Well, this is a definitely interesting idea – using the thermoelectric effect from a small burner to charge batteries. I mean, I realise this is really what is going on when we plug a battery charger into the wall, but it’s still unusual to see it in such a small contained form – especially one that has been apparently cobbled together with parts the creator found easily available!

The Seebeck effect, that a bar of metal with a temperature difference across it has a voltage, was discovered in 1821 by a German-Estonian physicist, Thomas Seebeck. The above application uses that, as well as the converse Peltier effect (that you can create heat difference from voltage) to generate 3V, 1A, and that’s enough to trickle charge the batteries and power the heatsink fan to keep part of it cool. Quite a clever trick, but I dread to think how inefficient it is chuckles. I’d love to know more about this particular contraption, but going to the parent page doesn’t seem to provide any information. Delightfully DIY, this is Steampunk in an unexpected place indeed. Thankyou Mr A Lewis!