Not sure if this had been posted before....

I thought this was pretty cool in the age of GoPro's, portable devices, etc. We can't always be at a nice "backcountry" spot like Johnson Creek, but chances are, we have a fire going at night. Nice alternative to solar charging - 2.5W output too, although not sure how that is spec'd (direct flame, coals, etc.).

The FlameStower
https://flamestower.com/

Things that make you go Hmmm ... I don't see it working around a cook stove. Unless I am melting snow for drinking water in the winter I don't typically have the stove on long enough to generate useful power. It could work around the campfire but I am picturing a dozen of these things arranged around the fire pit as the kids mess with the fire and we all enjoy an adult beverage. I think the electronics take something away from that experience but maybe that is just me. YMMV

That looks like a pretty nice piece of gear to have.

Here's something similar I saw at REI:

http://www.rei.com/product/846334/bioli ... -campstove

Seems like overkill to me--I'm really glad NOT to run my smarter-than-me phone when I'm camping, and if I want to read, my Kindle holds a charge for a very long time, or I can default to a real paper book.

But even easier, I created a simple adapter which allows me to plug in any of my small electronics to my airplane's 12v battery without having to turn on the master. In over a week at OSH (Saturday through the following Sunday), keeping my iPad and phone fully charged daily, I could see no appreciable difference in the voltage showing on my digital voltmeter.

Cary

Neat bit of gear, it reminds me of these:http://www.efireplacestore.com/fsd-800ca-kbx.html?productid=fsd-800ca-kbx&channelid=FROOG&utm_source=GoogleProducts&utm_medium=CSE&utm_campaign=FeedPerfect&gclid=Cj0KEQjwzK6hBRCbzLz_r_f-3tkBEiQA-zyWsPGiz9wRDSZLscXIzxrnCoBYN1Lufbp_pH2ZJsifR3MaAuBw8P8HAQ

Same technology at work anyway, piezo electric effect?? But I'm with Cary, from a practical viewpoint, I just pack my car lighter charger for the cell phone, and use the plane battery if needed. I save 10 ozs. also.

These type devices first came to my attention some years back, when I believe it was Russia supplying their still powerless peasants with thermo electric (yeah, I think that's the right term) generators they could stick in their kerosene lanterns, which put out a lot of waste heat. They made just enough power to run a radio, so they could listen to Pravda

It is a great price and a nice design for the approximately <$20 in parts. They deserve to sell a lot of them...I hope they do well.

I think they could offer a lot more power for just a few more bucks though.

Cary wrote:
But even easier, I created a simple adapter which allows me to plug in any of my small electronics to my airplane's 12v battery without having to turn on the master. In over a week at OSH (Saturday through the following Sunday), keeping my iPad and phone fully charged daily, I could see no appreciable difference in the voltage showing on my digital voltmeter.

Cary

Minor or major airframe mod

Glidergeek wrote:

Cary wrote:
But even easier, I created a simple adapter which allows me to plug in any of my small electronics to my airplane's 12v battery without having to turn on the master. In over a week at OSH (Saturday through the following Sunday), keeping my iPad and phone fully charged daily, I could see no appreciable difference in the voltage showing on my digital voltmeter.

Cary

Minor or major airframe mod

Neither. I have a plug connection to my battery for a trickle charger, and I just created a cigarette lighter socket thingy which plugs into that connection instead. The only thing my IA insisted on was that it must be fused, so it is. Works like a charm.

I got a kick out of the elaborate stuff other campers at OSH were using this year to charge their electronics, none of which seemed to work nearly as well as my battery tap. Several had pretty large solar chargers. The lady next to me had a Honda 1000 watt generator--which incidentally was so quiet that I hardly heard it running after her friend had started it. But I just plugged my iPad and iPhone into my adapter each night before I turned in, and in the morning both were fully charged--probably fully charged sooner than that.

Cary

Watched a few videos. Kind of cool. But I didn't ever see how long it would take to actually charge something.

Spend a bit more and get folding solar panel . . .

http://www.amazon.com/Brunton-Solaris-F ... ar+charger

bumper

Cary wrote:Here's something similar I saw at REI:

http://www.rei.com/product/846334/bioli ... -campstove

Evan (crazyivan) has one of these. We sorta had it working at Johnson Creek, but kinda a pain in the ass. Just get an antigravity battery.

chosstronaut wrote:

Cary wrote:Here's something similar I saw at REI:

http://www.rei.com/product/846334/bioli ... -campstove

Evan (crazyivan) has one of these. We sorta had it working at Johnson Creek, but kinda a pain in the ass. Just get an antigravity battery.

I like the burner unit and grill attachment. Have used it quite often. Sawdust starters and dry branches 3/4 to 1" in diameter crammed in after a good bed of coals and the fan on high... For shits and giggles charge my iPhone with it...
Mark M.