube (not really a tube, just used an octal base tube socket) found in old, pre 1950 car radios that used tube (valves for UK terms) and portable military radios, before transistor circuits became available. You could use this method to supply a DC pulse, to a step up transformer, to develop higher voltages. You could change the capacitor value, to adjust the duty cycle, or, frequency, to avoid spurious RF interference, to broadcast band radio receivers.
Hello, Can you tell me the frequency range of the coil/relay? Also can you connect a tuning capacitor into this circuit? Thank you very much. Great video
Great ... !!! ... This circuit is very usefulll ... We can make a relay too ... We can use a diode for to eliminate the coil inverse voltage... This voltage can be kill capacitor or others components used for other purposes ... Thanks a lot ... !!! ... ~rr*
so simple yet very effective. such a nice tutorial. hope you'll do more. keep it up 👍 🙌 just a question, what is the formula that controls the frequency of the oscillation including the current of the load.?
Mr claudiomar Santos ! Thanks for your advice regarding to put diode inorder yo eliminate the relays coil divers. I will be thankful if you explaine exactly what kind of diode and diagram. Very thankful.🙏
You can but I think you need to add a diode where the Cap is and add the Cap after the diode. The diode acts as a rectifier changing the ac output of the transformer to DC input at the lead's negative terminal.
Hey! Very nice video. I'd appreciate if you could clarify something for me here :) How long cap takes to charge compared with coil to energize? Is that an order of magnitude? I mean, cap needs time to charge before it can power the coil, and the power cuts as soon as coil pulls the switch; so is it like cap charges faster then coil energizes? And how long that relay survived that abuse? Thanks!
I can't remember if I got shocked by it but, the logics are: the coil gets a build up with electromagnetic field, then the electromagnetic field discharges when the switch is opened, when it discharges, the discharge generates a high voltage, and that high voltage is hazardous to your health.
Hello sir I was wondering can relay oscilator be replacment for ignition module? I have problems to tune me engine at low speed so I was wondering can blinker relay act as ignitor for ignition coil? I have hard time to figure out how me E core GM hei coil is wired I do not understand the wire lay out for that coil. Im looking for some thing similar like the old jaguar ignition system they hade dual ignition coils but I have problem the jaguar distributor hade 2 pick up coils so I dont know how I can trigger 2x gm 4 pin ignition modules so any advice how I can manage this problem? Aperantly the ignition coil by jaguar wad called auxulery coil it reduced resistance in primary ignition coil so they simply wound ignition coil in series and simply pluget that high voltage side with cap. They also used 4 pin gm ignition amplifier with zener diode and condensor so I can buy those necesary components but still I have problem with me pick up coil shuld I wound second wire in the existing pick up coil ore are there exist transformers ore inductors that can make 2 pulses to 4 pulses? So any help please how to solve this problem?
...this is fantastic. I've been looking for a way to make some 120V filament bulbs flicker. What size capacitor would be suitable for two bulbs in series?
because the capacitor is only across the relay's coil the load on the relay shouldn't effect the frequency. i can't tell you what size capacitor would be best as this depends on the inductance and resistance of the coil, but if you can measure them then C=L/(L^2*ω^2+R^2), where C is capacitance, L is the inductance of the relay coil, R is the resistance of the relay coil, and ω is the frequency in radians/second. for example, if I want my relay which has an inductance of 70 mH and a resistance of 165 ohms to oscilate at 2*pi radians per second (1 Hz), i would need a capacitor of 2.6 µF. this is using the rather naive assumption that the circuit behaves normally, in reality it could turn out that the circuit oscillates about twice as fast because of the strange way that the circuit is driven.
May I ask on how to calculate the time when would the bulb would blink given there's a specific number of blinks given in a minute and the number of blinks per minute in this kind of circuit? There's probably a formula that I haven't heard of when using with the relay setup. We were asked to create a set up that had three modes: 5 blinks per minute, 10 blinks per minute and 20 blinks per minute with the same setup (using relays)... Hoping for your response!!
