TEG charge controller

[fblevins1]

So, having already run through here and posted and learned about how to set up my own little solar panel power generation station and now it sits just doing its thing without any assistance from me other than to occasionally shine my flashlight into the corner monitor what it is doing, I now turn my attention to thermoelectric power generation. My son bought me a box of TEG's, and I have some high temp thermal paste/glue on the way and I rounded up a few different types of passive heat sinks and will soon start generating unregulated power, measuring the voltage, maybe even use a small 60 watt electronic load on the output to get an idea about how much power a one or more TEG's can output. So the question is, while I have found a source or two that specializes in TEG output regulation, many of them the products are out of stock...not good. So, I wonder if a solar charge controller could step in and do the job I need? The maximum output of my TEG's are 14.4 volts at up to 6 Amps. So assuming that I can create a sufficient delta temperature (difference in the hot and cold side) in the temperature range they operate, why wouldn't a solar charge controller work? I realize that TEG's are not the most efficient way to generate power, my idea is to capture as much energy as possible and if you have heat being generated anyway, why not harvest the energy from that, while the heat source is doing its heat thing? I have seen charge controllers that have both wind and solar inputs but I can't recall if I have seen them with thermal inputs. Figured I would shake your brains and see what falls out. You guys/gals were beyond helpful in getting my set up going.

 

[Repro]

The company I worked for used TEG Generators on the natural gas well pads. I called one of the techs and he said that most TEG equipment is industrial, however he gave me a few web sites to pass along.

Tecteg Power Generator - Tecteg Power Generator.com

Welcome Home TECTEG MFR. is a leading THERMOELCTRIC POWER design and manufacturing company located in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. 25 YEARS of designing and cons

tecteg.com

Home-Thermoelectric-generator TEG modules 100W wood stove generator

thermoelectric-generator.com

TEGmart - Thermoelectric Generator Products

He yold me that TEG's are used generally for DC to DC conversion and in low power consumption applications. The company I worked for replaced all solar for TEG as natural gas is in abundance on the well pads. Pennsylvania has a lot of cloudy weather year round and the small solar set ups could not keep up. I cannot elborate more on TEG as I personally have no experience with them except for the gas well pads.

I hope this helps.

 

[fblevins1]

Even before your post, I was already taking a shine to the MVPT10W-5V-12V, its price makes it worth using for low power applications. Thanks for adding a little bit of confidence to this process. I have a spare dual controller laying around that is (I think) made for solar and wind, but would the controller actually know or care where it is getting the voltage from? I think it is going to be a bit before I am ready to even introduce a controller into the set up. Edit: I just noticed your other link. Indeed, as soon as their stock is back, I will give a couple of those a try...on the same page, thanks again.

 

[Repro]

The solar charge controllers are designed with an algorithm specifically for solar panels. My friend who sets up the TEG systems said that solar charge controllers will not work. But hey, anything is possible if you have an old PWM controller laying around, no doubt, give it a try. Let me know if you have any success. Good luck with it.

 

[Don B. Cilly]

"TEG Generator POWER technology has it’s strengths" ?
As a first sentence on a main corporate web page?
-

 

[Rednecktek]

Wow, and I thought solar was the most expensive way to generate electricity. Their generators are $10-$20/watt!

 

[Repro]

"TEG Generator POWER technology has it’s strengths" ?
As a first sentence on a main corporate web page?
-

TEG definitely has its strengths. Where solar failed in its intended use on well pads, TEG came through as a much more reliable source of energy that reduced power outages on well pads and kept well production online.

Just because of the switch to TEG, we had far fewer operators having to switch out dead batteries that solar failed to keep charged, increase in gas production, fewer repairs to the electrical and electronic equipment as well.

So yes, TEG Does have its strengths.

 

[Repro]

Wow, and I thought solar was the most expensive way to generate electricity. Their generators are $10-$20/watt!

TEG is more expensive, and one reason why it is mostly used in industrial applications. I personally would never use TEG myself due to its nature and high cost.

Solar’s source of power is free, TEG needs a heat source which end users and consumers need to pay for. Very inefficient and costly. But it has its uses and applications and is perfect for use in gas and oil production. I am sure there are other good uses for it as well.

 

[sunshine]

have a spare dual controller laying around that is (I think) made for solar and wind, but would the controller actually know or care where it is getting the voltage from?

V is V and it doesn't matter where it comes from if within the limits of a solar CC..but there are users within this forum that specifically deal with low output contollers that may join in....

Wow, and I thought solar was the most expensive way to generate electricity. Their generators are $10-$20/watt!

StarLink 40w + RaspberryPi 10w + Monitor 20w = $700 probably the cheapest way to boil a kettle and check your Facebook during a arctic winter!

 

[Don B. Cilly]

TEG definitely has its strengths.

I don't doubt that. They might be seen as somewhat "weak" strengths... but I'm sure it has them.

