Battery Charger Powered by Fire

http://www.instructables.com/id/Battery-Charger-Powered-by-Fire/

Food Living Outside Play Technology Workshop

Smartphone Charger Powered by Fireby Joohansson on April 14, 2013

Table of Contents

Smartphone Charger Powered by Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Smartphone Charger Powered by Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 2: Construction (Base plate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 3: Construction (Heat Sink) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 4: Assembly (Mechanical parts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 5: Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 6: Assembly (Electronics) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Step 7: Tests and Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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Author:Joohansson My SiteI like to design, construct and experiment with both old and new technology, especially when it includes mechatronics. I'm also devoted to photography,computers, programming and technology in general.

Intro: Smartphone Charger Powered by FirePortable, Compact and Adjustable ThermoElectric Emergency Generator.

Background:The reason for this project was to solve a problem I have. I sometimes do several days of hiking/backpacking in the wild and I always bring a smartphone with GPS andmaybe other electronics. They need electricity and I have used spare batteries and solar chargers to keep them running. The sun in Sweden is not very reliable. Whenyou need it as most its either raining or other circumstances that makes it impossible to charge with solar panels. Even when its clear weather it simply take too long tocharge. Batteries are good but heavy. I have looked for alternatives but they are either very expensive or too large.

One thing that I always bring with me though on a hiking is fire in some form, usually an alcohol or gas burner. If not that, then at least a fire steel to make my own fire.With that in mind, I got stuck by the idea of producing electricity from heat. I know, the efficiency is very poor but it is at least possible! So, with inspiration from myprevious project (Thermoelectric-Fan-Driven-by-a-Candle ) I decided to build my own thermoelectric charger. There are similar projects available but not that fulfill myrequirements (what I could find).

Concept:Im using a thermoelectic module, also called peltier element, TEC or TEG. You have one hot side and one cold. The temperature difference in the module will startproducing electricity. The physical concept when you use it as a generator it's called the Seebeck effect. Thermoelectic modules are mainly used for the opposite effect,the Peltier effect. Then you apply a electric load and it will force a heat transfer from one side to the other. Often used in smaller refrigerators and coolers. Read moreabout i here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect

My requirements:

As small, light and portable as possibleRobustAdjustable voltage (want to use with broad range of products)At least 5V/0.2A (1W) to charge an iPhone 4s, 2W if possibleCompatible with alcohol/gas burner, campfire and candles

Solution:With lots of testing and experimenting I come to the conclusion I would need a powerful TEG-module. I have previously used a cheap TEC-module (8) but it onlyproduce about 0.5W and too low voltage and max temperature. I could use several of them but it will be a more complicated and heat limited construction. I found a40x40mm TEG that produce 5.9W (4.2V/1.4A) at 180C difference. It has a maximum operating temp of 350C (180C cold side), that should be enough. Its quiteexpensive though, about 50 but that is still cheaper than most solar chargers and much cheaper than other commercial thermoelectric chargers I found.

To transport away all heat and cool it with air you usually need a large heat sink. As my construction need to be compact and light weight, I was thereby limited to verysmall heat sinks. I then decided to "steel" a small amount of electricity and cool the construction with a motor/fan. That would result in less charging energy but that wasthe only thing I could think of to keep the size down (and not using water cooling). As it gets warmer, it produce more electricity and also more cooling power from thefan. To block heat from transferring to the cold side I used two heat insulated washers for the fixating and also a layer of insulation between the metal blocks.

First priority was to get a steady 5V source to drive different USB-devices. The module itself produce less than 5V. I solved that by constructing an adjustable regulatedvoltage Step-up. The detailed specifications can be found later in this project.

Result:When I started this project I had no idea it would actually work. It turned out it even works over my expectations! I can charge my iPhone which was the main goal and itis completely self-cooled even with extreme heat sources.The cooling is not optimal due to its small size, but Im quite satisfied because I can bring it with me. I would happily see you construct even better solutions, Imabsolutely certain it could be made even cheaper and more efficient. There is a lot waste heat in this construction!

To actually make this yourself, keep reading! More testing and results in the end.

Features:

Adjustable output voltageAdjustable RPM of cooling fanAdjustable temperature monitorAdjustable voltage limiterAdjustable construction heightOptional USB-connectorEasy to assemble/disassemble400g90x90x80mm

Applications:This can be used with a broad range of heat sources and power a broad range of products.

Candles (low output power)Spirit burner/stove (hard to control)Gas burner/stove (best so far)Wood stove (not yet tested)Camp fire (not yet tested)Metal can with fire (not yet tested)Barbecue (not yet tested)

file:/member/Joohansson/file:/member/Joohansson/http://www.davit.sehttp://www.instructables.com/id/Thermoelectric-Fan-Driven-by-a-Candle/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect


Light in the dark (LEDs)USB charger (Phones, batteries, etc.)External fan (cooling effect, fire booster, etc.)USB-gadgets (music player, drink cooler, etc.)Charge super capacitor and power high intensity SOS signals

Donations:High effect thermoelectric modules are expensive. If you would like to see more of those experiments in the future, please consider a small donation.Bitcoin address: 1BouwowuprgQrtUYgyzYnNvHyRYbLceqHg

Image Notes1. Temp sensor


Step 1: MaterialsI have not yet fine tuned this construction in the aspect of materials. I simply took what I could come over but hopefully it can be a good inspiration source.

