Candle-Powered LED Lantern: an Exercise in Conversion Efficiency

[Reuploaded due to a copyright strike by Warner Brothers]
To support this channel and enter to win the lantern featured in this video, please go to my Patreon at / ourowndevices and sign up for just $3/month.
Manufactured by JOI Ingenious Lighting, this unique LED lamp is powered not by batteries, a wall adaptor, or even solar panels, but...candles. How does this strange product work, and is it actually useful?
0:00 Introduction
1:30 Conversion Efficiencies
2:29 Thermocouples, Thermopiles, and the Seebeck Effect
4:23 Common Thermocouple Types
5:54 Thermocouple Thermometers
6:46 Thermoelectric Generators
7:40 Lantern Design and Disassembly
10:53 Lantern Efficiency
13:32 Contest and Outro
SOURCES
www.britannica.com/technology....
www.thenakedscientists.com/ar....
www.epget.bme.hu/docs/Kutatas...
electronics.stackexchange.com...
www.omega.ca/en/resources/the...
www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...

[@nunyabiznez8120]

Its a shame that KZbin doesn't understand fair use. Rewatching and commenting to help the channel some more. Good luck.

[@dennisolsson3119]

Seconded

[@massimocole9689]

Shame about the copyright strike nonsense. Great video.

[@oasntet]

According to rumor, the earlier drafts of The Matrix had humans involved not as power sources, but as part of the platform that ran The Matrix. This also helps explain why some humans are able to manipulate the Matrix to their own ends. Also according to rumor, this was too complicated for most audiences to understand so it was simplified, but that last bit strikes me as maybe a bit apocryphal given that they kept The Architect in...

[@SuperFranzs]

As I recall, originally the humans were used as processing power, but the publishers thought that was too hard for the layman to understand, so the humans were used as power generators instead.

[@bearlytamedmodels]

From what I understand, yeah, *mostly* right - just, instead of "people didn't understand it,' it was "the higher ups thought people wouldn't understand it." Though to be fair - the Architect was in the later movies, *after* The Matrix was a success and the Wachowskis would be given more creative discretion. These changes happened before the first movie was released. Apples and oranges comparison there.

[@SuperFranzs]

@@bearlytamedmodels The higher-ups often think people are more stupid than the think. Case in point; Blade Runner with it's stupid narration in the cinematic versions.

[@jerichothirteen1134]

They should have kept that idea. Using humans as a source of electricity always seemed inefficient to me. Not to mention that the whole thing is a closed system and you can not merely eat the dead as a sustainable source of nourishment. It's kinda stupid when you think about it.

[@oasntet]

​@@SuperFranzs Yeah, movie studios are extremely cautious, to a fault, but the system kinda forces them to be. They need to maximize returns, so if given a choice between smarter people rolling their eyes at a dumb plot point vs dumber people telling everybody to skip it because it's too complicated (or, the worst sin, "intellectual"), they'll go with the eye-rolling every time.

[@JulianMakes]

Honestly the youtube copyright system is broken at best. I’ve had copyright trolls ruin my videos (requiring re-editing) but for sound ‘misuse’ (even though the music I used was a true copyright free use playing of a 100year old piece of music). The problem is, if an ‘artist’ uses that same sound/sample in a song and they publish it, KZbin will forever confuse the original with the new version (which has copyright). It’s very frustrating. Commenting for the algorithm, love your videos. Also I love this kind of energy swapping technology videos :)

[@alaric_]

The candle gives some light when it burns + generates some heat + generates electricity for LED lamps. Not crucial but i could easily see myself owning such a thing in a remote cabin where every bit of heat is appreciated and there is never enough light. Also please, by all means do ads if they generate revenue. We all need income and if you can skip unreliable KZbin as a middleman and get sponsor money, i have no problems with that. Basicly, we are getting ads eitherway but at least with sponsors, you are guaranteed decent income from it!

[@Woffy.]

