Home

Early Thermopiles, dating back to the mid-1800s: "Here are displayed early thermo-electric generators or "thermopiles". I have tried to put them in chronological order but few designs have a definite date, so this is rather iffy. The maximum power is obtained from a thermopile when its load resistance is equal to its internal resistance, as with all electrical sources. Since the internal resistance of a chain of thermocouples is very low, this means that it can supply large currents but only low voltages, unless a large number are wired in series."