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Rechargable Toothbrushes
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:25 am
by Kills On Site
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?
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:29 am
by mjrpes
The charge goes through the plastic. Isn't that neat?
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:46 am
by Kills On Site
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.
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:50 am
by mjrpes
It's very low current I bet.
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 9:27 am
by Qr7
you have no idea how long i've been wondering about the SAME thing...
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 9:37 am
by Dr_Watson
yeah, i've got one of those fancy sonicare toothbrushes, charges through the plastic. nifty.
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 10:38 am
by chopov
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....
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:08 am
by Dr_Watson
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?
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:34 am
by Grudge
induction
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 4:06 pm
by Guest
Grudge wrote:induction
Affirmative :icon14:
Charge going through plastic
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 4:28 pm
by Freakaloin
wtf would u need a toothbrush to be rechargable? only kids and morons don't use a normal boar's hair toothbrush...
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 2:24 am
by mjrpes
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.
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 2:55 am
by Kills On Site
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
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 3:17 am
by Foo
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).
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:17 am
by Kills On Site
After clicking on Foos link I went to How Stuff Works and searched, they say basically what Foo said click
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:14 am
by mjrpes
Whoa, I always wondered how those traffic light sensors worked:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question234.htm
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:28 am
by Kills On Site
That explains the traffic lights that have that rubber square that looks like a bad repair job
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:04 am
by mjrpes
Kills On Site wrote:
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.