A Nice HOT Cupp-a AND recharge your Electronics.

Started by RadioRay, November 18, 2012, 12:28:51 AM

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RadioRay

Those who are familiar with the Peltier effect, know that you can use power into it to produce a temperature difference betweentwo sides ofa single device OR induce a temperature differene to produce electricity, at fairly hefty current.  Well, here is a mini-ducted fan camp stove that is VERY efficient on fuel AND recharges USB devices.  I have never used this unit, but have worked with Peltier devices before for heating/cooling of metalic plates.

http://shop.biolitestove.com/BioLite-CampStove_p_15.html


I can imagine a coffee shop on Stattan Island using Hurricane debris & these for hot java/soup while recharging phones without infrastructure.


>de RadioRay ..._ ._
"When we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can."  ~ Matthew Henry

KC5OTL

#1
I've done some experimenting with Peltier devices.  Their effency isn't that great.  I wanted to build up a hoard of them to generate 12 VDC at about 30 amperes to run my pellet stove thru an inverter.  The idea was to sandwich the required number of Peltier devices to meet my requirements between an Amuminum plate on one side and a finned heat-sink on the other side, cooled by a small 12 VDC PC fan.

So you'd make the required series/parallel connections between the Peltier devices to get 12 VDC at 30 amperes.  Then mount the Aluminum plate to the flat surface on the outside of the pellet stove.  The output from the Peltier assembly would then charge a bank of 12 VDC batteries thru a charge controller.  The battery bank would then operate the inverter that powers the pellet stove.

My research revealed that it would cost about $1,500.00 for the number of Peltier devices to perform the somple task of continuously powering my pellet stove.

The problem is that, it takes a lot of Peltier devices to gererate enough power to do any really useful work.


But for things like a USB charger or operating limited LED lighting, it is free energy (after the initial cost of the Peltier generator assembly and associated circutry) for small power applications.

White Tiger

It's like reading ChrIcton...I feel smarter after reading these two posts!

I have heard of the effect, but was unaware of the products, thanks! sometimes a string if LED's can make all the difference...
If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

KC5OTL

#3
I purchased a dozen of those walkway solar rechargable LED lights from Lowes for about $2.00 each.  They even come with Ni-CAD rechargable battries.
During the big storms this past summer and fall, we lost grid power several times because of wind damage to the power lines.  You'd think the power companies would be a bit more rigerous about trimming trees.

Anyway, these solar chargable LED lights, while not too good for reading, they do provide enough light to get around the house during dark hours, without having to trip over things and bumping into walls.

At a half a volt per Peltier device, it would only take about 8 of these Peltier devices connected in series to charge two series connected Ni-CAD rechargable batteries.

I'm all for picking the low hanging fruit, where I can...

White Tiger

Low hanging fruit - is my kinda fruit!

For emergency lighting - that would be excellent - wonder if you could set this up like when the power goes off, the emergency strips would automatically kick on? Could you include something like a photovoltaic eye, or would it draw too much power?

Really interesting!
If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

KC5OTL

Those LED walkway lights have a CDS light sensor and they come on automatically when the light level reduced to a pre determined trip point.

White Tiger

Quote from: KC5OTL on November 18, 2012, 04:10:24 AM
Those LED walkway lights have a CDS light sensor and they come on automatically when the light level reduced to a pre determined trip point.

Ok, just plain awesome, thanks!
If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.