Dam you WB I have just retrieved this comment to the first post. That natty lamp would also keep a coffee pot warm.... In the UK 1934 there was a thermoelectric generator that ran off town gas as electricity was not always available. It was powerful enough to run a small radio whilst boiling a kettle or cooking pot. It was customary to plug a rubber hose into the gas fire spigot or mantel light to run Flat irons, Stove rings and even a burner under an Iron bath ! ! .

[@FishyBoi1337]

oof less than a minute ago? fresh. EDIT: I thought it was a follow-up 😭 darn you warner-brothers...

[@username_mcusernameface]

"should we research our company name?" "nah, send it"

[@bunyipdragon9499]

00:26 The grin on your face when you ignite the "gas canister" is priceless, (you're really a secret pyromaniac at heart aren't you 😂)

[@tlhIngan]

I could see myself using this during a blackout. Candles are dim and this can produce a sufficient amount of area lighting that goes beyond what a candle can light. Even a 1W LED lamp is good to have a decently bright room light at night. Better than a flashlight which only lights up a narrow beam ahead of you, during a blackout you want area lighting.

[@nos9784]

Heat- driven oven fans are way cheaper, and may be adaptable to additional led's. That's what i'll try.

[@donjones4719]

Did he mention how many lumens the LEDs of this device put out? I had to finish watching this video a ~day after I started and lost track.

[@someguy9802]

Reposting. I understand the bimetalic disc to be there to limit the hot end temperature of the peltier by reducing air flow to the candle. Semiconductor peltiers are neat, but they have a sharp limit on their hot end temperature (I see 138 C max in one datasheet) above which they are damaged. The disc is a cheap and clever way to implement that protection.

[@nos9784]

It's moderately common in heat-powered oven fans, too.

[@blobscott]

Thanks for the video on this strange contraption! .. That said, this seems like an overly-complicated version of a mantle on a gas lamp, which converts the heat (infrared) to the visible light spectrum. I don't know how efficient the mantle conversion is, but I suspect it significantly beats a solid state junction to led setup. Not trying to be negative about the video in any way.. it's just interesting to realize that the non-visible to visible light game has been considered and worked on for so long and in a very significant way impacted lighting systems prior to electric light bulbs. I have seen many historic quotes talking about how the introduction of the gas mantle light absolutely changed the way people lived.

[@paulwalsh2458]

Yeah, those lanterns get pretty bright and put out a good amount of heat. This device looks like it would be great for different applications. A more compact version for light camping,backpacking maybe. The two luxuries I won't go w/o when camping are a lantern and radio, so maybe they could power an led and receiver with a tea candle and I'd be set.

[@nos9784]

Hot tip: This device is 200 $. Cheaper: a heat- driven fan inteded to improve convection when placed on a oven is ~10-20$, and can propaply drive a few led's, too. (i'll try that, once I have some spare time.)

[@mattwilliams3456]

You put out amazing videos for so long with just a fraction of the views you deserved. Do every sponsored ad read you can now that you have the opportunity.

[@PhilipCockram]

The Single Cookie Oven .. I love it !

[@bobcfi1306]

Very good presentation.

[@donmear6654]

Just throwing a comment for the algorithm. Love your work

[@H-Man1]

Very interesting idea. I'd like to see a version which uses a wider variety of fuels without needing to be adapted. I can definitely think of some applications this might be useful for, assuming it isn't too finicky.

[@JohnnyTsc]

What a cool device

[@StealthTheUnknown]

Technology Connections contacted - Alec says “stop stepping in my toes!”

[@dennis8196]

Ooh. New video!

[@AsbestosMuffins]

its a very clever design

[@osmia]

What a fascinating machine

[@philkipnis740]

Yes! I soul, would, would like, I be entered into the contest Phil Kipnis

[@kennybigmac81]

Is this a re upload?

[@massimocole9689]

Yup, description says [Reuploaded due to a copyright strike by Warner Brothers]

[@tarstarkusz]

The soviets made thousands of these heat type nuclear power generators and left them in the wilderness all over the Soviet Union.

