Hey man, your electrical problem's been eating at the back of my mind. I have a workable solution. A Stirling engine will make the power you need, and the waste heat can be used to heat water for both potable water and for a radiant heating system. This site makes mention of using propane as a pressure fluid, which apparently has a high pressure differential with a low temp difference. If this is the case then you'd be able to get a fair amount of back and forth power which will translate into a fair amount of rotational power. If you can get 400RPM out of it, the alternator thing I'm working on can make the power you want. A permanent magnet alternator using neo magnets will make a fair amount of power, it'll just be wired a bit different than what I'm trying to do. Nice thing is, there's a lot more information out there for using a modified alternator for making electricity via windmills.

That very interesting, but I couldn't see the guys photos for some reason. Ben (BenT1) had worked with some material that might make a very good heat exchanger. He hasn't been on in a while, but I've got his email here. I'll try and reach him.

I couldn't see the pics either. I posted it mainly to show that someone had done it. I also found another link that showed four Stirling engines actually in use in an industrial setting that were producing something like 20 megawatts. A lot of off-gridders use Stirling engines made from stuff laying about so it's definitely a doable thing.

Intereting a stirling engine doesent take much heat differential to work. I saw a modern marvels episode where they had one that worked off the heat of your hand as it sat in your palm ran a little fan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iP6hfc5NbY

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BIG-STIRLING-ENGINE-RUNS-ANY-HEAT-SOURCE-FLY-WHEEL-850RPM-58cc-/200712062704?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ebb5f06f0

Here's one running a home-made go-cart, looks like the same size as the one you posted. If it can spin up an alternator with a load you'll be golden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS5x91CZbtY&feature=related

Whipped383 wrote:

Intereting a stirling engine doesent take much heat differential to work. I saw a modern marvels episode where they had one that worked off the heat of your hand as it sat in your palm ran a little fan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_dHhGOXkKo&feature=related

I dunno....I just thnk....... 'wooden electricity.....wooden work'.
Bahahahahahahahahahaaaa.....sometimes I crack me up.

You "Audi" not think that way

Boosted

Ohhh Boyyyyy, bad puns

Think about it, you could chose to have "elect tree city".

Dean Kamen has unveiled the latest iteration of his power and water package for the third world. The two components are a water purifier called Slingshot that uses a fraction of the power of alternatives and a Stirling engine based power generator that works on cow dung. The $1500 water purifier will produce 1000 liters of water a day, while the $3,700 generator produces around 1 kW, which is enough to deliver light to a small village. With most villages in third world countries still in need of both electricity and clean drinking water, these gadgets are very practical.

http://www.ecofriend.com/entry/slingshot-water-purifier-and-sterling-generator-gadgets-with-a-green-tinge/

It looked like the go cart video had some torque issues. It was interesting how the guy got belts to go round and push at least some weight, if not quite enough to get it going on it's own, or like when it slowed with the woman driver when she turned sharply. Now, for a stationary engine that just needed to turn a generator wheel, that does look promising.

I liked Dean Kamen's things too. That article was dated 2008, I wonder what became of those ideas? Have to google that. And, I wonder if dog poop would work as good as cow dung? Think of the free "raw materials" available in most cities!! If you could generate electricity and sell it back to the utility company, that would be "the shits"!!

Check this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pdqDQwehlk&feature=related

http://www.dekaresearch.com/stirling.shtml



An Electric Car With a Stirling Engine
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/cars-transportation/dean-kamen-deka-revolt-electric-car-stirling-461108





http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2010/01/02/31-efficient-stirling-engines-used-to-convert-1-5mw-of-arizona-solar-power/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LOcyjZthsg&feature=related

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/stirling-engine.htm

Well, there we go then. We're coming up with plenty of possibilities. Makoi will be tripping the light fantastic out in the back forty before we know it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4WtUjGYXfw

saturnstyl wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4WtUjGYXfw

Accident Petushki district, Vladimir region, 25.02.2012

That's a reminder to have good winter tires and have the skills to drive in these conditions or stay home. Very sad.