That heatsinky bit looks like a prop from Star Trek, could be the top of a fusion reactor core that drives the impulse engines, just illuminate it with much blue light and it's perfect... :P
Great content and great series so far, I really want to see this succeed, but either way the learnings will be worth it. You are the doer, I'm a viewer, so keep it up, I learned a lot from your diesel heater content, and more specifically what they wont run on! Cant wait to see the outcome here. Thanks David.
Just my 2p worth, having been fascinated by (and playing with “toy”) stirling engines for decades. Output appears to be single phase, but is likely to need a “kick” to start it running. Connect the two output wires to the centre contacts of a DPDT relay. Connect the normally made relay contacts to a solar MPPT via a bridge rectifier, this should operate from around 50v but also go up to 500v DC no problem. You may need some capacitor smoothing on the DC output side, electrolytic capacitors from old mains switch mode power supplies will work here - up to 400 volts. On the make side of the relay, connect an electrolytic capacitor (again, a 400v one out of a switch mode power supply) with a diode in series to prevent back flow. Charge this using a bench power supply, I’d start around 50v and work up from there. When briefly activating the relay this dumps the capacitor and gives the stirling engine the “kick” it needs to start. Once the relay is released any output from the now running stirling engine goes to the MPPT. Needless to say; lots of volts and energy in capacitors, so sensible precautions apply!
Dave, it's a man shed's dream project and i am living the dream with you. been watching something else that maybe of interest that relates - someone building an acoustic thermal engine to generate power in their shed - 'my engines'. enjoying very much - thanks!
The top of which was removed from the Stirling engine, already has a very nice entrance for waste gases from the heat exchanger :D Good Job Waiting for more! :D
Hi David. Having built a few Stirling engines as hobby pieces the first thing I'd do to see if I can get any reaction from it is to disconnect the AC output so the alternator is in free run, run a garden hose through the cold side and heat the big heat sink with some thing like an electric heat gun/blow torch, I test my hobby ones on a gas ring. You really can't stop a Stirling engine from running once the timings right and since your not interfering with any of that end, it should just start. The electrics that are attached to it presently are most likely just to keep the alternator in free run until it builds enough speed, heat and power and to regulate the voltage once it reaches that point. Disconnect everything and hit it a kick, what's the worst that can happen.
without any electronics attached, with hot and cold supplied, the stirling engine should turn. I'd be tempted to start with a heat gun for convenience as your heat source. Assuming the output is AC you might be able to start with a wind turbine controller?
With free pistons before I've seen should just heat them up and give them a nudge to get them going. This could be a quick power pulse into the coil or hit it with a hammer in direction of travel. Don't know what you have to mesure stuff do you have a scope? I would start with a mesurement device meter might work. woble it on the strings and see what you get out will give you an idea of how much voltage you need to put in it.
The plan would be to use a diesel heater as the heat source, once the hot gas has passed through the engine it can then be used to heat a space. Providing heat and power in theory.
@@DavidMcLuckie forgive me for my ignorance Why aren't you connecting the exhaust outlet of the diesel heater too gas burner inlet you remove within the first 3 minutes? All the control electronics you need are already installed (where they need to be) just run the machine within it's design parameters using your diesel space heater exhaust inplace of the gas burner mixer tube you first removed Patch in the gas burner signal too run into the diesel heater's Patch in the original circulating pump signal to run into air fans on the hot inlet/outlets if you're not using some form of circulating water too maintain design parameters Looks to me that you're trying to create work for yourself.....or am I missing something? (Yes sterling motors normally need an assist to start, but I assume the manufacturer has already done that for you)
Bon alors déjà, c'est du gaz et si c'était si efficace que ça (et silencieux) ça se saurait ! apres pour le discours technique, il y aura des progrès a faire....
That heatsinky bit looks like a prop from Star Trek, could be the top of a fusion reactor core that drives the impulse engines, just illuminate it with much blue light and it's perfect... :P
ENGAGE !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great content and great series so far, I really want to see this succeed, but either way the learnings will be worth it. You are the doer, I'm a viewer, so keep it up, I learned a lot from your diesel heater content, and more specifically what they wont run on! Cant wait to see the outcome here. Thanks David.