This is what I used.

1x high temperature TEG module: TEP1-1264-1.52x voltage step-up (from this project: http://www.instructables.com/id/Adjustable-Voltage-Step-up-07-55V-to-27-55V/)1x small heat sink. From old PC (BxWxH=60x57x36mm)1x Aluminum plate: BxWxH=90x90x6mm1x 5V brushless DC motor with plastic fan (could be hard to find, check this link)Fixation for heat sink: Aluminum bar (6x10x82mm)2x M3 bolts+2nuts+2x washers for heat sink: 25mm long2x M3 1mm thick metal washers4x M4 bolts+8x nuts+4x washers as construction base: 70mm long4x M4 1mm thick metal washers4x M4 bolts: 15-20mm long4x Drywall screw (35mm)2x heat insulated washers: Constructed from cardboard and old plastic food turner80x80x2mm corrugated cardboard (Not very good at high temperatures)2x pull springs: 45mm extended(Optional) Components for a temperature monitor and voltage limiter. Described further on

Pictures showing the three main components: TEG, Base plate and Heat sink

Tools:Drill and thread tap for M3 and M4File and abrasive paperScrewdriverPliersLoctite power glue (Repair Extreme)

Price:It cost me about 80 for everything but the most expensive part was the TEG-module (45).

TEG spec:I bought the TEP1-1264-1.5 at http://termo-gen.com/Tested at 230C (hot side) and 50C (cold side) with:Uoc: 8.7VRi: 3?U (load): 4.2VI (load): 1.4AP (match): 5.9WHeat: 8.8W/cm2Size: 40x40mm

Next step: Construction of base plate

http://www.instructables.com/id/Adjustable-Voltage-Step-up-07-55V-to-27-55V/http://www.conrad.se/AXIALFL%c4KT-5V-40X40MM.htm?websale7=conrad-swe&pi=537306&Ctxhttp://termo-gen.com/


Step 2: Construction (Base plate)Base plate (90x90x6mm):This will be the "hot side". It will also act as construction base plate to fixate heat sink and some legs.

How you construct this depends on what heat sink you are using and how you want to fixate it.1.I started to drill two 2.5mm holes to match my fixation bar. 68mm between them and the position is matched of where I want to put the heat sink. Holes are thenthreaded as M3.Drill four 3.3mm holes at the corners (5x5mm from outer edge). Use a M4 tap for threading.2.Make some nice looking finishing. I used a rough file, a fine file and two types of sand paper to gradually make it shine! You could also polish it but it would be too3.sensitive to have outside.Screw the M4 bolts through the corner holes and lock it with two nuts and one washer per bolt plus the 1mm washer on the top side. Alternative one nut per bolt is4.enough as long as the holes are threaded. You can also use the short 20mm bolts, depends on what you will use as heat source.

Next step: Construction of the upper heat sink.


Step 3: Construction (Heat Sink)Heat sink and fixating construction:Most important is to fixate the heat sink on top of the base plate but at the same time isolate the heat. You want to keep the heat sink as cooled as possible. The bestsolution I could came up with was two layers of heat insulated washers. That will block the heat from reaching the heat sink through the fixating bolts. It need to handleabout 200-300C. I created my own but it would be better with a plastic bush like this . I could not find any with high temperature limit. The heat sink needs to be underhigh pressure to maximize the heat transfer through the module. Maybe M4 bolts would be better to handle higher force.

How I made the fixation:

Modified (filed) aluminum bar to fit in the heat sink1.Drilled two 5mm holes (should not be in contact with bolts in order to isolate heat)2.Cut two washers (8x8x2mm) from old food turner (plastic with max temp of 220C)3.Cut two washers (8x8mmx0.5mm) from hard cardboard4.Drilled 3.3mm hole through plastic washers5.Drilled 4.5mm hole through cardboard washers6.Glued cardboard washers and plastic washers together (concentric holes)7.Glued plastic washers on top of aluminum bar (concentric holes)8.Put M3 bolts with metal washers through the holes (will later be screwed on top of aluminum plate)9.

M3 bolts will get very warm but the plastic and cardboard will stop the heat since the metal hole is larger than the bolt. Bolt is NOT in contact with the metal piece.

Base plate will get very hot and also the air above. To block it from heating up the heat sink other than through the TEG module I used a 2mm thick corrugatedcardboard. Since the module is 3mm thick it will not be in direct contact with the hot side. I think it will handle the heat. I could not find a better material for now. Ideasappreciated!

Update: It turned out the temperature was too high when using a gas stove. The cardboard become mostly black after some time. I took it away and it seems to work asgood as before. Very hard to compare but I have not seen any larger degradation. Im still looking for a replacement material to test with.

Cut the cardboard with a sharp knife and fine tune with a file:

Cut it 80x80mm and mark up where the module (40x40mm) should be placed.1.Cut the 40x40 square hole.2.Mark up and cut the two holes for M3 bolts.3.Create two slots for TEG-cables if neccessary.4.

https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~eu_en/elfa/init.do?item=75-602-41&toc=20455


Cut 5x5mm squares at the corners to make place for M4 bolts.5.

