Capturing energy that is flowing out and normally lost.

Thread Starter

Rolland B. Heiss

Joined Feb 4, 2015
236
This is what I did with my time after work today. Explain it to me because I don't understand how it is happening. As I am typing this my monitor is running and energy is leaving the homemade antenna which seems like a waste, despite the fact that I am not using the antenna to watch TV.

 

Hypatia's Protege

Joined Mar 1, 2015
3,228
The observed EMF owes to minute currents corollary to 'detected' EMR and, perhaps, to a greater extent, mere magnetic coupling to 'mains' operated devices.

The circuit appears to comprise one Mylar and one electrolytic capacitor connected via back-to-back Ge diodes (1N34?) one pair each 'leg' -- Please be advised that such an arrangement varies widely from optimal detection technique. Apart from all else electrolytic caps are far too ‘leaky’ for ‘small signal’ applications…

Without wishing to discourage investigation and innovation please be aware that conversion of 'noise' to useful energy is, to date, a 'losing game' -- consider, for instance, the 'photo voltaic cell' despite tens of billions in research, an incredibly energetic noise source (i.e. solar radiation incident at sea level), decades are required for the devices' electrical output to offset their manufacturing cost…

With constructive intent

HP
 

AnalogKid

Joined Aug 1, 2013
10,986
Nice idea, but not original and not very good. It uses electronic components, but the idea behind it is untrained and inexperienced. Assuming the meter has an input impedance of 1 meg-ohm (and it probably is higher), 22 mV equates to 480 picowatts. In other words, 10 such energy gatherers and 10 separate antennae, all combined together, would equal the energy of a falling eyelash. Search for "energy harvesting schematic" to see far more efficient components and circuits. Note that they all are way more complex than what is in this video. That's because harvesting, and harvesting something useful are two very different things. And in no case does the harvested energy ever, EVER offset the energy expended to create the components and the circuit. Over the next few decades harvested energy will grow into a significant segment of electronic circuit development, but it never ever will be free.

ak
 

alfacliff

Joined Dec 13, 2013
2,458
how can you tell if the energy is leaving or entering your "antenna" even though your monitor is running? what real difference is there to an antenna if it is being used to recieve tv signals or not? do you think that signals are coming out of your antenna when the tv is on? they arent.
 

Thread Starter

Rolland B. Heiss

Joined Feb 4, 2015
236
how can you tell if the energy is leaving or entering your "antenna" even though your monitor is running? what real difference is there to an antenna if it is being used to recieve tv signals or not? do you think that signals are coming out of your antenna when the tv is on? they arent.
The voltmeter told me that the energy was leaving. Did you watch the video in full?
 

AnalogKid

Joined Aug 1, 2013
10,986
Not quite. The voltmeter told you that there is a potential difference between two points on a conductive material surface. That's not the same as energy, especially energy in any practical sense. The very high input impedance of a digital voltmeter makes it a misleading and even deceptive device in this application. You can measure a potential difference between the ends of the lead (graphite) in a #2 pencil, but no one would leap to calling the pencil an antenna, let alone a radiated power receiver.

ak
 

alfacliff

Joined Dec 13, 2013
2,458
how can a voltmeter by itsself tell which way current is flowing? especially ac or rf? if the meter is set on dc, its not reading anything meaningfull, only staticcharge.
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
So why the fixation on trying to harvest microscopic levels of electrical energy that are capable of doing virtually nothing when there is a world of other forms of energies that are easy to tap into and harvest?
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
So why the fixation on trying to harvest microscopic levels of electrical energy that are capable of doing virtually nothing when there is a world of other forms of energies that are easy to tap into and harvest?
Some people think a million educated engineers have not tapped into this flow of, "free" energy because they merely overlooked it. This gold mine is just waiting for some lucky person to discover it.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
So why the fixation ...?
Fixation seems to me to be a symptom of a separation from reality. People get obsessed with other people, ideologies, technologies, and so on. All of these, I think, fade away when a good dose of reality comes along. They say for every gorgeous girl is a guy trying to get out of a relationship with her. In science, a good understanding of the conservation of mass, energy and momentum, and the laws of thermodynamics, usually tamps down a lot of obsession.

When you face reality and are still fixated, we call that passion and drive. Few of us get to experience it.
 

alfacliff

Joined Dec 13, 2013
2,458
and how many others have overlooked it also? but rehashing the same failed "science" over and over will not really gain anything. not everybody who looked into this has been killed by the men in black, or bought off by the powers that be. I even tried the lightning energy collection using a tesla coil several years ago, didnt generate as much as it used in the 9 volt battery in my meter.
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
THhe way I see it is that in very limited applications a conditions it is doable and will work but overall there is just not enough ambient EMF present to be of any real typical life application and use.

Now that said wind, solar, ambient thermal and the like all are very easy and cheap to tap into and all can easily produce electrical power in levels that are usable and scalable for daily life applications from being able to supply power for something as simple as charging portable devices on up to powering a fair percentage of a person home.

Personally if I was to suggest a simple source of easy to tap into electrical power I would say the OP should get a few Peltier devices and use them to turn waste heat off of common appliances and natural sources to make electrical power. Getting a few watts of power or more that way is pretty easy with minimal work and effort.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
There is certainly a LOT more heat energy around to harvest than there is EM energy. The interest in EM is directed to small, mobile devices where a bit of "free" energy can really make an impact.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
A Peltier makes electricity out of heat?
Put some Peltiers on a water based heat sink and run the water for your cars heater through the plumbing!
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
Yes they do, and I've wondered out loud somewhere on this forum, why the engine block of a car is not covered with a skin of Peltier. It would reduce cooling load perhaps, and capture a little electricity to boot. It should add a percentage point or two the efficiency of the internal combustion engine.

There must be a reason. Perhaps it's simple economics, the same reason they don't put solar panels on top of cars.

BTW, specialized pelters are used for this, and they're called TEGs, thermoelectric generators. I'm not sure how they differ from plain vanilla TECs.
 

alfacliff

Joined Dec 13, 2013
2,458
perhaps its because peltier elements wont take the heat and vibration. years ago, I saw an artical on some small thermopiles that could use the heat of a candle to run a transistor radio.
how about using the heat from the exhaust to boil a liquid to run a "steam engine" to take some of the load from a car engine, like run the alternator and such?
 

Hypatia's Protege

Joined Mar 1, 2015
3,228
Point of order -- Peltier (i.e. thermoelectric) generation, and, for that matter, all manner of physical effect derived from 'heat' requires temperature difference -- Inasmuch as 'heat' (in this sense) is physical entropy, non-differential conversion to other forms of energy would be a neat trick! ;-)

Best regards
HP
 
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