And now for something completely different ! - Steam-Roid

[ajaffa1]

There are plans and castings available for small 3 stage yacht steam engines that are 8-10% efficiency.  I'd love to see one of those running on a home built solar boiler... but I sure like the no moving parts power of PV.

Where are the plans available? I`d love to build one of those. PV steam boiler would be possible here in northern NSW Australia. Maybe we have found a use for all glorts solar panels.

[BruceM]

I'll bet there's something similar in the UK.

http://www.reliablesteam.com/RSE/RSEhome.html

Some smalller commercial power farms uses sterling engines at the focus of a large parabolic reflector, with the whole business tracked.  Bigger sites went with the central tower with molten salts and heliostats to feed a conventional steam turbine.

[ajaffa1]

I was thinking of burning wood, I have a bit of a glut since we had that mini cyclone before Xmas. This pile is probably only 15% of what I have cut up in the last few months.

[ajaffa1]

Splinters are a bugger as well but it`s helping me get back some fitness so I shouldn't complain.
A waste oil wood burner in the living room is something I`ve got to see, please post some pictures when you have it running.
Bob

[veggie]

A solar boiler powering something like this could keep batteries topped up.
Wood fire as a backup.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85OmZU3dZpA

Bulk charge with this unit and have a few PV panels to do the topping off.

Veggie

[veggie]

... and here is one of the units from Tiny Power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cf8h3mTg9A


Veggie

[BruceM]

Fun videos to watch, Veggie.  Thanks!

Not many of us off grid, so decent size home power TEG units for those in the woods don't seem to be available. 

Almost no need for generator charging of batteries here; I did do it twice this winter but could have not bothered. 

[ajaffa1]

Very cool videos. Not sure how practical they would be as we have a total fire ban here in Australia for six months of the year.
Get`s so hot and dry here that bush fires are a real danger. The rural fire service even bans farmers from harvesting some days as a spark from the machinery can cause havoc.
A set up like that might be fun to take to a show, might even be able to modify the fire box to make pizza at the same time.

I`ve been thinking about Glorts idea of a waste oil fired living room heater. What about using a vaporising wick style burner out of an old kitchen range cooker. Aga or Rayburn burner in a pot bellied stove might work well.