Thermoelectric Meets FTA

[wallyhts]

Well it’s almost summer time and that means outdoor time. Camping for some FTA people or maybe hanging out at a bond fire. So your thinking what does this have to do with anything let me tell you. I have a new project I’m playing around with that I want to share so hopefully we all can build something cool. This all started when I was you know reading material that sits in the rest room aka the mouser/digikey catalogs. Why no idea but I ran across thermoelectric modules. I did a lot of research and looks like there was a project on kick starter called the “Power Pot” this is used to charge cell phones.

Idea: Power a small STB and TV using Thermoelectric modules from a camp fire or other means of heat.

What do you all think?

 

[KE4EST]

How many would you have to use to get enough current for the batteries to keep up with the current draw of the stb, lnbf and TV?

 

[wallyhts]

How many would you have to use to get enough current for the batteries to keep up with the current draw of the stb, lnbf and TV?

I saw a module that's only 62x62mm at 24 volt and 360 watts. So just one that's whats got me pumped.

 

[KE4EST]

Oh now your talking....I was thinking of the ones I messed with years ago.

 

[truckracer]

These are giant thermocouples like the old millivolt gas valves uses to use for pilot safety? How cool!

 

[Magic Static]

They market little woodburning camp stoves with USB charge ports on them. For charging cell phones.

 

[FaT Air]

Do they generate electricity also? I'm under the understanding that you put power to them, and they will , in typical applications, cool something. ""Peltier cooling modules are solid-state active heat pumps that transfer heat from one side to the other based on the Peltier effect. Think that's all that digikey carries
""a well-designed Peltier cooler will be a mediocre thermoelectric generator and vice-versa, due to different design and packaging requirements."" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_cooling)
OTOH- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_generator
A source for the thermal generators www.thepowerpot.com/ - http://tegpower.com/products.html
tegpower has one specifically designed for charging 12v batteries listed. I'll have to look at it later.

 

[wallyhts]

Do they generate electricity also? .

Nope just transfers it.

 

[FaT Air]

Nope just transfers it.

Yes, that is what I said;

I'm under the understanding that you put power to them, and they will , in typical applications, cool something. ""Peltier cooling modules are solid-state active heat pumps that transfer heat from one side to the other based on the Peltier effect.

There are links in my post to a commercial 12 v charger and DIY generator modules at tegpower. I think the modules you referred to (digikey) are the coolers only.

 

[Lak7]

You mean I can use a heat source to cool my Beer?

 

[Anole]

When I saw the title, I thought we might have a discussion about cooling LNBs for better noise figure.
I am reminded of the coolers for P1 or maybe P2 computers, 15 years ago.

Living here in southern California, we don't use much heating.
And when I go camping, I do it to get away from TV.
(for those who can't break the addiction, download some shows to your tablet)

 

[wallyhts]

Yes, that is what I said; There are links in my post to a commercial 12 v charger and DIY generator modules at tegpower. I think the modules you referred to (digikey) are the coolers only.

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...utions/43280-503/?qs=sRTx/tA2SD90VdGVcizLbw==

 

[FaT Air]

You mean I can use a heat source to cool my Beer?

I guess so. thermo-electric generator [tegpower] powering a thermo-electric cooler**. [digikey]
I remember a few years ago. the insulated coolers you could plug in to the cigarette lighter socket.
Ebay listing for a generator http://www.ebay.com/itm/POWER-GENERATION-TEG-HIGH-TEMP-THERMOELECTRIC-PELTIER-/310155795073

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pJk_pINoPA

**I'm thinkin(scary)might be a mod there for the pansat 9200's or any other receiver that runs hot. But think the load on the power supply, for enough cooling, would be too much to add there.

 

[FaT Air]

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...utions/43280-503/?qs=sRTx/tA2SD90VdGVcizLbw==

http://lairdtech.thomasnet.com/item...hermoelectric-coolers/pn-4049?&bc=100|3001251
They say that item is a cooler, not a generator. But I can't download the data sheet ?(?????)?

 

[wallyhts]

http://lairdtech.thomasnet.com/item...hermoelectric-coolers/pn-4049?&bc=100|3001251
They say that item is a cooler, not a generator. But I can't download the data sheet ?(?????)?

Lol, I'm great at doing that I get excited. Thank You for pointing that out.

Well time to install on an SL-1 and see if the performance changes

 

[KE4EST]

View attachment CP10,63,06,L1,W4.5.pdf

 

[truckracer]

I am an HVAC tech. I know thermocouples generate 750 or so millivolts when heated by a gas pilot. I guess you could series and parallel a bunch of them and build a USB charger.