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Author Topic: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel  (Read 112458 times)

billmehess

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Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« on: September 12, 2008, 12:04:39 AM »
This is interesting so I thought I might share it to see what the group thinks. I took a 1.5 sq. in. peltier and connected to a amp meter and a volt meter to see its output under heat conditions.
The peltier is under a glass bowl so I can get the maximum output using a greenhouse effect. At an outside temperature of 83 F. I am getting a reading of 200ma and 20mv output. This is really quite high.
A standard solar panel is around 24"x60" or 1440 in. sq. and will normally put out around 12v-17volts at ideally 100watts.
If the same number of peltier squares were connected in series (960) of them the output would be:
960 x 200ma=  192 amps
960 x 20mv  =  19.2 volts
or
w=va     192 amp x  19.2 volts=  3686 watts
A peltier works on the principal of a difference of the temp. from one side to the other. The greater the delta T the higher the output.
This peltier is sitting on the ground and has been in that position for the last 6 hours.
It reached 200 ma output about 2 hours ago so the output has been steady.
Am I missing something here? this looks really interesting.
Since a peltier "runs" on heat it is not necessary to be orienting it to the sun (as a solar panel). The heat builds up under the glass dome.
Also at night it could also work on your roof in such that the warmth from the housew through the roof relative to the colder outside air would cause the same effect. Works in daylight and at night time.



BEP

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2008, 12:15:33 AM »
Maybe there are some differences with a solar cell but with the cells connected in series and all cells capable of a given current - only the voltage will go up. The amps should be almost the same as one cell.

Is the meter the only load?

billmehess

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2008, 12:25:27 AM »
I have 4 peltiers when I connect them in series the voltage is 4 times and the current is 4 times as much. The voltmeter is the only load at this time

BEP

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2008, 12:39:08 AM »
May I suggest connecting a load other than the meter. Such as a resistor that is still rather high in Ohms but far less than the input impedance of the meter.

What I'm thinking is the meter may be of such high impedance as to not draw the current possible from the cell. This would explain why the current is 4 times as much with 4 cells. Simply because the load remained the same while the voltage increased.

All though, 200ma sounds a bit high for a modern digital meter to draw on it's own. 

billmehess

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2008, 12:45:26 AM »
I am using a panel meter with a 600ma max range to read the amps, The digital meter is reading the voltage

poynt99

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2008, 12:47:13 AM »
i think you are missing something indeed.

how can current increase simply by putting these in series?

you can not multiply your voltage AND current by 960 times, only one of them. current does not add when in series. i thought that was basic knowledge.

so, for the correct calculation, you have:
960 x .02V = 19.2V
current is at 200mA

so 19.2V x .2A = 3.84 Watts

gyulasun

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2008, 12:48:40 AM »

Bill,  you have connected the ampmeter in parallel with the Peltier and it reads about 200mA, right?

And you connected the voltmeter also in parallel with the Peltier, right?


billmehess

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2008, 12:53:37 AM »
I just took a 4900mf cap 25 voltage and shorted to 7.3mv output as read on my multimeter. I then placed my hand on 2 of the four peltiers to read around 56 mv on the multimeter. I discharged the 56 mv into the capacitor. The capicator is now reading 56mv.
Point being this set is capable of charging up a cap to store energy. Obviously would it be able to also charge up a battery- bank of batteries?

billmehess

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2008, 12:57:37 AM »
Again the peltiers in series read 4 times the voltage and 4 times the amperage. If you wish I can post a video on youtube to show this. I'm as perplexed as you are.
Can I post a video on this forum?

gyulasun

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2008, 12:59:14 AM »
Yes, up to 10Mb.  Upload it by first clicking on the Download icon on upper left.

Directly: http://www.overunity.com/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=upload

billmehess

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2008, 01:29:42 AM »
Having trouble with this video download to this site I am going to post it on you tube and get right back with the youtube access.

billmehess

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2008, 01:56:39 AM »
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNPnW8z5Y9g

This show me placing my hand individually on each peltier one at a time and removing them one at a time. There is a corresponding increase and subsequent decrease in both voltage and amperage. The heat from my hand is sufficient to create the reaction.

TheOne

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2008, 01:58:51 AM »
They are a problem with your reading

200ma x 20mv is 0.2a x 0.02v = 0.004w * 1000 (devices) -> 4w

So you got nothing, sorry :)

Try to use a concentrator to get an higher temp on the hot side

billmehess

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2008, 02:10:24 AM »
Yes I ran the same numbers but:
1000 peltiers in series would read 1000 x .019 volts= 19 volts
The same 1000 peltiers in series would read 1000 x .2 amps = 200 amps

200 amps x 19 volts = 3800 watts.


TheOne

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Re: Peltier Generating More Watts Than A Solar Panel
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2008, 02:50:02 AM »
That not work like that, you need to multiply 0.004w * 1000 (devices) -> 4w

You cannot multiply 1000 with V then multiply by A then multiply again, you have one to much multiplication.

200 amps x 19 volts = 3800 watts / 1000 = the real result 4w