Search found 36 matches

by RonT
Thu Sep 05, 2013 6:24 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: domestic Stirling home heat & power in North America?
Replies: 4
Views: 3623

Re: domestic Stirling home heat & power in North America?

I'll do that. It wouldn't have to be made in the US as long as it was a company with a good reputation and had support in North America.

Ron T
by RonT
Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:07 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: domestic Stirling home heat & power in North America?
Replies: 4
Views: 3623

domestic Stirling home heat & power in North America?

After living here in Yellowknife for over seven years, we're thinking about giving up renting. We'd like to build or buy our own place. Energy costs here are quite high, energy efficiency does pay off. If we were to build, or renovate and older place would a Stirling home heating and power generator...
by RonT
Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:00 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: power for using an alternator for battery charging?
Replies: 32
Views: 18195

Re: power for using an alternator for battery charging?

I'd best let the more experienced and knowledgeable on this list answer this question. In the short time that I've been here the question about the availability of DIY, kit, or manufactured Stirling engines in the centiWatt to low kiloWatt range has been one of the most frequently asked by newcomers...
by RonT
Sun Aug 25, 2013 7:31 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: popcan stirling can light up CFL.
Replies: 21
Views: 10559

Re: popcan stirling can light up CFL.

Interesting idea, using previously used metal barrels. A few years ago we lived in a house at a floatplane base. At times there would be empty fuel barrels stored there, they had no recycling value up here so quite a few would collect until they had to be removed. As they were capped and sealed, eve...
by RonT
Fri Aug 23, 2013 6:22 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: popcan stirling can light up CFL.
Replies: 21
Views: 10559

Re: popcan stirling can light up CFL.

That reminds me of someone else's signature that I liked, probably on a Land Rover forum. It read, "If a hammer doesn't fix it then its an electrical problem". A month or so ago the boss had me flown across the lake to Hay River because he couldn't start the right engine on a small twin en...
by RonT
Mon May 13, 2013 9:22 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: "Precer" wood pellet powered Stirling, 'Off Road' Car
Replies: 12
Views: 8596

Re: "Precer" wood pellet powered Stirling, 'Off Road' Car

Thats and interesting application for the Whispergen, I wonder if they might have purchased the rights to the engine, and perhaps looking into manufacturing even it. Sadly, from what I've seen, most Stirling engines are novelty toys, while at the other end of the scale there are units priced out of ...
by RonT
Mon May 13, 2013 9:16 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Hi, I'm new here.....
Replies: 1
Views: 2306

Re: Hi, I'm new here.....

Hi, and welcome to the list. I haven't been here that long myself, but there are others here with a much better background and experience with Stirling Engines, both in practice and theory. My background isn't in engines, Stirling or other, but in aircraft electronics and radio (I'm also an amateur ...
by RonT
Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:41 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: "Precer" wood pellet powered Stirling, 'Off Road' Car
Replies: 12
Views: 8596

Re: "Precer" wood pellet powered Stirling, 'Off Road' Car

I'd like to have one. Most things that will burn pellets will also burn corn kernels and possibly wood chips. It was probably a one of a kind proof of concept and not meant to be a practical vehicle.
by RonT
Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:24 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: "Precer" wood pellet powered Stirling, 'Off Road' Car
Replies: 12
Views: 8596

Re: "Precer" wood pellet powered Stirling, 'Off Road' Car

FWIW, a couple of weeks ago, after viewing this post, I sent the company a short e-mail asking them if they had any plans to make either their modified PGO Bug Racer 500i available, or market a conversion kit for the Bug Racer 500i. No reply has since been received. Too bad!
by RonT
Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:16 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Linear alternator discussion
Replies: 28
Views: 38608

Re: Linear alternator discussion

Linear alternators are at the heart of those "battery-less" flashlights that you shake back and forth to light the LED. Their problem, as I see it, has little to do with the alternator design, rather the energy losses when reversing the mass of the moving magnet (or coil assembly) at the e...
by RonT
Sun Feb 03, 2013 8:08 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: 500w from NZ
Replies: 5
Views: 4866

Re: 500w from NZ

No, I am of the impression that the video speed was correct. Having lived on the east coast and seen a full size dory powered by an antique hit & miss engine the speed of this much smaller vessel was believable. Given the boats design, the calm water, and the relatively small bow wave, it seemed...
by RonT
Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:59 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Solar Parabolic Stirling dish
Replies: 9
Views: 6861

Re: Solar Parabolic Stirling dish

The difficulty making out the small groups of people talking led me to believe that the background generator noise was higher than expected. For decades I've been reading about efforts to produce green affordable energy, its discouraging seeing one promising idea after another fail. Maybe someday we...
by RonT
Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:22 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Solar Parabolic Stirling dish
Replies: 9
Views: 6861

Re: Solar Parabolic Stirling dish

It looks like we could expect more of these arrays to be built. The noise level in the array was higher than I expected, that will probably come down as the technology matures. A couple of questions weren't addressed though, such as what the mean time before failure was, and maintenance costs. There...
by RonT
Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:35 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: New Member stirling engine history
Replies: 3
Views: 3645

Re: New Member stirling engine history

Hi, I've only been here a short time myself, but perhaps because its Christmas the forum is a little slow and those more qualified to welcome you here are otherwise occupied. So, welcome to the list from a junior member. From what I've observed it seems to be quite a friendly and well moderated grou...
by RonT
Wed Dec 19, 2012 8:56 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Index of modern Stirling engines
Replies: 6
Views: 9528

Re: Index of modern Stirling engines

Regarding the companies that manufacture domestic CHP units, are any in North America? Are there companies, from anywhere, marketing CHP units in Canada or the US. I see that Whispergen are sold and supported in a half dozen or so EU countries, but not in the Americas. Ron T