Next Step: Assembly


Step 4: Assembly (Mechanical parts)As I mentioned in previous step, the cardboard cannot handle high temperatures. Skip it or find better material. The generator will work without it, but maybenot as good.

Assembly:

Mount TEG-module on heat sink.1.Place cardboard on heat sink and TEG-module is now temporally fixated.2.The two M3 bolts go through the aluminum bar and then through the cardboard with nuts on top.3.Mount heat sink with TEG and cardboard on base plate with two 1mm thick washers in between to separate cardboard from the "hot" base plate.4.The assembly order from top is bolt, washer, plastic washer, cardboard washer, aluminum bar, nut, 2mm cardboard, 1mm metal washer and base plate.5.Add 4x 1mm washers on the upper side of base plate to isolate cardboard from contact6.

If you constructed correct: Base plate should not be in direct contact with cardboard. M3 bolts should not be in direct contact with aluminum bar.

Then screw the 40x40mm fan on top of the heat sink with 4x drywall scews. I added some tape also to isolate screws from electronics.

Next step: Electronics


Step 5: ElectronicsThe main idea was to have a regulated output voltage to charge or power different kind of gadgets. Since the TEG-module produce very low voltage (0-5V depending onheat source) I needed a good voltage step-up and regulator. I wanted to build everything myself and therefore created a whole different project for this since it turned outto be very useful. The voltage step up is not powerful enough so I built two of them. One will power the 3-5V fan and one will power other electronics.

You find the step-up project here:http://www.instructables.com/id/Adjustable-Voltage-Step-up-07-55V-to-27-55V/

I added two more requirements for this project:

TEG-module needs to be protected from overheating1.iPhone needs to be protected from to high voltages2.

Temperature Monitor & Voltage regulator:TEG-module will break if temperature exceeding 350C on hot side or 180C on cold side. To warn the user I built an adjustable temperature monitor. It will turn on a redLED if temperature reach a certain limit which you can set as you like.

When using to much heat the voltage will go above 5V and that can damage certain electronics. The step-up can only step up and not step down. I could not find asolution that does both and thereby designed my own adjustable voltage limiter. It combines an operational amplifier and a zener diode to detect a certain voltage andthen feed the output signal to a MOSFET transistor. The transistor will shortcut the whole power source but only if higher than voltage limit (5V). That will quickly increasethe current and since the TEG-module has a limited output effect it will consequently drop the output voltage. That means it will burn away all energy as heat but at thesame time keep a very stable voltage, it simply cannot exceed 5V. It also turns on a LED so the user can turn down the heat source until the LED goes off again. Asimpler solution would be to only use a zener diode to feed output voltage to ground if above 4.7V. But that is not as distinct and probably burn up. I could only find a 5Wzener and that is not enough.

The heart of this circuit is a low voltage operational amplifier. I use a MCP6002 which operates at 1.8-6V. It has two units inside which means you can combine both thetemperature monitor and voltage limiter with the same circuit.

How to build it is similar to the step-up project, look at that first! Components needed:

IC: MCP60028PIN socket for ICR3,R4,R5: 1K?R6: 22K?R7, R8: 470?R9: 100K?R10: 10K?R11: PT1000 temperature sensorR12, R13: 68K?R14, R15: 47K?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Adjustable-Voltage-Step-up-07-55V-to-27-55V/


P2, P3: 1K? (maybe 10K? works, not tested)D3, D4: Red LEDD5: 4.7V zener diode, low effectT1: High effect MOSFET transistor, BUZ12 or similar

Construction:

Have a look at my circuit layout and try to understand it as good as possible.1.Measure the exact value of R3, it is later needed for calibration2.Place components on a prototype board according to my pictures.3.Make sure all diodes has correct polarization!4.Solder and cut all legs5.Cut copper lanes on prototype board according to my pictures6.Add needed wires and solder them too7.Cut prototype board to 43x22mm8.

Calibration of temperature monitor:I placed the temperature sensor on the cold side of TEG-module. It has a max temp of 180C and I calibrated my monitor to 120C to warn me in good time. The platinumPT1000 has a resistance of 1000? at zero degrees and increases its resistance along with its temperature. Values can be found HERE . Just multiply with 10.

In order to calculate the calibration values you will need the exact value of R3. Mine was for example 986?. According to the table the PT1000 will have a resistance of1461? at 120C. R3 and R11 form a voltage divider and the output voltage is calculated according to this:Vout=(R3*Vin)/(R3+R11)

The easiest way to calibrate this is too feed the circuit with 5V and then measure the voltage on IC PIN3. Then adjust P2 until correct voltage (Vout) is reached. Icalculated the voltage as this:(986*5)/(1461+986)=2.01V

That means I adjust P2 until I have 2.01V on PIN3. When R11 reach 120C, the voltage on PIN2 will be lower than PIN3 and that trigger the LED. R6 works as a Schmitttrigger. The value of it determines how "slow" the trigger will be. Without it, the LED would go off at the same value as it goes on. Now it will turn off when the temperaturedrops about 10%. If you increase the value of R6 you get a "faster" trigger and lower value creates a "slower" trigger.

