Thermoelectric Power

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Boy last night wiped me out. Was it worth it? Maybe, I did learn the modules can handle 350-360f temps. I would have like to have pushed it a little higher but I guess that will have to do. For now anyway. So what's next? I'm not sure yet. Me of 20-30 years ago would send it! Me of today is wanting to send it but I also want to learn more first. What to do what to do? Maybe nothing today IDK!
 
Just had a nice surprise from my youngest daughter (18), she brought me lunch!

Next was not such a nice surprise she told me as soon as she gets a place I'm coming to live with her, she's worried about me. I made it pretty clear I will NOT be moving until I die. Guess I better slow down a little and take better care of myself before she blows a gasket!

Still dragging bad but trying to figure out what's next. The steel plate still needs work to get it flat across 12 inches, it's probably flat to about 9.5-10 inches now. But again I need more belts for that. I do have one left that might do some good. That's not really what I'm talking about though. The real question at hand is do I go ahead and mount the modules and get this up and going to actually see what it does all together. You know if the whole works is worthwhile or not. Or do I workout the temperature control lifters for the module plate first? That isn't really that important until I try and bank higher temps than the plate can handle so maybe that should wait for later. What do you guys think?
 
I think perfection is the enemy of good enough. I would be thinking about validating my system, how much power can I really make? How much hot water do I get out of the system? Where did I go wrong and what went right? How will the system work with my total energy plan? Only a working system can give you the answers you need.

I thought that you had someone move onto the property to help with day to day stuff?
 
UrbanHunter said:
I think perfection is the enemy of good enough. I would be thinking about validating my system, how much power can I really make? How much hot water do I get out of the system? Where did I go wrong and what went right? How will the system work with my total energy plan? Only a working system can give you the answers you need.

I thought that you had someone move onto the property to help with day to day stuff?
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She lasted two days shy of two months. She had been on medication and stopped taking it and things went south so I had to ask her to leave.
 
UrbanHunter said:
I think perfection is the enemy of good enough. I would be thinking about validating my system, how much power can I really make? How much hot water do I get out of the system? Where did I go wrong and what went right? How will the system work with my total energy plan? Only a working system can give you the answers you need.

I thought that you had someone move onto the property to help with day to day stuff?
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This is the direction I'm leaning toward.

This unit doesn't have domestic hot water plumbed to it as of now and may never even though the pipework is in the unit for it if I ever want to go that route.
 
Ever do a project where everything is going along great even if ridiculously slow. Then suddenly everything just kind of flip flops in the wrong direction.

So last night I was preparing to install the modules when I decided to go ahead and replace the one blown out plate lifter. I figured it would be better to have it done so I didn't possibly damage any modules doing it later. As I was trying to remove it I removed the glued and pressed in tube it sits in and not the piece I needed to. Okay no big deal I'll scrape off the glue and press it back in and glue it again. Once I get the piece out of it and the new one in. (Still haven't managed that feat!)

Then suddenly it hit me I never checked to make sure the 2) 40x120mm coolers would fit in the space left. Never even dawned on me they might not. But you guessed it they don't.
They were for the 4 modules to be the 12 volt circuit for the pump and light plus any other small 12 volt items I might need down the road.

Time for a new plan!
 
Biggkidd said:
Ever do a project where everything is going along great even if ridiculously slow. Then suddenly everything just kind of flip flops in the wrong direction.

So last night I was preparing to install the modules when I decided to go ahead and replace the one blown out plate lifter. I figured it would be better to have it done so I didn't possibly damage any modules doing it later. As I was trying to remove it I removed the glued and pressed in tube it sits in and not the piece I needed to. Okay no big deal I'll scrape off the glue and press it back in and glue it again. Once I get the piece out of it and the new one in. (Still haven't managed that feat!)

Then suddenly it hit me I never checked to make sure the 2) 40x120mm coolers would fit in the space left. Never even dawned on me they might not. But you guessed it they don't.
They were for the 4 modules to be the 12 volt circuit for the pump and light plus any other small 12 volt items I might need down the road.

