Hot dog as step-down transformer to power LEDs

This is too weird (and pretty unsafe). I can't help but wonder whether the LED photo (scroll down to the end) was real or faked.

WARNING: if you're thinking of trying this, keep children away and wear gloves. There's 120vac across that hot dog and the forks at the ends!

My life is richer for having seen that.

Nice find.

I just had hot dogs for dinner!

Was the leds heat sinked using mustard ?

Well, believe it or not, some 40+ years ago I remember seeing a vending
machine that dispensed on-the-spot heated hotdogs that used this same
principle. The hotdogs were loaded into the vending machine pre-loaded
into rolls and wrapped in cellophane, and were stuck thru the cellophane
outer wrapper onto prongs on a rotating belt mechanism. When the customer
inserted his/her money into the machine (I forget how much), the hotdog was
heated, and after a delay, was dropped into the customer receiving bin via
the belt mechanism "sequencing". If I remember correctly, I saw this machine
on the Meritt Parkway in CT on my way from our home in suburban
Philadelphia to our summer cottage in Maine sometime in the early 1960's.

It's interesting how things get re-invented periodically!


George

My science teacher showed us that many many moons ago. It was quite tasty IIRC
I miss that guy, he was nuts

You can buy a Presto Hot Dogger from the '60s or '70s on eBay (they operate on the same electrocution principle but are a lot safer than bare forks) and load 'em up with LEDs in all six hot dogs!

I believe the concept of cooking with forks wired to 110v began in the 1950s in dorm rooms that prohibited hot plates and other cooking appliances due to fire risk. Searches for contraband cooking equipment would turn up dry because an extension cord with alligator clips is easily hidden

Many moons ago I was given one of those Presto hot dog cookers as a present. I've long since disposed of it (I'm a vegetarian) but if I had kept it, I would've been trying this experiment using it.

240ac?

maybe a luxeon V ??

PhotonWrangler said:

Many moons ago I was given one of those Presto hot dog cookers as a present. I've long since disposed of it (I'm a vegetarian) but if I had kept it, I would've been trying this experiment using it.

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Veggie dogs.
I have had many and liked every one of them so far.

I just wish the expiration dates on hot dogs out of the refrigerator were longer.
This could come in handy for someone if that were the case. :laughing:

I'm pretty sure I saw the same thing, minus the LED's, on Mr. Wizard. RIP Don.

WadeF said:

I'm pretty sure I saw the same thing, minus the LED's, on Mr. Wizard. RIP Don.

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I think you're right. And yes, he passed away only recently.

bfg9000 said:

I believe the concept of cooking with forks wired to 110v began in the 1950s in dorm rooms that prohibited hot plates and other cooking appliances due to fire risk. Searches for contraband cooking equipment would turn up dry because an extension cord with alligator clips is easily hidden

Click to expand...

I know that we were using these hot dog cookers in our dorm and in the EE lab in the early '80s. We managed to solder the stainless forks to the bare copper cord ends.

The exact cooking time depended on the number of siemens in your wienie.

So does the dog act as a linear resistor, and the voltage each LED sees is a function of how spread out its leads are?

yep.

It's the voltage gradient across the hot dog. It's the same reason why ground loops can produce a voltage differential at each end of a wire even though both ends of the wire are "grounded."

mmm, first we have organic LEDs and now we have organic transformers...technology's really picking up pace isn't it?:naughty:

Illum_the_nation said:

mmm, first we have organic LEDs and now we have organic transformers...technology's really picking up pace isn't it?:naughty:

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But a hot dog isn't a transformer, it's just a big (tasty) resistor. Pass the ketchup.

amanichen said:

But a hot dog isn't a transformer, it's just a big (tasty) resistor. Pass the ketchup.

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erm....you obviously haven't tried driving LEDs using just a resistor on AC
the odd thing is the hot dog doesn't blow apart LEDs when under current