Calibration of voltage limiter:That is much easier. Just feed the circuit with the voltage limit you want and turn P3 until the LED goes on. Make sure the current is not too high over T1 or it will burn up!Maybe use another small heat sink. It works the same way as the temperature monitor. When the voltage over zener diode increases above 4.7V it will drop the voltageto PIN6. The voltage to PIN5 will determine when PIN7 is triggered.

USB Connector:The last thing I added was the USB connector. Many modern smartphones will not charge if its not connected to a proper charger. The phone decide that by looking atthe two data lines in the USB cable. If the data lines is fed by a 2V source, the phone "thinks" it connected to the computer and start to charge at low power, around500mA for an iPhone 4s for example. If they are fed by 2.8 resp. 2.0V it will start charging at 1A but that is too much for this circuit. To get 2V I used some resistors toform a voltage divider:Vout=(R12*Vin)/(R12+R14)=(47*5)/(47+68)=2.04 which is good because I will normally have a bit under 5V.

Look at my circuit layout and pictures how to solder it.

Next step:Assembly (Electronics)

http://www.temtrol.com.au/assets/pdf/RTD%20Conversion%20Chart.pdf


Image Notes1. Tape make it easier to solder everything at once.

Image Notes1. Melted plastic, not very good choice because it will melt!2. PT1000 (2x2mm)


Step 6: Assembly (Electronics)The circuit boards will be placed around the motor and above the heat sink. Hopefully they will not get too warm.

Tape the motor to avoid shortcuts and to get better grip1.Glue the cards together so that they fit around the motor2.Place them around the motor and add two pull springs to hold it together3.Glue the USB connector somewhere (I did not find a good place, had to improvise with melted plastic)4.Connect all cards together according to my layout5.Connect the PT1000 thermal sensor as close as possible to the TEG-module (cold side). I placed it beneath the upper heat sink between the heat sink and6.cardboard, very close to the module. Make sure it has good contact! I used super glue that can handle 180C.I advise to test all circuits before connected to the TEG-module and start heating it7.

You are now good to go!

Next Step:Test and results


Image Notes1. Glue2. Glue

Image Notes1. USB

Image Notes1. Spring


2. Spring

Step 7: Tests and ResultsIt is a bit delicate to get started. One candle for example is not enough to power the fan and soon enough the heat sink will get as warm as the bottom plate. When thathappen it will produce nothing. It must be started quickly with for example four candles. Then it produce enough power for the fan to start and can start cool off the heatsink. As long as the fan keeps running it will be enough air flow to get even higher output power, even higher fan RPM and even higher output to USB.

I made the following tests:

Cooling fan lowest speed: 2.7V@80mA => 0.2W1.Cooling fan highest speed: 5.2V@136mA => 0.7WHeat source: 4x tealights2.Usage: Emergency/read lightsInput power (TEG output): 0.5WOutput power (excluding cooling fan, 0.2W): 41 white LEDs. 2.7V@35mA => 0.1WEfficiency: 0.3/0.5 = 60%Comment: Could probably get a little bit more, maybe 0.2WHeat source: 6x tealights3.Usage: Power LEDOutput power (excluding cooling fan @ 30% speed): 0.44WHeat source: gas burner/stove4.Usage: Charge iPhone 4sInput power (TEG output): 3.2WOutput power (excluding cooling fan, 0.7W): 4.5V@400mA => 1.8WEfficiency: 2.5/3.2 = 78%Temp (approx): 270C hot side and 120C cold side (150C difference)Comment: Only run shorter periodsHeat source: gas burner/stove5.Usage: Charge iPhone 4sOutput power (excluding cooling fan @ 75%): 4.25V@300mA => 1.3WComment: This was a long stable test. Charging at 300mA seems to be very stable regarding fan speed and temperatures. I also used the gas stove at very lowpower. Higher power did not help much, just increasing the temperatures on both sides for little increase in output power.Heat source: Additional heat transfer + alcohol burner6.Usage: Power LEDOutput power (excluding cooling fan): 0.14WComment: The heat transfer is not good enough, TEG voltage too low for charging iPhone.

The efficiency intend the electronics. The real input power is much higher. My gas stove has a maximum power of 3000W but I run it at low power, maybe 1000W. Thereis a huge amount of waste heat!

Prototype 1:This is the first prototype. I constructed it at the same time I wrote this instructable and will probably improve it in the future. I have measured 4.8V@500mA (2.4W)output, but could not run at that power for longer periods. The optimum charging speed for iPhone turned out to be 4.25V/300mA = 1.3W. I tested over a long period withstable result. It is a bit tricky though to adjust the electronics for optimal output. If I increase the current over 300mA (at low gas power), then the step-up starts to limit thecurrent (voltage) due to low input voltage from TEG (see graph images of my "voltage step-up" project). When that happen the charging power drastically drops to about0.2W. I had to adjust the USB voltage/current to be just below that limit, 4.35V without load and 4.25V while iPhone 4s charging. I found out that a fan speed of 60-80%was optimal in this test.

I compared the "gas stove charging" with a "mintyboost charging" using two AA alkaline batteries. Two batteries weight 46g and manage to charge the iPhone from 20%up to 36%. The exactly same charging interval took 60g of gas. The batteries wins this time regarding weight, but as I wrote, this construction can be optimized in manyways! If you also need to carry back the empty batteries, then the gas wins!