Bells works the same way. However they don't need a capacitor. 4:02 Not just 2 things, there are more things like voltage you apply and resistance of the relay coil. I bet that the higher the voltage the lower the freuency. Same with coil resistance, the higher resistance the lower the frequency as coil draws less current from cap.
Is there anyway to control when the oscillator is triggered. I know you may not even need the oscillator but i'm trying to come up with a capacitor "relay" where I have multiple capacitor banks connected and I need it to be like for example: There is 2 capacitor banks, 1 is discharged and 1 is being charged to be discharged, after that one is discharged, the other one discharges. Sorry if its confusing, any help will be appreciated thanks.
Simple is brilliant no doubt, you are a great explainer my friend. Im still very basic when it comes to electronics. Can you help me in calculating how to obtain 30Khz , out of a high voltage coil and core 9KV at 30mah transformer? My schematic calls for a capacitor and resistor in parallel discharging on a coil inductor that will transmit the signal , thx!!
Maybe a stupid question from a starting electronics student, but if the cap is in parallel with the coil then the relay doesn't have to wait for the cap to charge right? Where is my mistake?
Hola!, bonito video, pero tengo un par de dudas. Se puede (O conoces) medir la frecuencia que consigues con este circuito? (Dudo que las partes mecanicas internas superen el rango de kHz), podrías explicarme? La otra pregunta es si con este dispositivo (Suponiendo que entrega una frecuencia alta) se podría manejar un flyback?, es decir, usar 2 relés, uno que oscile la bobina del segundo relé y ese mismo entregue un voltaje alternado a la bobina primaria del flyback.
Hi there . Thank you for your teachings .Can you show how to do a electric generator for fences ? for animal protection . Thank you any way . Seams to me you are not doing more videos .
It may turn the inductor/diode circuit into a fly-back circuit. If the coil was a transformer with ac input adding a diode would produce a rectifier circuit turning the output into DC current.
the diagram at 0:31 will cause a short on the contacts of the relay and burn the contacts...and it will not release the contacts they stay together until they burn..right???
Thank you very much for this. I spent hours reading about oscillators and you explained it better in 5 minutes. Subscribed. Anyone know if there's a formula to figure out the frequency? Assuming it would be based on voltage, load R, and capacitance. Thanks
Mr. Ludic, I would like to pose you a question since you know lots of bits and tricks of the profession. If you don't mind it for sure. I was watching a video of Don Smith, where he mentioned he used a "piggy-back diodes" to recharge a battery faster then it discharges. Have you ever heard of this specific technology?
I think I been looking for something like this. Can you use this simple relay Oscillator to convert dc voltage to ac voltage? If so how would you go about doing that?
of course,that is the way old cars produced high voltage for the spark plugs,15000 volts,from the ignition coil; a set of 2 platinum alloy points(contacts) was used fot that,with a strong return spring; at 5000 RPMs,the points worked at 42 Hz, that is 42 times a second; a capacitor was also used to enhance spark and to prevent the points burning in minutes; ordinarilly the lasted for a few years,sometimes 5 years, not bad.
The relationship between the resistance of the lamp and the capacitor makes an RC time base oscillator; right?, but what about the inductance of the coil? How this variable is affecting the timing of the circuit?
+juarez. vivo Since it is a DC circuit, the inductance plays a very little role in the time constant. The resistance of the coil is much more important.
+juarez. vivo Not as pure resistor. There is a little, as i said, contribution from the inductive reactance to the total impedance (resistive plus inductive), but is very small.
Couldn't you make it frequency-independent by taking a multi-switch-relay ? So you would build a separate circuit, where you can put on your load... You just use another contact "pair", but you wire it, so that the current comes from example of your battery?