[@asemic]

what

[@tarstarkusz]

@@asemic Yes. They had a program for powering things way out in the middle of nowhere. In the 90s, some people found one and used it to warm themselves on a mountain. All 3 suffered extreme radiation sickness. I think it was in Uzbekistan. But there are many of them left (though most have been found and properly disposed of).

[@tarstarkusz]

It was actually in Georgia. The incident is known as Lia radiological accident. 1 of the 3 men died.

[@bigbadhodad3894]

The Human Battery concept was from Warner Brothers, the Wachowskis originally said they were being used as computers, storage etc.

[@otm646]

1:50 This 80 watt estimate is on the very high end. I understand how you did your calculation, I also understand how you verified it with a few online sources, Yet when tested experimentally it's more in the 50 watt range.

[@SVanHutten]

A bimetallic strip? Am I watching the alternate Technology Connections?

[@Bartok_J]

Coincidentally, the video I watched immediately before this was, in fact, TC's one about bimetallic thermometers and hygrometers. ;-)

[@paulbush7095]

You don’t need to justify to anyone how you finance the production of this outstanding channel. Let them try to create their own channel or find another if they are offended by whatever means you use to keep this one going.

[@H-Man1]

Some people just don't know. It's ok to explain it to them.

[@victormiranda9163]

interesting product.

[@HennerZeller]

8kW would be a lot. The energy is spread over the whole day, so 8 MJ / 24 hours is about 93W, which is the expected order of magnitude.

[@fredblonder7850]

I don’t recall anything from the previous video that involved WB? Did your voice sound too much like Bugs Bunny?

[@oasntet]

Presumably the clip from The Matrix, which WB owns.

[@asemic]

@@oasntet how long was it?

[@auroran0]

@@oasntet I think it's the clip from 300, I recall it being longer.

[@MrFrexxia]

Surely whatever clip used was short enough to fall under fair use

[@fredblonder7850]

May the ghost of Mel Blanc curse them.

[@blackcat-dz8sp]

ur vids are awesome ✨✨

[@dxb338]

Re-commenting that Gilles is the Canadian lovechild of Forgotten Weapons and Technology Connections

[@tammybambini1096]

as mentioned in the previous upload: I´d be concerned about carbon monoxide poisoning when using this device without good ventilation of the room (especially in modern houses where there is very little airflow due to insulation): the bimetallic disc will heat up and then close off the airflow, thereby starving the candle from air, which produces carbon monoxide (CO) by incomplete combustion and reduces the candle´s temperature. After the air has cooled the disc opens up again, allowing enough airflow to have complete combustion producing carbon dioxide (CO2) - and this cycle repeats until the candle is used up or extinguished by emergency services ;-/ Carbon monoxide is poisonous even in low concentrations; when I worked at a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber we had carbon monoxide poisonings from similar devices like Samowars (a sort of stove with a candle in it to keep a kettle of tea warm) and Shishas (waterpipes) that were used in closed rooms. So please use it only in ventilated rooms and stay alive and safe!

[@tomschmidt381]

So much for "fair use." Interesting video, I had no idea candle light output was so inefficient. Interesting gismo but I think a lower cost and more useful device would be a solar light and battery. Unless of course where you need to use it does not have much in the way of sun.

[@nos9784]

Heat driven oven fan, i'll try adapting one of those. I think fire is more reliable in the great outoors than sunshine... maybe a hand- cranked power bank, too.

[@coniferous3132]

The light from the candle isn't inherently consumed by the thermocouple either, so if this were designed in a different way it would be like turning waste product into more of the product itself.

[@JoshKilen]

do you have a link to this candle light?

[@sugondiesthephilosopher]

Get that bag

[@yanikkunitsin1466]

Gilles Messier on Peltier

[@jonr6680]

From memory I don't think folks were too upset by advertising per se, just the fact it was so long compared to the short video.

[@denisohbrien]

do kettles use bimetallic strips to stop boiling? was always told it was pressure form the steam.