What I was doubting was the use the English language in the first sentence there. ;·)
-

 

[fblevins1]

TEG technology, in my case is meant to make use of heat that is already being generated. It is meant to be part of a broader range of power generation. So far I have a decent 3 panel set up, a wind generator, a pedal generator and hopefully soon, a TEG for use with a campfire. This is all about power generation in an emergency. And of course, to learn a little bit as I go. The TEG modules are dirt cheap TEC1-12706, Silicone heat transfer compound/glue is cheap, the various passive heat sinks did not cost me anything and I have a few ideas to use items I have around the home to be used as a base heat contact plate, a couple of low power fans to help shunt heat away from the cold side and then finally, if all that works out a means to regulate and supply USB power. I have one pre-made TEG that is actually kind of lame because you build the fire inside the unit and it uses a fan to create a fire tornado and generate heat, but the power to cost/effort ratio is so low it's ridiculous, nevertheless, it was bought and the deed is done, but it did spawn the idea to make a unit that can simply sit there doing it's thing while the chestnuts are roasting on an open fire....minus Jack Frost....it's Monterey.

 

[fblevins1]

V is V and it doesn't matter where it comes from if within the limits of a solar CC..but there are users within this forum that specifically deal with low output contollers that may join in....


StarLink 40w + RaspberryPi 10w + Monitor 20w = $700 probably the cheapest way to boil a kettle and check your Facebook during a arctic winter!

It may well be that I will ultimately need to store the energy into a battery to be used perhaps with a small inverter that has built in USB ports. Using a TEG in an informal and cheap environment may require a means to simply regulate the power as best I can and dump that into a battery, but real time power is what I am really after. Maybe that 36 AH Battery I have laying around might be a good place to store the power or hell maybe even my Jackery since it is may not care where the DC voltage is coming from, it simply takes whatever it can and charges its internal batteries when it can. When this project is complete, if successful, the unit will then be tossed into a box and then stored with the other items and simply wait for an emergency to happen.

 

[sunshine]

It may well be that I will ultimately need to store the energy into a battery to be used perhaps with a small inverter that has built in USB ports.

For direct power one of these seem to fit the output range-

1.82US $ 24% OFF|12v Usb Outlet Waterproof Charger Socket Usb Charging Port For Car Marine Golf 3.1a 4.2a Qc3.0 With Blue Led Voltmeter - Cables, Adapters & Sockets - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

TEG - the above usb adapter - usb battery bank

edit- I had a spare adapter. Just tried it out hooking direct to a little 21.4voc camping panel. It is charging a Romoss 2000mah battery bank---when the sun is out. Charges a bluetooth headphone when behind a cloud. Wont try my phone...let someone else do that first.
Can not see why it wouldn't work if the TEG voltage is within the same range.
edit #update- Charged the lithium battery bank from 3/4 to fully charged in an hour. Will now permanently attach to the panel ready for the next trip to use when we are too far from a 12v battery for the pwmCC....thanks for your post on TEG !

 

[fblevins1]

For direct power one of these seem to fit the output range-

1.82US $ 24% OFF|12v Usb Outlet Waterproof Charger Socket Usb Charging Port For Car Marine Golf 3.1a 4.2a Qc3.0 With Blue Led Voltmeter - Cables, Adapters & Sockets - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

TEG - the above usb adapter - usb battery bank

edit- I had a spare adapter. Just tried it out hooking direct to a little 21.4voc camping panel. It is charging a Romoss 2000mah battery bank---when the sun is out. Charges a bluetooth headphone when behind a cloud. Wont try my phone...let someone else do that first.
Can not see why it wouldn't work if the TEG voltage is within the same range.

I am keeping that information on hold....I agree, lots of potential. The ordering seems complicated but I will figure that out too, when show time comes.

 

[fblevins1]

I have learned a bit more and I am still waiting on the high temperature thermal sink glue, the most difficult thing to do is create a fast application of high temperature at the plate so that an immediate delta T is produced. I tried a test with a thick cast iron skillet...nope, it takes too long to get up to temperature and you never reach a delta T high enough to produce power. I think I am going to raid the metal recycle bin at work and see if I can find a right sized plate to mount so the generator can be put immediately onto a preheated base fire...be it pan or just over the fire. The key, I guess is to get the delta temperature between the hot cold side as quickly as possible and then keep the cold side much cooler and....hope for the best. Before I spend money on post regulation, I am going to use a 60 watt electronic load for testing. Just thinking out loud.

 

[Repro]

Good luck with it. Please keep us posted. I am curious how it works out. Thanks!

 

[natdak]

How did it go?

 

[fblevins1]

It went horribly. I screwed up and mounted every single one of them upside down so the test was a complete flop. I have removed the TEG's and put everything into a bag for now. Later when I get the chance I will have to remove all the old thermal glue and try again, but once I realized that I mounted all them upside down, it removed my will to live, but that only lasted 415.3 milliseconds so I have had time to recover.

 

[natdak]

Haha nothing to worry about, thats just standard procedure .. Im wanting to build one for the upcoming winter and I just started a thread, looking for input. Check it out: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/diy-stovetop-100w-teg-build-design-input-wanted.46999/