Stirling engine generator powering radio (approx 50mw)

I found this YouTube video while looking around another website that posts a lot of DIY projects & I just had to add it here into my Blog.

The very idea of a Stirling Engine, as simple as this little home built unit, being able to power ANYTHING, at all, just makes my day even brighter than it already is.

I fell in love with the idea of a Stirling Engine generator, long ago. Even the larger units are not all that difficult to construct from recycled materials. These smaller engines can pretty well be thrown together in minutes, from items found at the side of the road & as you can see by this video, they can power up all of those small gadgets, quite easily.

Whenever I finally do get some time to myself, once again, there will probably be a few of these little gems being built for the wood stove, an open fire or camp fire and, if fortune ever does shine it's light upon me, I may even have one that operates from solar energy too.

But an open camp fire Stirling Engine would most likely become the first project. While I am out at the acreage, I enjoy listening to the radio during the evenings & nights. The radio I have out there right now is one of those rechargeable batteries, low-voltage, solar, dynamo jobs & when the batteries do go flat, I have to wind the dynamo about every 10 or 15 minutes to keep it playing. It's a bit of a pain after a while.

I do appreciate the idea of the dynamo, don't get me wrong. It too can be used for recharging your cell phone or other small device in almost any emergency situation & having one is a great, second option. But if I could just place one of these small Stirling Engines right close to my almost, ever present open camp fire, this would just make life, that much simpler.

The technology behind these engines is so simple, anyone could build one, if they so choose & they are a great idea for the off-grid homesteader, I believe!