[@nos9784]

I thinks it's heat from condensing steam, that will only reach the bimetal strip due to pressure building when the lid is closed. There's propably a "technology connections" video on that.

[@Bartok_J]

It possibly depends on the design, but my understanding was that when the water boils, the steam goes past a bimetallic strip which turns off the power.

[@jamesstaley5611]

Rube Goldberg called and he wants his toy back. :)

[@kingfish4575]

Didn't I see this yesterday? 😅

[@ericlondon5731]

We wondered where the Architect went

[@sgtommyc]

It's a neat little device, and I'd love to own one, but man are they pricy!!

[@PetesGuide]

What is that 3-note sound bite at 13:30 ?

[@DanielMReck]

It's the "Dun-Dun-DUNNNN SURPRISE" tune he stole from my years-old video at kzbin.info/www/bejne/fn-maKaapq9mq5Im40s Should I copyright strike, too? ::lawyer whispers in my ear:: WHAT? Well the law says you can use _that_ melody all you want because it's public domain (we believe), but my arrangement and recording is new and therefore copyrighted. Just make your own arrangement and record it and you're all set.

[@RambozoClown]

Now you need to find a nuclear fission powered cigarette lighter.

[@Splodnik]

it's already been invented ...although they haven't quite figured out how to make it light just one cigarette at a time

[@GoingtoHecq]

The longevity of a toy Stirling engine wouldn't compare, but at peak I think one is more efficient than the candle too. Maybe equal ish to that thermoelectric generator.

[@paulwalsh2458]

I checked this out online and it says it produces the equivalent light output of 18 tea candles or 70 lumens which makes Jeans off the cuff calculations pretty accurate. I think he guesstimated 22 times the light output.

[@jonr6680]

This device is definitely 'end times approved'. Perhaps why esthetics were absent?? Interesting calculations, I had no idea conversion efficiency was so low... But given that incandescent bulbs are being phased out for the same reason, makes sense. I wonder how much it costs, like so much energy tech there is probably a long payback period on investment...

[@nos9784]

This device costs about 200€/ 200$. was that your question?

[@alexsis1778]

If you happen to be able to get your hands on a multi-meter it shouldn't be hard to test what the actual output of the thermopile is.

[@marqsee7948]

Whiteout! HAHAHaHahaha!! (drums)

[@giorgiotoso1039]

Love your humour! but perhaps the AI bit is not totally unfounded... Have a great vacation!

[@ibrahimkocaalioglu]

i watched the first video. what was the warner brothers part i dont remmember.

[@Guysm1l3y]

Yep, the original concept for The Matrix script was that human brains were what provided the processing power (essentially a network of wetware CPUs) for the robots. But that was too nerdy and esoteric for Hollywood producers so it got dumbed down to the battery analogy.

[@paulwalsh2458]

Fire gud

[@Nderak]

bimettalic strips you say? *breathing in techonology connections voice*

[@longdarkrideatnight]

Cross reference with kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIWbXpVrjqqsoNE

[@graemedavidson499]

Oh dear, did the Dark Lord disapprove….

[@GlutenEruption]

Thats definitely a peltier element not a thermopile btw.

[@mcs699]

Brother, this is not a thermocouple. It's a thermoelectric junction, otherwise known as a peltier junction.

[@Nderak]

im fine with ad reads. sponsorship and shill away. youtube treats its employees poorly, you deserve to be compensated for your work and have a stable income. whiners need to pay up or clam up

[@rustymustard7798]

Or just use Sponsorblock if you don't like them, i do and unless i'm close to first to watch a new vid i never see them, and if i do i mark the segment and submit it.

[@tonytins]

Ugh, was just in the middle of a good discussion. So much for "fair use".

[@JefferyPierce]

Warner Bothers😅

[@SnakebitSTI]

For the money, a cheap LED flashlight and a pile of lithium batteries would be more effective. If you're really concerned about long term "off the grid" viability, get one of those crank or squeeze powered flashlights.

