Edgerton Center: Crank and Flash

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This demonstration is currently on display in Strobe Alley (fourth floor of Building 4).

This shows how mechanical work done in cranking is turned into electrical energy stored in a capacitor to operate a flash lamp or incandescent lamps. Alternating current generated by the bicycle lamp generator is stepped up by a transformer and rectified to produce direct current to charge the capacitor (gray box, lower left, labeled "H.E.Edgerton"). The torque and number of turns can be estimated to compute work done.

Instructions:

Crank until voltage reaches ~400V and lamp flashes, producing intense light for a few microseconds. Crank again to a lower voltage and then hold down red button to flash incandescent lamps to produce weaker light for about a second.

Edgerton Center Home Introduction Corridor Lab High Speed Imaging Staff Academics Subjects Offered Strobe Project Lab IAP UROP Professional Short Course Programs International Development Outreach/You Go Girl Service Learning Student Groups Student Shop		This demonstration is currently on display in Strobe Alley (fourth floor of Building 4). This shows how mechanical work done in cranking is turned into electrical energy stored in a capacitor to operate a flash lamp or incandescent lamps. Alternating current generated by the bicycle lamp generator is stepped up by a transformer and rectified to produce direct current to charge the capacitor (gray box, lower left, labeled "H.E.Edgerton"). The torque and number of turns can be estimated to compute work done. Instructions: Crank until voltage reaches ~400V and lamp flashes, producing intense light for a few microseconds. Crank again to a lower voltage and then hold down red button to flash incandescent lamps to produce weaker light for about a second.
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