Science!!

[Golden_Crab]

Anyone out in the desert that likes to tinker I have an experiment for you. You'll need a large high quality quartz crystal, copper winding, a multimeter, a large (telescope sized) magnifying glass. Basically I'm just curious how much electricity could be produced by focusing sunlight @ a piezoelectric material on one end and keeping the other end cooled relatively speaking to induce a charge across the crystal due to temperature differences at both ends. Measure this with the multimeter via the copper winding around the crystals ends. The greater the temperature difference you create, the more charge you you'll see.

 

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[Tpmetal]

Anyone out in the desert that likes to tinker I have an experiment for you. You'll need a large high quality quartz crystal, copper winding, a multimeter, a large (telescope sized) magnifying glass. Basically I'm just curious how much electricity could be produced by focusing sunlight @ a piezoelectric material on one end and keeping the other end cooled relatively speaking to induce a charge across the crystal due to temperature differences at both ends. Measure this with the multimeter via the copper winding around the crystals ends. The greater the temperature difference you create, the more charge you you'll see.

problem is the greater temp difference the more likely the crystal is to break from COE...

 

[Golden_Crab]

Have you tried it before?

 

[Tpmetal]

Have you tried it before?

No just general knowledge of materials not saying it wont work just saying thats a possibility of a problem you could run into

 

[Golden_Crab]

Piezoelectric means mechanical energy is converted to electrical discharge, though I do understand what you are saying. Option B would be to encase the crystal in a conductor with an insulation towards the other end to allow compression during thermal expansion with the relatively uncompressed insulated end providing the voltage difference. Perhaps Arkansas would be a better place to ask about this?