[@yb5515]

Get a pile of lithium batteries to run a flashlight then use this device to recharge them. Oh dear, I think I fell down a rabbit hole.

[@paulbush7095]

Anything that needs fire to operate appeals to the juvenile delinquent pyromaniac in me. I’ll take 6.

[@DanielMReck]

How many watts would be generated from all the human bodies at Warner Brothers who think your use of 28 seconds of their IP in any way negatively affected their profits from The Matrix franchise? Probably a lot, because they're a hot mess.

[@44R0Ndin]

I was going to write out a long comment about how this device you are talking about does not in fact use a stack of thermocouples in it, and then you mentioned the Peltier effect (and coolers based on it), so I assume you are next going to tell us that Peltier coolers such as used in "car power socket beverage refrigerators" which you can generally find for $100 USD or less, will work just fine to create an electrical potential difference (and therefore current flow) when fed a thermal gradient, making that whole comment useless. Those little Peltier cooler plates (which are available bare with pigtail leads if you care to search for them online) are fantastic things if you have a need to create a cold spot in a small space, or have a lot of heat energy that you wish you could do something with. You can even STACK these Peltier coolers to achieve lower and lower temperatures on the cold end, some high speed cameras use this to cool the image sensor so that it can respond quicker with less pixel noise making much clearer high-speed images, but I imagine you could also go further to get to a true solid-state cryo-cooler and make a tiny atmospheric nitrogen/oxygen gas distillation plant out of them (incredibly inefficient compared to Joule-Thomson cooling of compressed gasses, but unlike the turbomachinery needed for that, you can get the parts for the Peltier-stack based liquid gas plant off of Amazon).

[@44R0Ndin]

Now that I wrote all that out, I'll mention one thing that was in the long comment that I decided to not post: The Seebeck/Peltier effect is MUCH stronger in "proper" doped semiconductors than it is in the junctions between base metals. You'll see this by the semiconductors having an experimentally verifiable much higher Seebeck coefficient, and you can see a glimpse of this in the video at around the 4:20 mark, where you see the metals all having coefficients in the single or double digits, and then you look at Germanium, Selenium, Silicon, and Tellurium with the massive coefficients of 300, 900, 440, and 500 (respectively) and realize that with the proper dopants you could basically invert that coefficient to be just as negative as it is positive, leading to a massive seebeck coefficient difference across the junction as a whole. This might lead to a realization or a "connecting the dots" moment for some readers of this comment, and yes, it means what you think it means. To state it precisely: What this means is that when creating thermopiles, use of semiconductors leads to much more efficient thermal to electrical or electrical to thermal conversion, and it is this which makes those solid-state refrigeration systems possible, since at that high of a Seebeck coefficient, the waste heat added by the electricity flowing thru the P-N junction does not add so much heat to the system that it swamps out the Peltier cooling effect, and it similarly means a much higher efficiency of converting a thermal gradient to an electrical flow.

[@sveu3pm]

why so many cooling ribs, isnt this energy then wasted

[@ai4px]

You underestimate the thermal output of a Library of Congress full of menopausal women.

[@Alcyeragraeth]

duh duh DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[@woltews]

Batteries go bad over time , canals last for centuries

[@oscar_charlie]

So... on the topic of ad-reads. Here's my honest take: yes, you need to generate revenue. But most people are not annoyed with you, but with the imbecility of your (and other KZbinrs') sponsors. In this day and age, and on this platform, all a 90+ second sponsor spiel will make me do is ignore their product. Shows me those idiots (and their marketing departments) are complety out of touch with the platform's ad attention span reality. A 15 second read, followed by a link in the description would probably have a much higher impact. But what do I know, right? I'm not the guy with the degree in marketing. I'm just the guy who will actively avoid their product. Might as well do an ad for their competitors at this point.

[@rustymustard7798]

Just use Sponsorblock and you won't see them. For me i'm just not a consumer so it's a waste of time to show/read me an ad for any of this silly trendy BS that's always advertised.

[@CathodeRayNipplez]

😀