With winter here again my thoughts have turned back to TEG's. I haven't done a any real experimenting with them yet. But would like to. I'm a little hesitant to spend a bunch of money on a dud idea. But here is my situation. At my cabin here in Canada from November to April outside is usually in the -c° and woodstove is going non stop. Whenever I'm there. Already have a 100w turbine in the creek and 150w of solar. But could always use few more watts!
So here is what I'm imagining. A plate of TEG's to cover the whole top of wood stove roughly 18"x20". On top of the TEG's a aluminum water jacket. A 1/2" pipe running straight up out of the centre of the water jacket threw the ceiling. Into a radiator in the unheated attic space. With a return line going back down and into the water jacket low on one side. That way I could get a thermal siphon going cooling the top of the TEG's. I know there would be some bugs to work out to get a proper thermal siphon. But I'm not concerned about that. What I'm wondering. Is it reasonable to expect to maintain 50-100watts. Or what ever it works out to covering the top of the stove.
I know there are a few commercial versions out there but if they work as good as they claim. I'd of thought they would be more mainstream. And that's what makes me hesitant.
So any words of encouragement or discouragement? Or any thoughts?