Time for a new plan!
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I didn't know if I should be sad, say OH!, or just agree.... I hate it when 20X20 hind-site bites me in the mirror....
 
Got another 12x12 plate and the hold downs drilled and tapped today. Now I'm just dragging my feet again putting off coating the modules with heat transfer paste and installing them. I'm afraid it may require better fine motor skill than I have these days. Then there's trying to solder all those tiny wires and I never have been very good with solder. I need to just get over it and on with the program!
 
Instead of working on this yesterday like I wanted to I had to replace the rear brakes, rotors and calipers on my truck. That job went really well and amazingly easy. Problem is while doing it I had to move a broken old treated 4x4 post in the back of the truck. When I did a big ole splinter went under and almost all the way through the pad of my right index finger from side to side. It's a swollen ugly mess today. I've tried digging it out but just can't manage it with the placement and angle with the wrong hand. So I guess I'll just have to wait for it to work it's way out. I was supposed to repair my daughters front wheel bearings today and now that can't happen right now either. Amazing how such a little thing as a splinter can ruin plans....
 
Just got around to eating a very late dinner. Hit the fork the wrong or "right" way on the finger with that splinter in it. I busted open and that slightly over 1/2 inch monster splinter came blowing out with plenty of pressure to make half of it hang out to where I was able to grip it easy and get it out. OH WHAT A RELIEF !
 
Finally got my youngest daughter's front wheel bearings replaced today. Whoever did them last time had obviously never worked on older vehicles. They preloaded old school bearings that are supposed to have .003-.007 clearance. They were toasty roasted done. The races had more heat colors than I've ever seen. I still can't believe they lasted nearly a year and 10k miles. I bet her gas mileage picks up a couple numbers, the drag from the bearings being clamped down had to be causing a lot of lost economy. She had mentioned whenever she drove far she was getting a weird hot smell she couldn't figure out. Guess we know why now. I had one heck of a time getting them apart the inner races were just about seized to the spindles. Had to use a crowbar, hammer and chisels to beat & pry the rotors off. She called a few minutes ago to say it's driving much better now. What should have taken an hour took a day.

The long and short of it is now that all the emergency repairs are caught up for the moment maybe I can get back on this project again. I should replace the other tractor tire first I recon but we will see how I feel tomorrow before I decide which to tackle next. The tractor tire needs to be done ASAP but so does this so.........
 
Well that wore my tail out but I got 36 modules mounted on the aluminum plate with the coolers and got all the series connections soldered together. I absolutly suck at soldering. I was never any good at it even before MS got me but now I surely qualify as TERRIBLE! It's done. It's amazing how such simple lite work can kick my butt! I'd much rather dig a ditch by hand in August than repeat that process...

Still have to sand / grind the steel plate down more and then run the wiring and hook up the charge controller before I can actually try it out. Not sure when that's going to happen I have some other chores that require my attention ASAP like changing the tractor tire and patching the tube on one of the Deuce tires so I can go buy hay before my cows run out. Also need to cut & split wood first. Ugh it's always like this ten things before you actually complete what you're trying to do!
 
So instead of doing what I should be today I've been out burning the stove and sanding the steel plate. I want to see what this thing does. Only wire I have long enough for a single run is solid house wire. I've got both 12 and 14awg but I'm using 14awg, roughly 100 feet. Should be fine for now considering it's only gonna carry a couple amps at up to 150 volts DC to the charge controller and the battery bank for the house. I won't wire it up until tonight, well after the suns off the panels anyway. lol Stove won't be up to temperature until late tonight or tomorrow anyway. It takes forever to get it hot from ambient.

Not real happy with the way the modules are held down. The ones at the ends are loose. I'm hoping after it heats up I can retorque the hold downs and the thermal paste will even out and let them tighten up. I'll keep an eye on them and add more hold downs if I have to.
 
