Exploring a Different Approach to Don Smith's Early Concepts: Using Capacitor Discharge to Drive a Load

It has been a while since the last video update, largely due to ongoing Floyd Suite replications and related work. There is still quite a bit to assimilate from those experiments, and more information on that will come later.

In the meantime, another side project remains interesting: some of the early Don Smith concepts. Interestingly, just when the subject seems to have been fully explored, something else comes up. The circuit keeps changing, which is almost an ironic joke in itself.

The experiments are still ongoing, and all the necessary components are now available. However, the way the circuit is currently being operated is quite different from the arrangement Don Smith originally demonstrated. One encouraging development is that the system now operates at standard analog 60 Hz, making it possible to run 60 Hz equipment.

There is also a digital load being tested to verify that the filtering stage works properly under the considerable high-frequency noise generated by the circuit.

The Basic Circuit Configuration

The circuit starts with an inverter powered by a battery. A Variac is also included, which is an important part of the arrangement and something Don Smith discussed extensively.

However, after examining the previous circuit and experimenting with its operation, an important distinction becomes apparent.

The previous circuit does work for a particular purpose. If the objective is to build a trickle charger that eventually charges a battery through electrostatic displacement after being triggered, that arrangement may be suitable. However, it is clearly a different matter when the objective is to operate substantial loads on demand.

This leads to the next step: connecting the system to a more practical operating configuration.

Looking at the previous circuits and other published Don Smith designs, one recurring component is the large capacitor charging stage.

The arrangement uses a neon transformer, specifically a relatively heavy-duty, supposedly high-power analog version, to charge a large capacitor.

The high voltage supplied by the transformer is variable because the Variac is installed on its input side. This allows the voltage to be raised or lowered as needed. The transformer then charges the large capacitor.

A spark gap is installed in the circuit. It is a small tubular gas-discharge device.

The Capacitor Discharge and Spark Gap

The original arrangement used a 1,000-volt spark gap. However, at this rating and with large capacitors, the discharge behavior becomes a problem.

Anyone experimenting with this type of configuration may encounter repeated firing or multiple discharge events because the available spark gap is insufficient for handling the required energy at capacitor values in the microfarad range.

For meaningful discharges at 60 Hz, 100 Hz, or even kilohertz-range frequencies, the capacitor needs to deliver a substantial amount of energy during each discharge.

It is the capacitor dump that produces the rapid rate of change and sharp transient spike required by the circuit. Consequently, discharging tiny nanofarad-range capacitors is not particularly useful for this specific approach.

A more substantial discharge is needed. The important quantity here is the ampere-second discharge, which determines how much charge is delivered during the event.

In the various Don Smith circuits, the capacitor discharge is directed through the inside of the primary coil, which is essentially an air-core arrangement.

The primary winding can be seen inside the coil assembly. It consists of only four or five turns in the middle and provides a low-impedance path.

In these circuits, the capacitor is discharged directly into that coil. This produces high-frequency ringing in the secondary winding.

A tuning capacitor is also installed to assist with the resonance. The ringing behavior can be observed on an oscilloscope, including the effect of the tuning capacitor.

As the circuits develop, additional connections are made to this stage.

A Different Approach to the Input and High-Frequency Feedback

One important detail in the circuit concerns the modulation of the input.

The DC input from the battery passes through this section before reaching the inverter input. However, it must first pass through a choke because the high-frequency noise generated by the circuit can otherwise interfere with the input.

A high-frequency choke is therefore installed in the path.

On the other side, another high-frequency diode is used to direct the RF component back toward the battery, in a configuration somewhat similar to an AV plug.

This is important because the spark gap generates very high frequencies.

A separate experiment can demonstrate this effect: placing a capacitor at this point makes it possible to observe and measure the high-voltage RF component returning to the battery.

The resulting signal is quite measurable and responds very quickly. This indicates that the RF component being fed back into the battery is a real and observable part of the circuit's operation.

However, simply returning RF energy to the battery is not the ultimate objective. The larger goal is to operate an actual load.

Why Discharge Everything Into the Primary Coil?

This raises an important question: why is everything being discharged directly through the capacitor dump?

In the conventional arrangement, the capacitor discharge is essentially being directed into a low-impedance path. Meanwhile, many experimenters struggle to obtain useful output from the resonant section.

The resonance builds up in the circuit, but attempting to draw power directly from the dipole can disturb the very condition that makes the system interesting.

As Tom Bearden has stated, collapsing the dipole is something to avoid. If a favorable condition has developed within the system, disturbing it through the output connection may destroy that condition.

This suggests that the conventional approach may be missing another stage.

Don Smith consistently included components he called transducers. In practice, what he demonstrated appears considerably more complicated than an ordinary transformer, although the underlying function is essentially related to transformer operation.

A typical example would be a relatively large transformer of this type.

The available output is ultimately limited by the transformer and by the capacitor-discharge capability.

