Looking for some opinions...

[barr5150]

Hello! I'm new to the stirling engine world and have a few questions. My sons science fair is coming up at school and he/we would like to build a fairly simple engine to display. I think I've spent a few hours now looking around on line and there are literally thousands of designs available. Any thoughts on a specific design that might run a small light bulb using a candle as a heat source? I'm not really looking to experiment too much. I'd like to use a design that I know works and will last for a while. Thanks in advance for your help!

[Junkie]

If you happen to have an old timer mechanism from a washing machine, or some other synchronous type motor, you can use this video tutorial
to add a small LED light to pretty much any engine that runs above around 100 RPM. Easy to add.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwofse9ICxo

[Ian S C]

Hi junkie, quite useful little alternator. If you pull a washing machine to bits to get the wee motor, you'll find more coils that you can use, the electricly opperated valves for the water inlet have a coil about 1" dia X 1" long, one for the hot, and one for cold water, I used two of these on the Stove Top fan in my gallery when I was testing it, I got enough voltage with six magnets to run a transistor radio, or charge two NiCads, can't remember volts, and amps.
That alternator in the vidio would stand another coil, either wire in parallel to give twice the amps, or in series to double the volts. It would be better to use white LEDS, they need less voltage so they would be brighter, as is it would manage two or three LEDS, and with an extra coil, it would run a small transistor radio.
I used ordenary ferite magnets, but the magnets out of old hard drives are the ideal for this type of alternator, they are boomerang shape, and if you look at the top of one of these magnets, one end is north and the other south, so that for the alternator in the vidio would require five magnets, perhaps on a smaller radius. Ian S C

[jimlarsen]

Personally, I am kind of partial to this design. :-)
http://sites.google.com/site/stirlingbu ... ing-engine

I have never tried to generate electricity with one, but I am sure it could be done on a very small scale.

[LinwoodKellon]

I think I've spent a few hours now looking around on line and there are literally thousands of designs available. Any thoughts on a specific design that might run a small light bulb using a candle as a heat source?

[Ian S C]

One thing that controls what you build is governed by what your workshop contains, it may be a few hand tools, or you may have a lathe, and other machinery, this desides whether you build a tin can motor, or a fully machined one. Ian S C

[xfoxx]

not sure,because the led bulbs use the LEDs as light source,not much heat source

[fullofhotair]

These little tin can stirling engines put out such low power your better off charging a capacitor first ,then lighting a small LED. Look up earth battery on U-tube to see the simple circuitry.

[masonlvvy]

you can search some app to help ou finish the job...i think it's not difficult.....

[Ian S C]

MasonIvvy, Ian S C

[vamoose]

you can search some app to help ou finish the job...i think it's not difficult.....

Masonlvvy, you appear to be a 'troll'. If you have something intelligent to contribute then please do so...

vamoose

[Administrator]

[Ian S C]

barr5150, Have a look a Boydhouse's web site, think that might show you a bit about tin can motors. There are other sites too. Ian S C