Current weight of the whole module with all electronics is 400gOuter dimensions are (WxLxH): 90x90x80mm

Conclusion:I don't think this can replace any other common charging methods regarding efficiency but as an emergency product I think its quite good. If I can find a stable way ofusing this with wood (camp fire), then it would be very useful when hiking in a forest!

Improvement suggestions:

Water cooling system (pot)A light weight construction that transfer heat from a fire to the hot sideA buzzer(speaker) instead of LED to warn at high temperaturesMore robust insulator material, instead of cardboard.

Updates:

Took away cardboard insulation layer. Could not handle temperatures from gas stove.Experimented with additional heat transfer accessory from a more aggressive fire, see images. It can replace the base plate or be attached to the existing baseplate. Tested with alcohol burner but got only 0.14W output. I guess aluminium is not good enough as heat transfer and it probably needs a layer of insulation tonot cool before it reaches the base plate. The idea was to put this into a real fire with good ember, might try that also. I want to try with copper but that isexpensive and hard to come by.I tested to replace the upper heat sink and fan with a small can of water from this project: LED Power from FireI could easily charge the phone with 1W of power and the weight was reduced to only 150g! Water cooling is highly recommended.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Emergency-LED-powered-by-Fire/http://www.instructables.com/id/Emergency-LED-powered-by-Fire/


Image Notes1. Temp sensor


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RECREATE! :RecyclingEnergy ofComputers forReal EfficiencyAnd TotalEnergy! byGeeve George

Go Green!Charge yourphone withFIRE! by RyanDepace

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50 comments Add Comment view all 99 comments

tsiakkouri.demetra says: Jan 19, 2015. 12:20 PM REPLYhello Sir. You are project is excellent. I am physist teacher on a high school and I try with my students to make this project but we became disappointed. We buyfrom usa a dc/dc up and down converter x0122 and we pay 30 usd plus 80usd shipping. :(. ... Ok we get up 5.78V but very low current. May we will need abetter cooler? You think that we need a better TEC (we have the TEC12706HST)? And after that we will need another circuit to regulate the out voltage not toexceed 5V? What curent we will need to charge a smartphone. Thank you very much for your time. I am waiting forward for your answer.

VaibhavR says: Dec 16, 2014. 2:45 AM REPLYwelldone but where can i get the circuit for charging mobile

pranshuvarshney says: Sep 10, 2014. 9:37 PM REPLYhello sir, i like yr project, your work is fabulous. i am working on this. but there is a problem that i am unable to make the connection between the circuitry andthe TEC module, so if it is possible then send me the picture to help me know or guide me that how actually connection is going to make.... thak you....

berkanice says: Jul 8, 2014. 6:16 AM REPLYHi, I liked your charger much! Congratulations. I have some questions, I'm glad if you answer :)1- I want to charge phones as you do but my idea is to connect 15-20 pieces of TEGs in series. Because I want to use a 35-40 degree celcius heat sourceand continuous flowing air as cold side (15-20 degrees) Would it be enough for charging phone with USB?

2- I read that cold side of TEG become hotter due to incapability of cooling side. So the efficiency decreases by time, then, how long charging lasts?

Joohansson says: Jul 8, 2014. 7:14 AM REPLYThank you! Unfortunately I can't help you with that question.

borgassa2ky says: Apr 29, 2014. 9:41 PM REPLYQuick question, what if you were to construct a miniature oven for a briquette (BBQ coal). Would this produce too much heat? Or would it even be effective ifonly using 2 or three at a time?

I am in the process of constructing your design now, and am also trying to design groves on the bottom heat plate that could slide onto a 90X90X90 mmmetal "Oven" or holding container for the coals.

Let me know if you have any ideas or have already tested this theory.

Joohansson says: Apr 29, 2014. 11:04 PM REPLYI think it can work. I was going to try that but I'm afraid that the heat will be too hard to control and damage my prototype. It could be that too much heatrises from the oven and make it impossible to cool the upper heat sink. A gas flame is very concentrated if you compare. But if you try it, I would like tosee it!

You can also try to cool with water instead of a fan, that is easier to control and never exceeds 100 C. That would have greater probability of success.

Kristy luo says: Apr 15, 2014. 6:20 PM REPLYEven i am a seller from China but i didn't know clear how it works. I will learn here, and if you don't mind help me when need, thanks in advanced.

scottdave says: Mar 28, 2014. 3:37 AM REPLYLooks like a great project. I may have to try something similar - one day when I have time :) It inspires me though.

patricia_philippnes says: Feb 11, 2014. 8:53 PM REPLYgood day. i just wanna ask where country did u bought your module? thanks

Joohansson says: Feb 11, 2014. 10:14 PM REPLYHi, bought in Sweden.

patricia_philippnes says: Feb 11, 2014. 10:49 PM REPLYok..thanks. is it ok if i replace pt1000 by PT100.. can there be a difference? :)

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Joohansson says: Feb 18, 2014. 12:16 AM REPLYYes, if you also change R3 to 100ohm instead of 1000.

zubair001 says: Jan 30, 2014. 3:41 PM REPLYHi, sorry for the late reply. Hope you are good.