However, many attempts to operate loads rely on drawing energy directly from the resonant side. That approach repeatedly encounters difficulties, and there may be a reason why it does not work as expected.

Rather than repeating the same configurations that have already produced disappointing results, it is worth examining the one remaining aspect that has not been properly explored.

If the capacitor discharge is already taking place, why should that discharge simply be wasted?

The Role of the Spark Gap in Repeated Discharge

Looking more carefully at the capacitor-dump operation reveals something important.

As soon as the voltage reaches approximately 100 volts, the spark gap triggers and creates a rapid discharge through the low-impedance path.

The process happens repeatedly: snap, snap, snap.

The capacitor is effectively being discharged and prepared for another charging cycle as quickly as the spark gap permits.

More details about this behavior can be examined separately.

Because the spark gap being used here is a relatively small 100-volt unit, much faster discharge events can be obtained at very high frequencies.

This makes it possible to achieve 60 Hz operation or whatever lower frequency the connected load requires.

One aspect of Don Smith's demonstrations that may not have been fully explained is the way the voltage is brought up gradually.

The purpose is not necessarily to destroy components through excessive power. Instead, the simplest approach is to begin at the low-voltage side and gradually increase the input until the circuit reaches the desired operating condition.

Connecting the Transducer Differently

The major modification is to avoid simply discharging the capacitor into the primary coil in series as in the conventional arrangement.

Instead, the equivalent of the Don Smith transducer is incorporated into the primary-side loop.

In this particular demonstration, the transducer is represented by a small power supply used for an Alexa device.

The objective is to determine whether an actual load can be operated through this arrangement. Although the device is digital, the analog operating principle begins at the primary side, and the filtering must prevent interference from reaching the load.

The important distinction is that the transducer is not connected at the lower inverter-output stage. It is incorporated into the actual primary-side loop containing the capacitor discharge.

This means the capacitor dump is now performing two functions.

First, it is energizing the primary-side region and modulating the incoming supply. The capacitor discharge creates a substantial pressure wave that propagates into the incoming circuit.

A significant portion of this effect is directed back toward the battery, generating the high-frequency transients observed in the feedback path.

Second, the discharge is being used to drive the connected load.

The discharge process is effectively delayed and controlled through the various stages, allowing the capacitor-dump effect to trigger at the required frequency.

The operating point is adjusted gradually until the load begins functioning.

The spark gap can then be heard firing at approximately 60 Hz, with the discharge frequency adjusted to suit the connected load.

The resulting configuration is considerably simpler than it might initially appear.

Demonstration of the Circuit

The setup is somewhat untidy, but the operating sequence is straightforward.

The battery supplies the system, and the inverter is connected through the choke.

A small inverter is deliberately used to minimize the amount of current drawn from the battery. The intention is for the rest of the arrangement to operate through the capacitor-discharge stage.

An interesting observation so far is that the inverter hardly becomes warm during operation.

Once the connection through the choke is established, the Variac can be turned on at a very low setting.

The voltage is then gradually increased while the capacitor begins discharging.

The oscilloscope shows the resulting ringing, with substantial high-frequency activity returning toward the battery.

The ringing is clearly visible.

Initially, the circuit is operating at approximately one capacitor discharge per second. This is not a particularly high discharge rate.

The spark gap produces a repeated clicking sound as the discharge events occur.

As the voltage is increased, the operating point is gradually adjusted. This is essentially the same process of slowly tuning the system that appears in Don Smith's demonstrations.

The objective is to make the capacitor discharge occur at the required frequency through the primary winding, which is connected to an ordinary AC transformer.

As the voltage continues to increase, the behavior changes.

At approximately 25 volts, the discharge becomes more noticeable. Around 40 volts, the snapping sound becomes increasingly pronounced.

At approximately 45 volts, the connected load begins to show signs of operation.

The voltage is then increased further, very slowly, while the load is monitored to ensure that the system continues operating properly.

The load begins its startup sequence.

A strong high-frequency ringing signal is visible on the oscilloscope, indicating that the circuit is producing substantial high-frequency activity.

This is particularly interesting because it demonstrates that the high-frequency components are being isolated by the filtering arrangement.

Even though the spark gap itself is firing at approximately 100 volts, the system is still subjecting the circuit to kilovolt-level voltages.

These high-voltage events are being modulated by the capacitor discharge, producing substantial electrical activity throughout the arrangement, including the battery input.

The load is then allowed some time to complete its startup sequence.

Some devices take a little longer to initialize, particularly earlier-generation models.

Eventually, the display shows 9:00, indicating the correct time.

The device is given another moment to finish loading.

At this point, the system appears to be operating, although the available output remains limited by the small transformer through which the capacitor discharge is being delivered.

The general principle is that a larger transformer could be installed, the capacitor value could be increased somewhat, and the input current could be adjusted to match the operating requirements of the load.

The discharge speed would also need to be adjusted so that the load receives the appropriate operating frequency.

The Importance of Matching the Discharge Frequency to the Load

This brings up an interesting distinction concerning Don Smith's statements about LCR circuits.

