Copper and Steel Thermocouple

A thermocouple made from ordinary copper and steel wire can generate enough current to deflect a compass needle.

Compensating for the earth's magnetic field can make the compass sensitive enough to deflect when the thermocouple is heated with my fingers.

I noticed a peculiarity in the copper and steel thermocouple while applying heat to a single junction connected to a voltmeter. For this experiment, I used a welded junction instead of a soldered one as used in the video. As I raised the temperature of the junction, the voltage reading would also increase as expected. When the temperature reached a certain point well above that of boiling water, I would observe approx 1.5 millivolts positive. But, as the temperature increased above this point, the voltage output from the junction would start to decrease until a point was reached that gave a reading of zero voltage. As the temperature increased further above this point the voltage output from the junction would start to increase again but with opposite polarity until a reading of approx 1.5 millivolts minus was read. I did not apply any more heat at this point because the junction was red hot and appeared to be near the melting point of the copper.

Sparkbangbuzz.com

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• simple
• homemade
• thermocouple
• copper
• steel
• iron
• science
• fair
• diy
• thermoelectric
• generator
• seebeck
• effect
• peltier
• nyle
• steiner
• k7ns

[PayWithLawv]

@crob227 thatd work

[PayWithLawv]

After reading your description, it sounds similar to to teslas radiant energy collector. maybe the spark he had resets the electrons in the circuit so it can start all over again. nice vid

[joepipe101]

Hi-I'm new to the field of thermo-couplers. It may be that in my joepipe experiments, that the difference in the metal of the pipe and the gas lead that I formed a crude type of thermo-coupler. With the joepipe I'm able to heat the copper up to around 1, 500 F where the potential difference between the actual pipe and steel feed is at least a 1, 000 F. Do you think that I may be on to making a more efficient thermo-coupler?

[wbequet]

would a joule thief work with this?

[smartpartzzkidd]

@Panamax35 the earths magnetic field is fairly weak when compared to a small magnet, i think its a flux density of around .5T on avg

[jallaguri]

Does this happen due to different conductivity? If so, what happens if we use gold and carbon?

[Panamax35]

You are a wizard. Amazing stuff. Neutralizing the Earth's magnetic field too. How do you do that?

[bananaphonehome]

Tesla: Pyromagneto-Electric Generator

comes to mind..

[crob227]

man, it would be nice if you could reverse the effect to get heat from the thermocouple.......possible???

[Zone51]

Nice! What kind of soldering did you use?