= Thermoelectric generator
A <thermoelectric generator> converts part of a heat flow driven by a <temperature> difference into electrical output through the <Seebeck effect>. Thermoelectric legs connect hot and cold sides; their electrical arrangement combines the generated voltages while their thermal paths carry heat between the sides.
A load draws <electric current>, so delivered <power> depends on both open-circuit voltage and internal resistance. Shorting the output gives current but zero terminal voltage, while an open circuit gives voltage but no useful delivered power. Thermal contacts and heat leakage alter the actual leg temperatures, so a material's <thermoelectric figure of merit> alone does not specify the complete generator's efficiency.
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