His explanations may be correct within the context of conventional LCR circuit behavior.

However, in this particular application, the capacitor is being discharged at the frequency required by the load.

The load appears to operate properly under these conditions.

The inverter itself remains another interesting part of the demonstration.

Despite supplying the entire arrangement, the inverter remains cold to the touch and appears to be doing relatively little work.

Meanwhile, the system is operating the connected equipment through the capacitor-discharge arrangement.

This is one of the more interesting observations from the experiment.

The inverter does not even appear to be generating enough heat to trigger its built-in cooling fan.

The overall system seems to be operating with relatively little apparent input-side activity.

Previous experiments with other configurations encountered a different problem: the spark gap became extremely hot and began producing an unusual smell almost immediately.

None of that behavior is apparent in the current configuration.

Everything appears to be operating at a relatively low temperature.

The interpretation is that this configuration makes better use of the energy passing through its different stages, with considerably more recycling of the electrical activity occurring throughout the system.

Why the Load Does Not Necessarily Increase the Input Stress

One particularly important detail concerns the path taken by the capacitor discharge.

The load is not being powered through the inverter.

Instead, the capacitor discharge passes through the primary winding and its associated capacitor.

The circuit is effectively being shorted through this path in one way or another as part of the discharge process.

The key point is that the capacitor discharge is already taking place regardless of whether the load is connected.

In other words, the input does not necessarily care whether the load is switched on or off at that particular point.

The capacitor discharge continues through the coil, creating the same basic discharge condition.

Consequently, the presence of the load does not appear to introduce additional stress on the input side in the same way that a conventional load connection might.

This is where the configuration becomes potentially advantageous.

The proposed interpretation is that this is closer to what Don Smith was actually doing with his transducer arrangements.

However, the wiring diagrams and demonstrations may have given experimenters a completely different impression of how the system was intended to operate.

The apparent simplicity of the arrangement is therefore an important part of the observation.

Testing the Load With Alexa

A practical way to verify that the load is actually operating is to interact with the Alexa device.

The following exchange provides a simple demonstration.

Command: Alexa, what is 1 + 1?

Alexa: 1 + 1 = 2 in binary. 1 + 1 = 1 0.

Alexa: Good news. Free early access to Alexa Plus is now available to you. Experience the all-new, smarter, more useful Alexa. Would you like to upgrade now?

Response: No.

The device responds normally, providing a practical indication that the connected digital load is functioning.

Understanding the Purpose of the Don Smith Transducer

The overall arrangement suggests that Don Smith may have been operating his loads through a configuration similar to this one.

The important distinction is that the output was not necessarily being extracted directly from the resonant section, as many experimenters have assumed.

The coils shown in various demonstrations, especially when presented without their complete wiring arrangements, can easily lead to the assumption that the output is being taken directly from the secondary or resonant section.

However, the transducer may instead be represented by the much simpler stage described here.

The operating condition is established through the primary-side arrangement until the appropriate switching or discharge point is reached.

Even then, the circuit continues to involve voltages in the thousands of volts, which generate high-frequency transients throughout the system.

Another interesting observation is that the built-in cooling fan of the equipment does not appear to activate because the device is not getting hot enough to require additional cooling.

The overall power usage appears to be relatively low, while the connected equipment continues to operate.

Comparison With Previous Experiments

The difference becomes even more apparent when comparing this arrangement with previous experiments.

Earlier configurations frequently resulted in spark gaps becoming excessively hot, sometimes producing unusual odors shortly after operation began.

In the current configuration, that behavior is absent.

The components remain relatively cool, and the circuit appears to operate more smoothly.

The proposed explanation is that the energy is being utilized more effectively across the different stages rather than being concentrated in a single discharge path.

The capacitor dump is not simply being used to excite the primary coil while leaving the resulting discharge effect unused.

Instead, it is incorporated into the operating path of the transducer and the connected load.

This distinction is central to understanding the proposed configuration.

Final Observations

The main idea is that the input stage, capacitor discharge, primary winding, and transducer should be considered together rather than as entirely separate functions.

The capacitor dump is already occurring, and the primary-side path is already being energized.

Whether or not the load is connected, the basic discharge process continues.

This raises the possibility of making use of that existing process rather than attempting to extract everything directly from the resonant side.

The proposed arrangement therefore offers a different interpretation of Don Smith's original approach.

It also explains why simply copying the visible coil arrangements without understanding the complete wiring configuration may lead to disappointing results.

The transducer stage may be much more important than it initially appears.

Ultimately, the demonstration shows a digital load operating while the spark gap continues firing and high-frequency ringing remains visible on the oscilloscope.

The inverter also remains relatively cool during the demonstration.

To conclude, the Variac can be turned off to demonstrate the effect immediately.

As soon as the input is switched off, the spark gap stops firing. The familiar clicking sound disappears, and the activity coming from that section ceases.

That brings the demonstration to an end.

Until next time.

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