A little project I wanted to complete

[jaredburton]

First post!! Anyway,

I recently got a TEG (Thermoelectric Generator) and wanted to use some excess heat from my fireplace or another heat source to charge an iPod, just a cool do it yourself.

I figure I will be using a jewel thief circuit to bump the voltage up (I was getting around 1.1V max from the fireplace) - and then charge a nickel metal hydride battery...which in turn would charge the ipod.

Any reccomendations or warnings from some experienced hobbyists/EEs?

I'm new to this and appreciate any assistance! Thanks guys.

 

[Hero999]

How much current does it provide?

There needs to be enough power available, otherwise it will never charge the batteries.

 

[jaredburton]

about 35 mA......

 

[Hero999]

Sigh, this is hard work.

How much current does the battery charger require?

 

[jaredburton]

Sigh, this is hard work.

How much current does the battery charger require?

I dont have one yet. I thought it would be easy to trickle charge the battery, but maybe I bit off more than I could chew.

 

[Hero999]

What sort of battery does it use?

If it's a couple of NiMH cells then you can trickle charge them at low currents but it takes over half a day to charge them.

 

[jaredburton]

ya thats fine...i just wanted a demonstration that its possible. Any ideas on how to accomplish the trickle charging? Time isnt really an issue as much to me.

 

[jaredburton]

I was thinking 3 1.2V batteries in series would produce a significant voltage.

 

[Hero999]

A Joule Thief circuit with a Schottky diode should be able to charge three 1.2V batteries in series, no need to limit the current, the Joule Thief will do that.

It'll probably take a few weeks to fully charge a set of 2500mAh batteries.