# 19th Century "Generator"



## KittyCat (Dec 1, 2010)

Some time ago I saw an infomercial on the internet adverting plans that would allow you to build a "generator" that was originally used in the 19th century to replace steam boilers in Britain. Accordingly the invention came about because the brother of the inventor was killed in a steam boiler accident. It uses the sun as a source of energy. What I recall so vividly is a picture of what appears to be a u or v shape fork with a blazing natural gas blue light between the forks, and this was the source of the power. Supposedly this device can be used to generate electricity, and such units (small & large scale) are available commercially and sold in third world countries. Does any one know what this thing is? If yes, is it efficient and worth the cost to build or purchase?


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I've no idea what it could be, but my first thought is... why an "info-mercial". It seems they are selling you something that might already exist.

Back in that timeframe, steam was the magical new power. It seems like just another way to heat water. Charging batteries did not come into existence until much later. maybe I am incorrect there!!!


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## KittyCat (Dec 1, 2010)

You are correct that they were trying (without success) to sell me plans for this "generator". I was thoroughly disgusted by their sales pitch that they were the patriotic self sufficient American good guys exposing the "big, bad power companies" that are acting in conspiracy, trying to suppress this invention. One would think that if this generator is good as it is claimed by the ad these companies would be using it to produce cheap massive quantities of energy. In retrospect, what I saw may have been a type of parabolic generator that could heat water to steam to generate electricity. I am just not certain; but I know that they are still commercially made today as I saw one for sale by a company not connected with the infomercial. Is this perhaps, as I described it in my previous post, in fact, a parabolic generator, and if so, what do you know about them?

Postscript: There is nothing wrong with being a patriotic self sufficient American good guy (or Canadian as well).


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

I had a friend in school that built a little DC generator using a series of copper and iron wires twisted at the ends and heated by a candle, it would light up a flashlight bulb, wonder if it's what you are talking about?


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## labotomi (Feb 14, 2010)

Viking said:


> I had a friend in school that built a little DC generator using a series of copper and iron wires twisted at the ends and heated by a candle, it would light up a flashlight bulb, wonder if it's what you are talking about?


That's a thermocouple. Milivolt output dependent upon the difference in temperature from the junction of the wires to the measuring end of the wires.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Something sounds fishy , you could check the http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/ archives to see if anything similar is in the articles, there was a large area lighting system that used arc lighting and the device sounds similar to what you described. (there is an article about that)


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## KittyCat (Dec 1, 2010)

A VERY big THANK YOU to you Tirediron for directing me to that website. From it I was able to link to a video on YouTube and discovered the generator in question is a Sterling engine.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

KittyCat said:


> A VERY big THANK YOU to you Tirediron for directing me to that website. From it I was able to link to a video on YouTube and discovered the generator in question is a Sterling engine.


A couple years ago it was announced that most efficient solar power installation in the world was not some high-end photovoltaics (common solar panels), but it was actually a solar powered Sterling engine that set the world efficiency record.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-engines-the-future-of-solar-power/

http://www.greenoptimistic.com/stirling-engine-efficiency-ripasso/#.VOJzC3k5DVg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_engine


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