I got the two thermocouples and the voltage booster delivered only today, so started conducting some crude tests with it. The results are a bit sad actually. Iknow this is not how its supposed to be done but just was too eager and wanted to see what I could generate with a simple setup. So what the picture showsis two of the previously specified thermocouples connected in series and on a hot plate. and both sides covered with wet tissue and no wind blowing over it.with fan assisted cooling it generated about 0.3v max and stabilized at around 0.25v. So my voltage booster didn't work. I don't know how much more i can ican get it to generate after sandwiching it between aluminium plates and repeating the process. If I consider the above tests valid I would need a total of 8TECs. I couldn't measure any current when connecting my phone in the circuit which draws 650ma. I probably have to get me some resistor I guess. How doyou suppose I can measure the current output ? And can you make any wild guesses on how much current it can give me on a 8 module series setup.Thanks.. :D

Joohansson says: Jan 30, 2014. 11:19 PM REPLYI suggest you first learn how the booster works. It probably need a certain voltage just to start up. Maybe you have an adjustable power supply you canexperiment with? All TECs works differently, they give a certain voltage and current with a certain load at a certain temp difference. You get maxiumeffect when your load perfectly maches the specification of your TEC. The phone is also tricky because it needs a certain voltage just to start chargingand the current it will draw depends on the input voltage. I think the easiest way to measure current vs. voltage is to attach different resistors (1-100 ohm)to your TEC and measure current and voltage at the same time. Another critical part is your TEC contact surfaces. Whatever you are cooling and heatingwith it must make perfect contact. I used professional thermal paste, without that it will probably end up damaged, and maybe you have already damagedyour modules. I also like trial and error but please read some more about this or you will just be disappointed.

zubair001 says: Jan 25, 2014. 5:21 PM REPLYHi, Joohansson. I am incredibly impressed by your skills and projects. I am not good with electronics but would really like to try this out. But I have a verylimited knowledge of electronics and a fairly modest budget. So i am using the following things:

1.) A 12v 0.2A computer fan with heat sink (Hope to run it at lower voltages)

2.) 0.9v to 5 v DC-DC step up regulator (it says 700mA max output current)

http://dx.com/p/usb-dc-0-9-5v-to-dc-5v-voltage-ste...

3.) 2 X TEG modules specified as:

Type number: TEC1-12709Couples: 127Umax (V): 15.2VI max (A): 9ATmax (degree Celsius): 67Dimensions: 40mm x 40mm x 3.5mmPower cable: 32cmMax. power consumption: 136.8W

I selected the above as I read in a research report that TECs compared to TEGs are more efficient for power generation at lower temps. Also higher the V X Irating of a TEC, the higher you can generate power off of them.

I know 67degC is not much but i hope to cool the other side enough (maybe 30C).

I plan to connect them in parallel to increase the amps. Maybe connect one more in parallel. (My sink is rectangular so 3 would fit under it.) I have to arrangea multimeter.

I need a simple to understand circuit i can make with ready-made parts that will fit together and supply a limited power to the fan and give most of the hardearned amps to my usb charger with some safety so I don't blow up my dear old galaxy S2 :-)

I'm a proper newbie so any help or guidance will be much appreciated. Thanks, Zubair001 :-)

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Joohansson says: Jan 26, 2014. 12:25 AM REPLYThank you! Nice too see you trying this. I'm not an expert either, most of it was trial and error but I was lucky with very few errors. I think you have twoproblems. A 12V fan running at max 5V might not give you enough air flow too cool it down. It is the starting up that it the most dangerous part becauseyou need much power very fast. If you heat ot up slowly the fan will never start and the module will get same temp on both sides which then give youzero power. The other problem is that 67C is very low indeed. You have a high risk of destroying them.

I would suggest you to start cooling with water since it much more efficient, to see that everything works as exspected. But even water will reach 67Cpretty fast.

I hope you solve it, good luck!

zubair001 says: Jan 26, 2014. 3:26 PM REPLYThanks for replying. I think you are right about the fan not starting so i will probably buy this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&it...

after I try out the available one when the rest of the parts arrive.

Second I'm still hoping to use just the heat sink to do the job but I may have to use water cooling as a last resort. As far as water exceeding 67C andblowing up the modules, i plan to use the drip and sponge method (I call it that ;-) ). Imagine a soaked tissue spread over the cold side and constantlyreplenished with drops of water as it evaporates. And if the modules still want to blow, well then I don't have any other use for them.

Maybe without the use of water, the temperature might not drop too low. But just how low it needs to be to generate enough voltage and current isone thing I will know only after testing it out. For I am going to use not one but two or maybe even four in parallel or series or series-parallel.

Now if I have a 5v fan, a heat sink, some TEC modules and a 0.9v to 5v DC-DC step up voltage regulator, what else do I need to complete the circuitso that I give only the rated power to the fan and no more (not sure if it'll be good giving it more) and the rest of it to charge the phone.???

I know you did all your circuits using the very basic components but you know I'm really not gifted in electronics like you :-) and really don'tunderstand much about electronic circuits so I would rather buy complete circuits if they're available rather than do the calibrating, fabricating andsoldering things to make more mistakes than maybe I'm already making.

Thanks!!!.