This principle was used by Nikola Tesla, in his Tesla oscillator. His relay generated inductive impulses when opening the circuit. These impulses then flowed through a series resonant primary coil. The series resonant primary coil/cap, was placed where the lamp is in this video, with the capacitor on the switch side. The circuit can be found in the August 1919 Electrical Experimenter article
Your such a great man .Your unselfish sharing true knowledge about science will leave a legacy to all youtube user.I wish I could be like you.
thanks man
Simple concise explanation of a useful circuit. Excellent commentry and excellent teaching material.
Nice video. Very simple, easy to follow and understand. No annoying music.
This brought back memories from years ago when I used 6 cell phone batteries in series to a flasher relay with a fog light for a distraction. I always tell people if your blinker is blinking faster or slower than normal, check your lights cause one is out.
Jamás pensé que se podía usar solo un relay para hacer un oscilador!!! ahora sé como funcionan las luces direccionales y de peligro de los autos!!! sin ninguna electrónica adicional! Muy buen video!
Thanks. Very well explained. I wonder how and why other videos get higher number of views when the don't even explain anything..
you are one of the best youtube electronics channels ever! you explain everything so easily, you deserve my sub and like!
thanks!
I made this when I was 12 years old....... Great work........
An excellent presentation; very clear; i like the accent; and the way that you add different components helps identify what the components do; and the effect that they have on the circuit…very nice…...
Thanks!
Unusually simple and very elegant!
Am facut acest oscilator si functioneaza bine cu bec/12V si c=4700mF.Am inlocuit becul cu bagheta cu 3 leduri/12V si c=2200mF.Merge foarte bine cu un releu auto 12V/30A (alt releu nu am avut).Am montat un comutator intre borna 87a si borna minus.
EXCELLENT!!!! Extremely well explained. Totally easy to understand, wich is the result of a perfectly clear teaching! 2 thumbs up!!
so nice explanation , now i just know how the flasher light in cars is working
wael alabrouni that is to crude we use a 555timer
Hmmm, the flasher I took apart used a thin strip of metal with a coil around it. When the coil heated up, it caused the metal strip to bend; when the metal cooled down, the metal relaxed back to its original length. Are you assuming, or do you know for a fact?
yes you can tell it is different because in a car when one bulb dies it flashes faster, in this video it would flash slower.
Those are the secret switch for inverters and UPS electronics controls. Relay switches as oscillators for higher currents are commonly used aside from mosfets switches which usually breaks easily when it is over used. I used that to amplify my weak Wi-Fi signal too because it creates additional broadcasting of frequency that is using only 6 volts D. C. Batteries.
So a higher capacitance cap will lower the frequency and low capacitance will charger faster and increase frequency. Thank you for the info.
Yes, and the current draw of the load will set the on time.
Thank you my friend. I learn from you. Congratulations.
Thank you for showing simply how the relay oscillator works. You have done a good job. I appreciate it. If you have a reliable 24/7 AC electric source or a set of large capacity 12V batteries I'd be interested in knowing how long the relay runs at the last frequency shown, with the incandescent lamp, before it fails.
Sorry for late comment, but this Video is very well explained 👍🙂.
Very nice video, thank you! I have a 12v relay that I want to use to drive an ignition coil, now I know how to wire it from a battery.
i wasted so much time wondering how dc converted into ac using relay.. finally i understand it by your video..
Put a pulse counting device at the end of the oscillator and you then can measure the number of cycles the relay endures before wearing out!
Same principal as the old multivibrator tube (not really a tube, just used an octal base tube socket) found in old, pre 1950 car radios that used tube (valves for UK terms) and portable military radios, before transistor circuits became available. You could use this method to supply a DC pulse, to a step up transformer, to develop higher voltages. You could change the capacitor value, to adjust the duty cycle, or, frequency, to avoid spurious RF interference, to broadcast band radio receivers.
Are you describing a reed switch?
The frequency depends on an RC oscillator, where your load is your resistor.
Hey. Great explanation. What happens if you connect the light between the NO of the relay and ground instead of VCC?
so simple , yet it is very interesting. already got my AA in electronics too.
