Random short video.
Added 2018-06-06 22:13:07 +0000 UTCThis is a random experiment I did today. Just adding a solar panel with 5V output to the existing USB crystal lamp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdxlff4mGZE
The solar panel was inspired by Julian Ilett. It does put out the best part of an amp in decent sunlight.
Another alternative heat source might be a simple aluminium panel painted matt black and with its back insulated so all the heat was transferred into a bottle siliconed to its middle.
The one slight downside of this idea is that the ambient temperature has a string effect on crystal buoyancy due to thermal liquid expansion. It might also need a solar fan on top to cool the bottle.
Comments
I don't recommend using 1 A power supplies continuously at their full rating. 500mA will result in the PSU running cooler and lasting longer.
Big Clive
2018-07-07 08:54:09 +0000 UTCAlso found a bottle of rape seed oil. Smooth sides and quite tall approx 60mm in diameter. Will be using that in V1.0
Neil Tonks
2018-07-07 06:13:04 +0000 UTCI am in the process of making the usb version of the lamp. I bought the resistors, but according to my power supply, the best it takes is 0.5 of an amp. Still gets quite toastie. Can I run two together? . Power supply says it takes 1.0 amp and my usb phone charger seemed to do the job of getting them as hot as the power supply. Figured 2 spread apart would distribute the heat better.
Neil Tonks
2018-07-07 06:10:35 +0000 UTCthe dark crystal lamp in the sun
God 420
2018-07-03 03:06:12 +0000 UTCHi Clive, Love this lamp and i think I'm going to give the USB powered version a go. Can you please share a link for the bottle, I can't find that nice cylindrical 50mm bottle anywhere. Thanks, been a Patreon sponsor for a quite a while but this is my 1st post question. Totally love what you do...
2018-06-12 08:30:34 +0000 UTCwhat do you plan to use as a heating element
2018-06-10 18:15:03 +0000 UTCThat was indeed short. Intriguing nonetheless.
2018-06-08 13:47:25 +0000 UTCWould work great I'd imagine, when the device was on... a gentle but constant external heat source at the base of the lamp would seem to be ideal for the purpose. But maybe not so great in Standby, that Stirling Engine kit looked to be pretty well designed and well-balanced, so it required a very minimal temperature differential between the top and bottom of the chambers in order to function, albeit at fairly slow RPM. An effect lamp like this may need a bit more heat to really get the "action" going, and you'd need to consider the best method of coupling that 0.5W of ambient thermal energy into the bottle to get a good effect with the STB in standby. The obvious-and-stupid way to do it would be to fashion a base plate from aluminium that covered the whole set-top box, which is a sure way to send your STB to an early death. Some experimentation would be required to allow for adequate airflow through/around the whole assembly.
Chris Talbot
2018-06-07 09:23:48 +0000 UTCI am thinking Archimedes Death Ray but with a glitter lamp at the end???
Lostngone
2018-06-07 01:37:19 +0000 UTCClive if you have to pursue it, then persue it you must!
Michael Thompson
2018-06-06 23:35:25 +0000 UTCfrom the thumbnail it looked like you were running water over the solar panel
Orkekum
2018-06-06 22:45:59 +0000 UTCMat from TechMoan ran a sterling engine from the heat of a Sky Box. Some electronic boxes and power supplies get hot, I wonder if any of those would work.
evilution
2018-06-06 22:41:36 +0000 UTCI'm always a bit wary of firing reflected or diffracted laser beams about randomly.
Big Clive
2018-06-06 22:25:38 +0000 UTCHow about a laser?
Charles Bruckner
2018-06-06 22:24:18 +0000 UTC