Joohansson says: Jan 26, 2014. 11:07 PM REPLYOk, that might work. You need to regulate the voltage to not exceed 5v. I could not find a good circuit for it, that was the reason I built it my self.You could technically use just a zener diode (zener diode voltage regulator) but it will flow too much current through it. I used a high effect mosfettransistor to short-circuit voltages over 5v and a simple operational amplifier to control it. I used the zener diode to control the amplifier. But Iunderstand it could be a bit tricky if you have no experience. The solution is not very pretty either as it burns energy instead of use it. The prettysolution would be to use a buck-boost converter or a SEPIC.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-ended_primary-inductor_converter

It would regulate both 5v. I have not managed to find a really good one but I actually bought this one to experiment with for futureprojects (search ebay for buck boost if link has expired):http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-15V-To-0-5-30V-Auto-DC-DC-Solar-Converter-Regulator-Boost-Buck-Module-25W-New-/141150576527?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20dd3adf8f

It will regulate 3-15V input To 0.5-30V output. I didnt like it because you needed 3V as minimum but i think that could work for you if you have forexample two TEGs in serie.

patricia_philippnes says: Jan 4, 2014. 12:59 AM REPLYyou've got a nice project.. is your project for sale? please reply soon. thank u. :)

Joohansson says: Jan 4, 2014. 5:05 AM REPLYThanks! No, not for sale.

patricia_philippnes says: Jan 4, 2014. 7:44 AM REPLYokay..thanks again. :)

Joohansson says: Dec 4, 2013. 10:47 PM REPLYIf you want a cheap 5W thermoelectric module, back up this project for $19! I ordered one myself =)http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/david-toledo/the-powerpot-x-most-reliable-10-watt-portable-gene?ref=live

thebeave0630 says: Dec 1, 2013. 6:16 PM REPLYWhat about the material they use to make the seals around oven doors to use as an insulator between the sides? You might have to cut strips because ofthe diameter but it can withstand very high temps for long periods. Sorry if that was posted already, I didn't read all the comments.

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Joohansson says: Dec 1, 2013. 10:36 PM REPLYThat might be a good idea to try! Thanks.

Nihal says: Jun 9, 2013. 5:47 AM REPLYGreat project, but reminded me of this: http://www.biolitestove.com/Granted, it costs an equivalent of 100 instead of the 80 you spent, but it incorporates a nice stove as well and provides 2W at 5V. Maybe you could drawsome inspiration from it to improve your project.

graghavendra says: May 2, 2013. 7:49 PM REPLYITS REALLY GOOD SUCCESSFULL PROJECT,BUT TO BE FRANK I FELT FUNNY BY SEEING YOUR HARD WORKand so much of money which u spent to produce a small voltage..there was alot of alternatives for this, i must talk to you, please give me ur mail idi share my thoughts, even i know a process to charge mobile battery by tree leaves..

Joohansson says: May 3, 2013. 12:08 PM REPLYWhat can I say, I like to build stuff:) I can admit I did not explore all alternatives before i did this, but I don't regret it at all!

Please tell me your thought how to charge an iPhone in the wild since that is my main concern. I'll send my mail to you.

caleb.gross says: Jun 5, 2013. 9:49 PM REPLYAny word on the tree leaves? I'm interested.

Joohansson says: Jun 6, 2013. 12:26 AM REPLYNo, we only discussed solar panels.

graghavendra says: Jun 6, 2013. 5:41 AM REPLYthis site gone mad, or my browser gone mad.. i tried alot to reply. but fail to do itused crome, mozilla, still fail. site has some problemanyway, posted reply above.. please see it, any info just ask mebest solution for rich people is.. amorphous panels.. buy 20watt panel.coversion is heavy 19%. just half kg, keep inside bag. take it where ever u want. get ur charge, atleast it produce 5W which required to charge innon-summer season also..

graghavendra says: Jun 6, 2013. 5:38 AM REPLY1. amorphous solar panels. which are light weight to carry..300grams can produce equal energy to charge 3 mobiles at a time.....

2. flexible solar panel/PET/glass panel (frame less) buy it in large quantity prepare like bag as i made (see pics).. which is really affordable than all these..

3. dynamo. for same struggle u r suffering by this can give 1A charge can be produced for iphone.

4. battery bank, recent days these hitting industry like hell..10000mah batteries just 30$ (wholesale price) buy few charge itall can give this suggestion, what is speciality of me? here is my specialbuy few anti-radiation stickers (quantum energy sticker/scalar energy) just 1$ each buy 5, patch it front back of batteries, .. batteries can charge 30% faster.'

as the present technology which reached buyer, these are the above solution affordable than you machine. :)

all photos are attached here.amorphous solar panels, PET, cabinet, solar charger bag,all these are really afforadable compared to any other..these are reason make you these very high cost1. brand 2. design 3. not required accessories 4. location (if u buy in UK,US,EU always costly these are rich country, so cost also more)

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graghavendra says: Jun 6, 2013. 4:59 AM REPLYit was akeshia leaves, they can store electrical charge..someone charged their battery by those leaves in few secounds..need more research on this. but i m not sure how to do it

ctien1 says: Jun 3, 2013. 4:52 AM REPLYi was thinking of methane microturbine generator for use in country that have no electrical grid. this may work as a power source from using animal/plant wastethat produce methane in a large container, the methane comes out and lite as a heat source, on top of the flame there will be your thermoeletric generator. thereneed to be a big one build as in a big one that can power a small home. its something to think about.