Just my 2p worth, having been fascinated by (and playing with “toy”) stirling engines for decades.
Output appears to be single phase, but is likely to need a “kick” to start it running.
Connect the two output wires to the centre contacts of a DPDT relay.
Connect the normally made relay contacts to a solar MPPT via a bridge rectifier, this should operate from around 50v but also go up to 500v DC no problem. You may need some capacitor smoothing on the DC output side, electrolytic capacitors from old mains switch mode power supplies will work here - up to 400 volts.
On the make side of the relay, connect an electrolytic capacitor (again, a 400v one out of a switch mode power supply) with a diode in series to prevent back flow. Charge this using a bench power supply, I’d start around 50v and work up from there.
When briefly activating the relay this dumps the capacitor and gives the stirling engine the “kick” it needs to start. Once the relay is released any output from the now running stirling engine goes to the MPPT.
Needless to say; lots of volts and energy in capacitors, so sensible precautions apply!
Bro👌
Dave, it's a man shed's dream project and i am living the dream with you. been watching something else that maybe of interest that relates - someone building an acoustic thermal engine to generate power in their shed - 'my engines'. enjoying very much - thanks!
The top of which was removed from the Stirling engine, already has a very nice entrance for waste gases from the heat exchanger :D
Good Job Waiting for more! :D
Really good content, thanks from Spain!
Hi David. Having built a few Stirling engines as hobby pieces the first thing I'd do to see if I can get any reaction from it is to disconnect the AC output so the alternator is in free run, run a garden hose through the cold side and heat the big heat sink with some thing like an electric heat gun/blow torch, I test my hobby ones on a gas ring. You really can't stop a Stirling engine from running once the timings right and since your not interfering with any of that end, it should just start. The electrics that are attached to it presently are most likely just to keep the alternator in free run until it builds enough speed, heat and power and to regulate the voltage once it reaches that point. Disconnect everything and hit it a kick, what's the worst that can happen.
That's about what my plan is for the first run. From what I've read when it wants to stop it just switches onto a dump load and it stops.
without any electronics attached, with hot and cold supplied, the stirling engine should turn. I'd be tempted to start with a heat gun for convenience as your heat source.
Assuming the output is AC you might be able to start with a wind turbine controller?
With free pistons before I've seen should just heat them up and give them a nudge to get them going. This could be a quick power pulse into the coil or hit it with a hammer in direction of travel.
Don't know what you have to mesure stuff do you have a scope? I would start with a mesurement device meter might work. woble it on the strings and see what you get out will give you an idea of how much voltage you need to put in it.
This project has my curiosity.
I also wonder if the generator will need an excitation to get started?
What's the fascination with using diesel as the fuel as opposed too gas?
The plan would be to use a diesel heater as the heat source, once the hot gas has passed through the engine it can then be used to heat a space. Providing heat and power in theory.
@@DavidMcLuckie forgive me for my ignorance
Why aren't you connecting the exhaust outlet of the diesel heater too gas burner inlet you remove within the first 3 minutes?
All the control electronics you need are already installed (where they need to be) just run the machine within it's design parameters using your diesel space heater exhaust inplace of the gas burner mixer tube you first removed
Patch in the gas burner signal too run into the diesel heater's
Patch in the original circulating pump signal to run into air fans on the hot inlet/outlets if you're not using some form of circulating water too maintain design parameters
Looks to me that you're trying to create work for yourself.....or am I missing something?
(Yes sterling motors normally need an assist to start, but I assume the manufacturer has already done that for you)
44 mega farad😂...
Yes I now realise that is not what that meant. But I thought the MF rating was only on older electronics?
Bon alors déjà, c'est du gaz et si c'était si efficace que ça (et silencieux) ça se saurait ! apres pour le discours technique, il y aura des progrès a faire....
What are you rambling on about.
What do you think the heat sync is made of? Is it copper?