kerosene lamp powered electric generator

oowolf

Go to this link and scroll down near the bottom to see this interesting device.
http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/POWER/thermoelectric/thermoelectric.htm
Has anyone used this technology? Does anyone have one of these devices or know where I can get one? Has this device been used on a wood-burning stove? I'm looking for a wintertime backup for a solar PV system to keep batteries charged. Are there industrial components that can be used to build a home thermo-electric generator?
I'm a jr. college dropout and know nothing about how to configure such a device. There's gotta be some electrical engineers on this site who can report on the practicality of this concept.
Is this a Peltier device a la:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4661&item=7501102438&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
Is it possible to build a battery charger from these units?
Any comments on this:
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2004/10/15/232244/25

jimmyz · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 2:14 pm Post subject:

yes i could work but you would also need a charge controller. also how are you going to make the other side cold?

gnm · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 2:33 pm Post subject:

Look for one called the "midnight sun" - its a commercially available large peltier for wood stoves....

update - I know they exist - I think I have a catalog even that has one in it.. But I can't find a link anywhere... there is a company Hi-Z which makes similar devices... and there is the "ecofan" an overpriced peltier driven fan for the top of your woodstove....

I post the link if I can find it..

-G Cool

oowolf · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 3:11 pm Post subject:

An interesting site with propane fueled electricity generating stoves:
http://www.jxcrystals.com/ThermoPV.htm
They claim to have an infrared cell that generates 100 TIMES more power per unit area than solar cells.
I wonder how well these cells would work retrofitted to a woodstove.