I have replicated this and it works nicely, i am going to use this to relace my car's flasher relay. Thank you very much.
Hello, Can you tell me the frequency range of the coil/relay? Also can you connect a tuning capacitor into this circuit? Thank you very much. Great video
Your videos are so good. Ludic Science for President!.
Mr. Ludic Science are you aware of The Electric Universe theory and The Thunderbolts Project ? Thunderbolts.info
Great ... !!! ... This circuit is very usefulll ... We can make a relay too ... We can use a diode for to eliminate the coil inverse voltage... This voltage can be kill capacitor or others components used for other purposes ... Thanks a lot ... !!! ... ~rr*
Thanks man
I'm always wondering how could you make it so simple like that
God bless you
Thanks friend
Wow a turkish brother!
so simple yet very effective. such a nice tutorial. hope you'll do more. keep it up 👍 🙌
just a question, what is the formula that controls the frequency of the oscillation including the current of the load.?
Nice video, does this need flyback diode or not? Thanks
On the relay type vibrator, why did you not use relay with other sets of contacts to keep the load bulbs separate ? There is an on/off duty cycle.
Simply Out Standing Sir
Soy de mexico d.f MUCHAS GRACIAS. BONITO VIDEO. GRACIAS.
Mr claudiomar Santos ! Thanks for your advice regarding to put diode inorder yo eliminate the relays coil divers. I will be thankful if you explaine exactly what kind of diode and diagram. Very thankful.🙏
can i use this for a transformer or a boost converter?
You can but I think you need to add a diode where the Cap is and add the Cap after the diode. The diode acts as a rectifier changing the ac output of the transformer to DC input at the lead's negative terminal.
Hey! Very nice video. I'd appreciate if you could clarify something for me here :)
How long cap takes to charge compared with coil to energize? Is that an order of magnitude?
I mean, cap needs time to charge before it can power the coil, and the power cuts as soon as coil pulls the switch; so is it like cap charges faster then coil energizes?
And how long that relay survived that abuse?
Thanks!
So for this to work you have to have a relay with always closed... right ?
Yes
Unfortunately, the flash can only be made low frequency ( visible flashing which is not too fast) by certain relay with high remanence
Excellent video. Very well explained. Thank you.
I can't remember if I got shocked by it but, the logics are: the coil gets a build up with electromagnetic field, then the electromagnetic field discharges when the switch is opened, when it discharges, the discharge generates a high voltage, and that high voltage is hazardous to your health.
+Nova Delp Yes the relay shocker was a popular circuit
+Ludic Science can u make a relay shocker circuit bro????
Cool Video....I Did Not No That You Could Do That With A Simple Relay
thanks a lot. You answered my question in this video
What's the direction of current flowing through the bulb , coil, and cap during charging and discharging?.
Hello sir I was wondering can relay oscilator be replacment for ignition module? I have problems to tune me engine at low speed so I was wondering can blinker relay act as ignitor for ignition coil?
I have hard time to figure out how me E core GM hei coil is wired I do not understand the wire lay out for that coil.
Im looking for some thing similar like the old jaguar ignition system they hade dual ignition coils but I have problem the jaguar distributor hade 2 pick up coils so I dont know how I can trigger 2x gm 4 pin ignition modules so any advice how I can manage this problem?
Aperantly the ignition coil by jaguar wad called auxulery coil it reduced resistance in primary ignition coil so they simply wound ignition coil in series and simply pluget that high voltage side with cap. They also used 4 pin gm ignition amplifier with zener diode and condensor so I can buy those necesary components but still I have problem with me pick up coil shuld I wound second wire in the existing pick up coil ore are there exist transformers ore inductors that can make 2 pulses to 4 pulses?
So any help please how to solve this problem?
