PV Gap

Sonia Said:

building a Solar Sterling Engine Generator from junk?

We Answered:

Many years ago there was a design using cola cans, it was called "RotaColaSola Engine".
Soda pop cans have lower mass, and so need less heat to raise their temp.
It was a simple design, "Myth busters" tried using propane cylinders to build it,
they failed, so they concluded it to be a myth. Not a very scientific method.
www.amasci.com/freenrg/minto2.gif shows the principle, although the original used 6 cans.

Katrina Said:

How do you build a thermoelectric generator?

We Answered:

here are a few examples

http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en&um=…

for recovering heat waisted in home you will get devastating results!
i have seen a small fan operated by this thermoelectric Peltier

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/gif…

http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en&um=…

here is something that requires much less heat
http://www.biltek.tubitak.gov.tr/gelisim…

good luck

Guru

Tyrone Said:

how to build a model solar generator?

We Answered:

You could make a Stirling engine from a kit and use solar heat to run it. Google for Stirling engine kits. In addition to the engine itself, you'll need to come up with a way of producing enough solar generated heat to warm up hot side of the Stirling engine. Pointing it towards the sun might be good enough, but if that doesn't work you might try making a reflector to focus sunlight onto it.

You could also use a solar panel. Making a solar panel yourself is difficult, because they're made out of silicon wafers in cleanrooms, but you might be able to get an internship at a fabrication lab if you want to make solar panels.