Peltier Junctions

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Has anyone played with these?

They're the devices (developed by NASA in the 60s I believe) that make those little "cooler/heaters" that have no moving parts. They're often powered by 12VDC in vehicles.

If you apply electricity, the device gets hot on one side and cold on the other.

If you apply heat to one side you get cold out the other and electricity out the "middle". Vice-versa with applying cold.

Anyone know what happens if you apply electricity to one, put its "hot" side against the "hot" side of another and install an electric load to the 2nd device. Specifically do BOTH "cold" sides (now facing oppositely) get cold with somewhat diminished electricity available for the load?

They're kind of expensive (even in surplus) and easy to destroy with inappropriate tinkering but I'm about ready to buy three.

Dave Palmer_3

I've

got a heater cooler cooler by igloo that you flip the plug,same thing as your talking about I would guess? Works great,camping or bringing hot food to a tailgate party. Dave Palmer

john wood

Check out this link

http://www.hydrocool.com/main.html

They seem to have a neat innovation using back to back junctions for home a/c!!

john wood

Check out this link

http://www.hydrocool.com/main.html

They seem to have a neat innovation using back to back junctions for home a/c!!

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Thanks John

I hadn't seen that one.

But I do still have this strange idea that it can be done without cooling the air itself--and without a particularly large area accepting the radiation.

Found Peltier junctions at a price low enough to "play" with them.

If I can actually use the heat generated by one to generate electricity in another AND the cool side of both still gets cool this could be really interesting because you'll have a cool object with the heat sink being an self-generated electric load. The problem will be if the process is TOO efficient and you get nearly the same amount of electricity out as electricity in with little cooling...

Steve Ebels

Mike

Do you actually work or do you just sit around and think of this stuff all day?? (big Grin)

Mike T., Swampeast MO

No, I'm neither a monk nor wealthy...

I grew up with business in the home. About 40 telephones constantly ringing, LOTS of repetitive administrative work injected with other work requiring full attention.

To be efficient I had to learn to ignore distraction and plan the "brain" work while doing repetitive work.

As you might guess it's very difficult for me to ever relax.