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I'm still sanding. UGH! I am now using a orbital palm sander last step will be 220 paper and then rubbing compound to hopefully stop the bare metal from rusting. Does anyone have any better ideas for that final step on the steel plate?

I did move a group of solar panels off one charge controller over to another and ran the wiring to hook this up if I ever finish. Oh and the stove is hotter than I expected at a little over 300f already. It was warm today and since I put the walls up the stove no longer gets wet so I think it heats a lot faster now that it doesn't have to cook all that steam out.
 
Biggkidd said:
I'm still sanding. UGH! I am now using a orbital palm sander last step will be 220 paper and then rubbing compound to hopefully stop the bare metal from rusting. Does anyone have any better ideas for that final step on the steel plate?

I did move a group of solar panels off one charge controller over to another and ran the wiring to hook this up if I ever finish. Oh and the stove is hotter than I expected at a little over 300f already. It was warm today and since I put the walls up the stove no longer gets wet so I think it heats a lot faster now that it doesn't have to cook all that steam out.
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Got any sharpening stones?

Ben
 
1:30 am it's hooked up and running. I put the steel plate and it on at the same time so as not to thermal shock it. That plate is being SLOW to warm up it was just barely over 100f when I came inside. Both coolers are downright cold to the touch. Had to go back and loosen all the hold down bolts as they were warping the 1/4 inch thick aluminum plate and it wasn't sitting flat.

I'm starting to wonder if the TEG is removing temperature so fast the steel can't absorb the heat as fast as the TEG is removing it. The gravel on the top was about 350f when I put it all together and started it running.
 
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May have figured a little something out. I had removed the fan and let the stove die down quite a bit so I think that's why the voltage was dropping. I just put the fan back on and stoked the fire. I have no idea how hot the inside of the stove will need to be to get that top up to 350f as fast as the module plate's removing temperature. I started to hang it up for the night and then had a second thought and decided to stick with it at least long enough to get the temp rising again and see if the voltage starts going back up..
 
prototyping isn't easy especially with salvage, you are doing an amazing job, especially considering your health.
 
Tirediron said:
prototyping isn't easy especially with salvage, you are doing an amazing job, especially considering your health.
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Thank you!

I did manage to stay up long enough (5am) to see the voltage go back up a little. Hoping I get the chance to burn it again this afternoon. Just a lot going on, spring is getting here and chores are picking up.
 
I've had the stove running for about 6 hours and the temp just isn't climbing with the module plate running. I'm having a hard time even getting to 150f. This firebox just doesn't make the heat the first one did. It had to be constantly attended where as this one goes an hour, hour and a half. In my opinion it's time for a new stove design. If it doesn't hit 250f before midnight I'm calling it a dud and moving on!
 
Just wondering if you could run a few pipe s near the top of the mass, that could be valved to catch early flue gasses and thus raise the temp quicker and as the mass and every thing heats up bypass those pies and just use the mass. Oh the fun of doing what no one has taken the time to do before. the reason prototypes are pretty rough looking is change ,run, change test ...........................
 
Tirediron said:
Just wondering if you could run a few pipe s near the top of the mass, that could be valved to catch early flue gasses and thus raise the temp quicker and as the mass and every thing heats up bypass those pies and just use the mass. Oh the fun of doing what no one has taken the time to do before. the reason prototypes are pretty rough looking is change ,run, change test ...........................
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Right now it's on hold again while I rethink the process. The modules remove about 15000 BTUs an hour best guess. I know to make this work on a large scale it needs to make at least 10 times that when it burns. I know I can make a wood burner that produces 150-250,000 BTUs because I've done it before. The problems are many, the main one being the materials holding up to the heat. My lack of funds doesn't help a lot but it doesn't hurt a lot either thankfully. Most everything that will stand up to 2000f + is rather expensive. Lucky me, my junk has some heavy steel that will last long enough to prove or disprove the concept. Of course there are other options such as using direct heat without the mass with the modules at full temp for a power test. There are several problems with that as well though. The main one being over heating and frying the modules.
 
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