Awesome demo
...this is fantastic. I've been looking for a way to make some 120V filament bulbs flicker. What size capacitor would be suitable for two bulbs in series?
because the capacitor is only across the relay's coil the load on the relay shouldn't effect the frequency.
i can't tell you what size capacitor would be best as this depends on the inductance and resistance of the coil, but if you can measure them then C=L/(L^2*ω^2+R^2), where C is capacitance, L is the inductance of the relay coil, R is the resistance of the relay coil, and ω is the frequency in radians/second.
for example, if I want my relay which has an inductance of 70 mH and a resistance of 165 ohms to oscilate at 2*pi radians per second (1 Hz), i would need a capacitor of 2.6 µF.
this is using the rather naive assumption that the circuit behaves normally, in reality it could turn out that the circuit oscillates about twice as fast because of the strange way that the circuit is driven.
May I ask on how to calculate the time when would the bulb would blink given there's a specific number of blinks given in a minute and the number of blinks per minute in this kind of circuit? There's probably a formula that I haven't heard of when using with the relay setup. We were asked to create a set up that had three modes: 5 blinks per minute, 10 blinks per minute and 20 blinks per minute with the same setup (using relays)... Hoping for your response!!
I've done this. The relay lives a minute or so before it dies, lol.
You have to put a capacitor in the circuit somewhere. He talks bout that in the vid with the ignition coil
Bells works the same way. However they don't need a capacitor.
4:02 Not just 2 things, there are more things like voltage you apply and resistance of the relay coil. I bet that the higher the voltage the lower the freuency. Same with coil resistance, the higher resistance the lower the frequency as coil draws less current from cap.
Yes I was going to ask him if a resistor could be used in place of the Capacitor and still perform in the same manner.
That looks like how an automotive light flasher functions.
can i use this relay to simulate a switching on power booster that ur make earlier?
Is there anyway to control when the oscillator is triggered. I know you may not even need the oscillator but i'm trying to come up with a capacitor "relay" where I have multiple capacitor banks connected and I need it to be like for example: There is 2 capacitor banks, 1 is discharged and 1 is being charged to be discharged, after that one is discharged, the other one discharges. Sorry if its confusing, any help will be appreciated thanks.
Can I use the same battery for both outputs on the relay for 2 different circuits? I did this but the relay keeps clicking. It can't stay on.
Good Explained
Hi manuel, Great Explication, i follow you in you another channel.
If you placed an ignition coil in place of the lamp, would that put out a dc voltage at the high output of the ignition coil?
Simple is brilliant no doubt, you are a great explainer my friend.
Im still very basic when it comes to electronics.
Can you help me in calculating how to obtain 30Khz , out of a high voltage coil and core 9KV at 30mah transformer? My schematic calls for a capacitor and resistor in parallel discharging on a coil inductor that will transmit the signal , thx!!
He invented the turn signal.
Maybe a stupid question from a starting electronics student, but if the cap is in parallel with the coil then the relay doesn't have to wait for the cap to charge right? Where is my mistake?
Hola!, bonito video, pero tengo un par de dudas.
Se puede (O conoces) medir la frecuencia que consigues con este circuito? (Dudo que las partes mecanicas internas superen el rango de kHz), podrías explicarme?
La otra pregunta es si con este dispositivo (Suponiendo que entrega una frecuencia alta) se podría manejar un flyback?, es decir, usar 2 relés, uno que oscile la bobina del segundo relé y ese mismo entregue un voltaje alternado a la bobina primaria del flyback.
What do you mean by coolant? The the frequency of oscillation depends on the 1. capacitance of the capacitor and 2. the coolant?
I need a high speed switching of 50 kHz ....what type of relay or switch u recommend and what would I need. I am new to this stuff
is there a formula to calculate frequency ? what values to gibe 7.8 Hz oscillation ?
Well Explained Sir
First step to automatic plasma rifle, thanks
thanks man!
just tried it ! works awesome
Great!
What the componets did u use plz ?size of Relay and battery plz
Hi there . Thank you for your teachings .Can you show how to do a electric generator for fences ? for animal protection . Thank you any way . Seams to me you are not doing more videos .
