Low Voltage AC-AC or AC-DC Step Up

[BabyHueyTAW]

Ok, So my generator is producing ~1.5VAC. I need to step that up via transformer to no less than 5VAC max of 20VAC.
Ideas or links to components I can use?

 

[anorlunda]

Google search DIY transfomer. There are many sites offering adivce, lists of componenets, and sometimes calcuators.

 

[jim hardy]

a doorbell transformer ?

 

[BabyHueyTAW]

a doorbell transformer ?

Think that would work? I have this set up, Need 5VAC to energize my conversion system, minimal current draw, maybe 5ma total.
Shown, is my AC/DC to DC step down (left) and my DC-DC step up.
Need to bump the input from my generator outputting 1.5VAC.
**End goal is charge a portable cell phone battery pack**

 

[BabyHueyTAW]

Ahh! I think you're onto something there!
so a doorbell XFMR 120-16 is like a 7.5:1 ratio
So if i run it reverse, my 1.5 would become close to 12 out!
Or am I off the mark?

 

[jim hardy]

 

[BabyHueyTAW]

Once again! y'all help me out of a pickle!

 

[Borek]

Ok, So my generator is producing ~1.5VAC. I need to step that up via transformer to no less than 5VAC max of 20VAC.

Perhaps I am missing something but to me it looks like you want to create energy out of nothing.

 

[berkeman]

Perhaps I am missing something but to me it looks like you want to create energy out of nothing.

Sounds like his generator (from microhydro maybe?) generates a pretty low AC voltage, and he needs to step it up efficiently before running his DC-DC power converter. Seems okay from an overall energy standpoint.

So my generator is producing ~1.5VAC.

At what frequency or range of frequencies?

 

[jim hardy]

At what frequency or range of frequencies?

great observation.
i'd completely forgot his generator has up&down motion not round& round.
So frequency might be too low for a household transformer.

A 16 volt transformer will support 1.6 volts down to about 6 hz.
Volts per Hertz ratio is a constant for any particular core.

 

[Borek]

Sounds like his generator (from microhydro maybe?) generates a pretty low AC voltage, and he needs to step it up efficiently before running his DC-DC power converter. Seems okay from an overall energy standpoint.

Probably my understanding of what VAC exactly means is wrong. Is it V AC (voltage of active current) or VA*Cos(φ) (power)? Or even something else?

 

[anorlunda]

Probably my understanding of what VAC exactly means is wrong. Is it V AC (voltage of active current) or VA*Cos(φ) (power)? Or even something else?

Volts AC, or AC volts. Alternating current.

Edit: As opposed to VDC, or DC Volts.