ArsenioDev says: May 16, 2013. 12:55 PM REPLYthis is awesome! great job!

Elipsit says: May 10, 2013. 2:09 PM REPLYHey I really like the idea, well done!I recently built a candle powered flashlight last year using a smaller scaled version of what you've done and am planning to try for a bigger setup.Have you seen these Step Up Boost Modules:http://dx.com/p/usb-dc-1-5v-to-dc-5v-voltage-step-up-boost-module-green-143571andhttp://dx.com/p/usb-dc-3v-to-5v-voltage-step-up-boost-module-red-146765

They are only $3-4, much cheaper than actually having the boards made haha.

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Cheers!

Joohansson says: May 15, 2013. 2:47 AM REPLYCool, that is some kind of joule thief I think, probably very low efficiency. I bought a similar one for just $1 from China but it is not very good.

Blackice504 says: May 13, 2013. 9:20 PM REPLYvery cool, maybe on your next version you could try to use SMD components there not hard to solder as you may think with some good and carefulplacement and solder paste can be done very easy, i also recommend trying a different fan such as the fans for laptops some of these are 5v and providehigh airflow at low power, also a copper heat sink would be better as it has a faster response time to dissipate heat.Can't wait to see your next version Keep up the good work.

jgeorge14 says: May 5, 2013. 10:39 AM REPLYI have some issues with your comments. First off, the Battery packs I have are a lot smaller than that contraption you have. Second of all, you should put yourphone in airplane mode or shut if off when in the woods due to poor signalling capabilities in those areas usually. The phone searching for signal is the worstbattery killer there is. I knwo this from riding motorcycles in the country. We'd keep it in airplane mode, and turn the signal on when we stopped for eating or gasto check up on things back home. Battery would last for 2 days easily doing that. Plus, all it takes is one component on yours to fail and your out completely ofthe recharge source. With a trusted and proven and tested battery backup, I would bet dollars to donuts that it would be much more reliable, oh, and its not thatheavy, less than a pound and it recharges my phone 2 times from dead. I like your idea, dont get me wrong, jsut your example and application are not sufficient.A zombie apocalypse would suit this device just fine though!

Blackice504 says: May 13, 2013. 9:11 PM REPLYFirst off he uses an iphone they have bad reception compared to other phones anyway so saying that i am sure the user knows about the receptionproblems and thus would not take a Iphony in bad reception area's, the other point Peltia's are a proven tech just like Solar Panels or Stirling Engines toprovide power for different applications where an Grid power maybe a problem, thus this person has provided a tutorial on what is possible more so then,plus another person has told you that most phones now days have other functions such as GPS or maybe used as a map or compass, in this situationcellular towers are not needed.Battery Packs only last so long especially on a iphone due to the fact of its poor construction and old engineering that Apple constantly uses in thereproducts so next time have a think and maybe some research before ripping on someones instructable.I have the Asus Padfone 2 16 hour talk time 36 hour talk time when docked in pad mode, why the main proc is 28nm thus saving power while keepingthe same speed from the testing i have done this is the fastest phone on the market with long battery and good reception and cost about the same, foundby Research...........

Joohansson says: May 5, 2013. 1:11 PM REPLYI agree what you say, but if you use gps tracking the phone is empty in half a day. If you are away for one week, that means 14 recharges and a lot ofbatteries. If you can power the phone by using only wood, then you only need to bring my 400 grams and a lighter. This is only a prototype, I would notbring this with me as my only hope until its robust enough to trust.

FoamboardRC says: May 6, 2013. 7:11 PM REPLYWait so help me understand, why do you have heat sink connected to the cold side of your heat-electricity-maker-thing? Thanks!

Joohansson says: May 7, 2013. 12:33 AM REPLYIf it is not cooled, it would not be a "cold side" and it would not produce any electricity. There must exist a temperature difference over the module and theheat sink uses surrounding air to transport away heat.

FoamboardRC says: May 7, 2013. 4:00 AM REPLYOh ok, so the even though only one side is heated, the whole unit gets hot? So putting the heat sink on one side cools that side down. Ok, thanks!

ahallock-1 says: May 6, 2013. 6:09 AM REPLYAs far as replacing the cardboard, have you considered those silicon hot pads you remove dishes from the oven with or the ones you place between the tableand the hot dish? They withstand extreme temperatures.

Joohansson says: May 6, 2013. 7:38 AM REPLYYes, it was similar material I used to the insulating washers. Im not sure what the max temp is and have not find a good piece to try with yet. Whatevermaterial I find in the end, it also need to be relatively easy to come by. Right now, Im looking for some kind of fiber board.

?? says: May 6, 2013. 7:01 AM REPLYMarcus ????????????????

steveastrouk says: May 5, 2013. 11:13 AM REPLYSince you don't care what "ground" is, if you use an inverting powersupply topology - one that can convert, say 2..12V into "-5V", you can avoid worryingabout the output voltage from the TEG.

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Joohansson says: May 5, 2013. 12:55 PM REPLYSounds interesting but I cannot understand how I create such thing? I only know basic electronics. Do you have an example layout?

steveastrouk says: May 5, 2013. 1:13 PM REPLYLet me have your minimum decent input voltage and your maximum input voltage, desired output current and voltage (5 ?) and I'll design one for you.

Its also called a "buck-boost" supply

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