Its one of my future proyects
Really nice video...I guess this is how the turning indicator on cars work?
Sidharth Makhija yep
Could you try placing a diode across the coil to see what happens?
It may turn the inductor/diode circuit into a fly-back circuit. If the coil was a transformer with ac input adding a diode would produce a rectifier circuit turning the output into DC current.
Enjoyed the video. Good Job.
47 uF looks about right in the video?
that is exactly what i am looking for !
thank you for sharing !
+OUMATOU Mohamed share the video if you like it
the diagram at 0:31 will cause a short on the contacts of the relay and burn the contacts...and it will not release the contacts they stay together until they burn..right???
No, the coil has quite high resistance.
Best explanation thank you
Thank you very much for this. I spent hours reading about oscillators and you explained it better in 5 minutes. Subscribed.
Anyone know if there's a formula to figure out the frequency? Assuming it would be based on voltage, load R, and capacitance. Thanks
I got it to work...nice video...
So good and knowledgeable.
you saved my life again :D
Mr. Ludic, I would like to pose you a question since you know lots of bits and tricks of the profession. If you don't mind it for sure. I was watching a video of Don Smith, where he mentioned he used a "piggy-back diodes" to recharge a battery faster then it discharges. Have you ever heard of this specific technology?
sorry, have not heard about that
Ludic Science
Thank you.
I cannot understand why does 5v relay have 3 contacts for the coil -- 5v, GNВ and Signal.
Please explain it.
Can I place a transformer in place of the lamp to make a step up transformer?
what is the value of capacitor and what type of relay is used in the project ?
How much microfares does that capacitor have
I think I been looking for something like this. Can you use this simple relay Oscillator to convert dc voltage to ac voltage? If so how would you go about doing that?
+Steve Rabon the relay can create pulsatind DC current, not AC, however they are almost the same for certain applications.
OK I seen something somewhere that used relays to produce AC voltage, but can't find it any more.
of course,that is the way old cars produced high voltage for the spark plugs,15000 volts,from the ignition coil; a set of 2 platinum alloy points(contacts) was used fot that,with a strong return spring; at 5000 RPMs,the points worked at 42 Hz, that is 42 times a second; a capacitor was also used to enhance spark and to prevent the points burning in minutes; ordinarilly the lasted for a few years,sometimes 5 years, not bad.
Nice work!
+muhammad Talha Thanks!
What is the value of the relay, capacitor and led? Pls reply
you used 5 pin relay right ?. doesnt it has a 87, 87a,30 85 and 86 pin. how do you connect it. or u used different type of relay ?
+Zul Hilmi It is a different type. The diagram explains the connections.
Sorry sir, Can i this schematic for Ignition coil motorcycle ??
The relationship between the resistance of the lamp and the capacitor makes an RC time base oscillator; right?, but what about the inductance of the coil? How this variable is affecting the timing of the circuit?
+juarez. vivo Since it is a DC circuit, the inductance plays a very little role in the time constant. The resistance of the coil is much more important.
+Ludic Science ; Right, therefore the resistive inductance plays a role just as a pure resistor then?
+juarez. vivo Not as pure resistor. There is a little, as i said, contribution from the inductive reactance to the total impedance (resistive plus inductive), but is very small.
+Ludic Science; OK, got it. thank you
it is a genial simple video. gracias.
How do you slow it down? I'm trying to use this in a control panel to make a siren wail
try lower or higher e-cap value (uF)
Couldn't you make it frequency-independent by taking a multi-switch-relay ?
So you would build a separate circuit, where you can put on your load...
You just use another contact "pair", but you wire it, so that the current comes from example of your battery?
helut kuno Hello yes you can do that, this is just the simplest way to do it with a SPDT relay.
Thank you very much ❤❤
I've made something similar to, but with coil and wire connection. it buzzed.
Now i know how the *S I G N A L L I G H T S F O R C A R* works. Thanks!
can it be used to make an inverter ?