This project is a simple electrical generator built using LEGO bricks and a few electronic components.
A rotating magnet generates an alternating voltage in a coil of enamelled copper wire. The AC voltage is then converted into DC using a four-diode bridge rectifier, filtered by a capacitor, and used to light an LED.
How does it work ?
The LEGO mechanism uses a set of gears to rotate a magnet in front of a coil of enamelled copper wire.
As the magnet rotates, its magnetic field changes around the coil. This induces an alternating voltage in the wire, producing AC electricity.
The two wires from the coil are connected to a bridge rectifier made from four diodes.
During each half-cycle of the AC voltage, two of the four diodes conduct. The current through the output therefore always flows in the same direction.
A capacitor connected across the positive and negative outputs then smooths the voltage.
The capacitor stores some of the generated energy and helps reduce the voltage variations between the peaks of the AC waveform.
The resulting DC voltage is used to power an LED.
Electronics component Fun Kit (with breadboard & power supply module)
General purpose transistors - BC547 (NPN) & BC557 (PNP) pack
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