I post here since I want to start a project: But first the question: Is there somebody who has a russian thermo generator lamp ? Or just the thermo generator ? Goal/project is to rebuild a replica of it. Since the originals are illusive or at least out of sight. I have this idea already several years in my head and I want to get it out on the table.
Wim, do you perhaps know what technology is used in the generator? I would think a long chain of thermocouples? I've been thinking of using Peltier devices to generate electricity on top of lantern ventilators.
Nick (Brassnipplekey) from CCS had one of these at Newark about 10 years ago. Is yours a pressure-lamp version, these days, Wim...
Stuga has this nice practical one for sale: Detailseite: Ecofan, thermoelektrischer Ventilator- - hytta.de A more modern version. And here is a earlier thread about the LUFO-lamp/radio. LUFO Radio Lamp. If any help. Its a nice/interesting invention Claus C
Wim, in 2004 I was given a private tour to the "hidden vaults" of the Mannheim Technical Museum by late Mr. Koch. (The Museum was renamed to Technoseum some years ago.) They had a 3V/2A or 6V/1A generator named Dynaphor, it uses an alcohol burner to heat up the inner parts using Seebeck's effect to generate electricity. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple. Here are to images: Hope it helps in any way. The thread at the German Forum can still be found there: http://forum.hytta.de/read.php?1,13598 Erik
... .....WOW !!!!!....Now you're talking.!!!!.. ...That kicks steampunk into touch... ...That is Really cool..
Its good to know people... I found a link to a UK report on this russian lamp. I asked a friend who visits the archive to look around if he could find the repot. Guess qhat : he found it ! It is to big at the moment to publish but here is the first apge. Take a good look on the two dates. Its made in 1960 and restricted so not public until 1991 !
One reason for the length of classification periods is to have the protection outlive the means and methods as much as to safeguard national security.
Update: I was in contact with a person who has a generator lamp and wanted to sell. But in the end it will be sold on ebay with a starting price of 3000 euros. So out of reach for me.
Hi Wim I found this picture of such a lamp. Maybe you can translate from cyrilic your self and see if it mentions something interesting. Я родился в Советском Союзе, вырос я в СССР. - Статьи Старооскольского интернет-портала
There's a battery box, about which Google Translate says: " In the late '50s, but mainly in the early 60's began to appear the first radios that work on batteries. Not the usual batteries in today's sense, and the special, sometimes surpassing in size the receiver itself about such." And of the lamp with generator: "Or home mini electric power station to heat the kerosene lamp." I suspect the ". . to heat the kerosene lamp" might be intended to generate power from the heat of the kerosene lamp.
Hello Wim, You where able to find one and purchase it ! Lucky you. That was the good part. Now I am looking for: - a matching globe, - wick rack for a 20 linie center draft burner - big box of luck I first want to get the lamp working. Wick was rusted fixed to the center tube. I got it out but the wick rack is rusted away. Generator itself looks good but I haven't decided how to clean it yet. There is a lot of asbestos around the core. Not a problem as long it stays tehre but when cleaning the wings I don't want to get water in it. Also I found a "manual" on line. Strangely it is partly in english. Is is the only writing on the generator: Made in russia. Other strange thing is that according to the manual you could get spare/new kathode/anode (?) blocs.
That is a very exciting find, Wim! From what I can tell it provides HT (high voltage DC), Bias negative voltage and LT (low voltage DC) for a valve radio receiver. If you do not get the lamp working, the Aladdin no. 23 burner was (is) also used to power refrigerators and freezers made by Kelvinator, Zero and others. It has a very short glass or steel&mica chimney and of course no mantle. It is a powerful burner and should be a good substitute.
I AM HAPPY ! IT'S ALIVE ! With a Aladdin as test and a Feuerhand globe and a piece of carton as windshield. The genious design generates at least two voltages: 90V and 1,2V Although I have 90-50-60 and 2,5V The Aladdin fits perfectly but doesn't generate a blue hot flame. On the other hand you also need light so at the moment a good alternative for the 20linie center draft burner.
Wim, you have the test leads connected to wrong terminals. When measuring voltage, you shall use the Com-terminal and the V-terminal. (For current you should use the Com and 10A or 400mA terminal. You shall never have it connected as in your picture.) Apparently it works anyway, but it's not correct.
@Carlsson , you got me there. Now for the wickies under us: The wick carier of the original lamp burner is partly gone to lamp heaven. I think that the russian lamp amker didn't invent it again. So my guess is that it would look similair to a more known western brand lamp. So deos anyone reconnice this shape/model ? or even beter has one spare ? Inner diam. : 34,5 - 35mm Height: 65mm Center tube diam.: 29-30mm
This is not true. Your thermogenerator, circa 1954, is designed to power a vacuum tube radio. There were no transistor ones then.
90v and 1.5v were the voltages that the majority of battery valve radios ran off, certainly in the UK in the 40s and early to mid 50s before transistors came along.
