OK, so here is my idea, stick half of a fairly thick plate metal strip into a campfire and the other half is at a far enough distance away to have peltier plates mounted onto the relatively cooler side of the plate metal, on the peltier plates we have heat sinks to keep them from overheating. On the plate that the peltiers are mounted on there is a red line which indicates the maximum amount of plate you can place into the fire. Connected to the peltier plates wires we have a power inverter that converts DC electricity to AC.

Now, I could imagine using something like this to run an electric heater inside a tent during the winter. (I once knew a person who used a propane heater during the winter in a tent, it snowed that night and the carbon monoxide built up and killed everyone in the tent)

Anyway, there are multiple ways to use something like this, like run a laptop/portable dvd player while camping.

Who actually wants to build this with me!??!? (and make some money too!) :eek: LET'S DO THIS, COME ON, (starts chanting) NIKE! NIKE! NIKE!

Wood burning sound system, huh? Hmm.

How many logs per minute are you looking at?

You'd need a more significant temperature difference than your described setup would provide. Perhaps a plate with one end in the fire, the peltiers at the other end, and some sort of liquid cooling solution mounted on top of them.

I really don't think you're going to get much current out of it however. Perhaps enough to slow charge some batteries, or run a low power device, but a decent electric heater? I don't think so.

ETA: You'd also need some sort of temperature monitoring system to let you know when things are getting too hot. After all, not all campfires are created equal!

Now, I could imagine using something like this to run an electric heater inside a tent during the winter. (I once knew a person who used a propane heater during the winter in a tent, it snowed that night and the carbon monoxide built up and killed everyone in the tent)

Why not just stick the end of the metal plate in the tent, then? That way you transfer heat directly. If you want more heat use a heat pipe.

Tent Heaters (http://www.adventuretrailers.com/heaters.html)

Heating Your Tent (http://www.outdoorplaces.com/gear/equipment/heat/) - Coleman Blackcat Propane Heater (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaPnna4997o)

http://www.kmart.com/powerhouse-500wi-inverter-generator-carb-compliant/p-028V005129875000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2 :D

You'd need a more significant temperature difference than your described setup would provide. Perhaps a plate with one end in the fire, the peltiers at the other end, and some sort of liquid cooling solution mounted on top of them.

I really don't think you're going to get much current out of it however. Perhaps enough to slow charge some batteries, or run a low power device, but a decent electric heater? I don't think so.

ETA: You'd also need some sort of temperature monitoring system to let you know when things are getting too hot. After all, not all campfires are created equal!

Good points... (dream shattered) :eek:

i have used a coleman lantern set on low (just to keep us from freezing) to heat my tent..

not trying to say i know what im talking about..but..

couldn't you put several plates together (maybe even of different materials) that would amplify the current?

and what is a peltier..?

...run a laptop/portable dvd player while camping...

Uh...that ain't really camping IMHO. :o No boom boxes in the backpacks and a 6 pound laptop is 6 pounds less food out in the bush. :eek:

Never used a tent heater, even in -13 F winter camping, but then, I have a 90 pound Labrador Retriever and she is a hot little girl. She always snuggles up real close to me all night, even when it is hot out.

'Course we also don't make campfires much since we cook on a camp stove and go to bed after the sun sets.

Uh...that ain't really camping IMHO. :o No boom boxes in the backpacks and a 6 pound laptop is 6 pounds less food out in the bush. :eek:

Never used a tent heater, even in -13 F winter camping, but then, I have a 90 pound Labrador Retriever and she is a hot little girl. She always snuggles up real close to me all night, even when it is hot out.

'Course we also don't make campfires much since we cook on a camp stove and go to bed after the sun sets.

Wow you got an ugly avatar;)

Who actually wants to build this with me!??!? (and make some money too!) LET'S DO THIS, COME ON, (starts chanting) NIKE! NIKE! NIKE!

Shouldn't it be ...Prometheus, Prometheus, Prometheus? ;)

For alcohol heating I would recommend the Origo Heat Pal 5000 series.

http://www.solarseller.com/3e5a969f0.jpg

These produce a gentle heat and are sometimes offered as a
combination heater/stove.
They are a nice, gentle heater but I can not imagine cooking on
one because of the low heat output.
You will see these offered on eBay.
I would only have one with the plastic knob (model 5000 or higher)
like the one shown above.
Early ones used cotton wicks.
I would stay away from them and only look at the later models
which use a removeable metal fuel tank like the Origo stoves use.
The tank has a synthetic filler to hold the alcohol and the heater
uses a sliding shutter to control the heat output.
Always allow fresh air to come in to replace the oxygen in the room
that the heater consumes.




This is an old enamelled cast
iron heater by Sterno.
It uses Sterno canned gel fuel.


http://www.solarseller.com/3e6cc8ff0.jpg

This makes no sense. What's wrong with a sleeping bag? You can't backpack with one of those heaters, and then why are you camping anyway if you want all the comforts of home?

Use a big fire to heat your camping area, and sleep in shifts.

Dig a shallow trench, burn a fire in there for about 2 hours, then cover it up with 6 inches of dirt, then put down some soft branches or padding and then your sleeping bag on top of it. It will keep you warm all night.

we used to suck peppermint sweets when camping in cold weather.

The other option is to just boil water, pour it in a bottle, and put the bottle in your sleeping bag. Repeat every few hours if necessary.

Or just bring a sleeping bag/pad/tent/clothes that are appropriate to the weather conditions you'll be facing in the first place. Really, there is no valid reason to plan to bring a heater camping with you.

actually the easiest way to stay warm (my ex taught me this)

sleep bare back to bare back, the back is where you lose most of your heat(next to the head and feet) we tried it and we stayed nice and toasty all night..

This makes no sense. What's wrong with a sleeping bag? You can't backpack with one of those heaters, and then why are you camping anyway if you want all the comforts of home?

Inventing things just for fun. That's how engineers roll.

i would like to try to make a rube goldburg device someday just for fun..

There are some awesome Rube Goldberg-esque domino machines out there on YouTube.

Honda:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2FAq8pQQa4
Squirrel Obstacle Course:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQJPYgl5aoY

you have them backwards..the squirrel is first..

and you just HAD to post one about a squirrel..
(i HAD to watch it..funny..lol)

Inventing things just for fun. That's how engineers roll.

Engineers have great moments.

When I was young, I struck out on a hitchhiking adventure. I imagined I would sometimes need to sleep in the open, and I wanted something warmer than a sleeping bag. I also wanted something comfortable, so I decided to try a sheet of foam rubber to serve both the comfort and thermal purposes. I laid out a thin bedspread on the floor, then placed the pad on top, and then a clean white sheet. I stitched them up by hand, then folded it over, stitched it up like a mummy bag and turned it inside out so the sheet ended up on the inside, with the seams tucked in.

It was hard to roll up, but I learned how to get it down to maybe half the size of a regular bag. And light as a feather. It was also hard as hell to get into, but once I did, it was cozy and warm on a cold night. I made a trek of about 3,000 miles.

i will admit i cheat a little..i take the mattress from my hide-a-bed for the tent..

http://www.motivationals.org/demotivational-posters/demotivational-poster-17781.jpg

VERY well put indeed! :D