Rechargable Toothbrushes

Post by **Kills On Site** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:25 am

Just got a rechargable toothbrush as a gift and it is currently sitting and charging, but I am confused as to how exactly it works. There are no metal contact points where you charge it. The base and the toothbrush are plastic covered so they are waterproof, but how exactly does it charge without melting or heating the plastic?

Post by **mjrpes** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:29 am

The charge goes through the plastic. Isn't that neat?

Post by **Kills On Site** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:46 am

I am suprised it doesn't arc or ever damage the plastic. It seems the more I learn about electricity, mainly from Physics and Welding, I get more confused.

Post by **mjrpes** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:50 am

It's very low current I bet.

Post by **Qr7** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 9:27 am

you have no idea how long i've been wondering about the SAME thing...

Post by **Dr_Watson** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 9:37 am

yeah, i've got one of those fancy sonicare toothbrushes, charges through the plastic. nifty.

Post by **chopov** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 10:38 am

It works similar like a transformer, with induction. There's a winding in the toothbrush and one in the base. The base-winding induces voltage in the tooth brush-winding....

Post by **Dr_Watson** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:08 am

like... magnets in the base whril around powered by the electric plug. Which spins a motor in the brush generating electricity stored in the battery?

Post by **Grudge** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:34 am

induction

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 4:06 pm

Grudge wrote:induction

Affirmative :icon14:

Charge going through plastic

Post by **Freakaloin** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 4:28 pm

wtf would u need a toothbrush to be rechargable? only kids and morons don't use a normal boar's hair toothbrush...

Post by **mjrpes** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 2:24 am

Wow, I was completely wrong on that.

ToxicBug wrote: Charge going through plastic

I will never deny your right to laugh at me, my friend.

Post by **Kills On Site** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 2:55 am

So something like a magnet sits in or below the point and spins around and forces coils in the toothbrush to create charge for the batteries? pretty cool way to make something rechargable waterproof

Post by **Foo** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 3:17 am

Nothing spins. No moving parts.

Read this: http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/how_it_wo ... ormer.html

The trick is a transformer that steps down from 240/110v to whatever the cell in the brush needs (12v perhaps).

Post by **Kills On Site** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:17 am

After clicking on Foos link I went to How Stuff Works and searched, they say basically what Foo said click

Post by **mjrpes** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:14 am

Whoa, I always wondered how those traffic light sensors worked:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question234.htm

Post by **Kills On Site** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:28 am

mjrpes wrote:Whoa, I always wondered how those traffic light sensors worked:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question234.htm

That explains the traffic lights that have that rubber square that looks like a bad repair job

Post by **mjrpes** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:04 am

Kills On Site wrote:
mjrpes wrote:Whoa, I always wondered how those traffic light sensors worked:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question234.htm
That explains the traffic lights that have that rubber square that looks like a bad repair job

See, I always though it was weight sensors... but this makes more sense.