EcoRenovator  

Go Back   EcoRenovator > Improvements > Appliances & Gadgets
Advanced Search
 


Blog 60+ Home Energy Saving Tips Recent Posts Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-21-09, 08:11 AM   #51
bucknmusky
Lurking Renovator
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 3
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default now for the profit part

This is the same idea I have been mulling around with for a while. Now Imagine if you will... there are "health clubs" all over with spinning classes, people going nuts on pedal bikes burning as much energy as they can. So why not attach your generator to those bikes and actually recover energy that is otherwise wasted. escpecially with all the electricity those clubs draw, lighting, TV's, water heating their utility bills must be huge all the while they ENCOURAGE people to waste energy.
I leave this up to you, i am just an ideas man If it works out and you become a bike generator mogul Rock On

bucknmusky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-09, 08:35 AM   #52
Daox
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 5,525
Thanks: 1,162
Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts
Default

Haha, me and Higgy were just talking about that the other day.
__________________
Current project -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Daox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-09, 11:00 AM   #53
Higgy
The Gardener
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Manitoba - Canada
Posts: 492
Thanks: 17
Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts
Default

Man...can someone lend me some money to start up a gym so I can put this to the test?
Higgy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-09, 08:23 PM   #54
MetroMPG
Infrequent noob
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 402
Thanks: 37
Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts
Default Video posted....

See it in action:

__________________
.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
MetroMPG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-09, 07:00 AM   #55
MetroMPG
Infrequent noob
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 402
Thanks: 37
Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts
Default

Here's a car alternator powered one.

Looks like the "stock" field strength may be causing it to draw more power than the builder can comfortably deliver. He gets winded after about 45 seconds of spinning the pedals!



So maybe my wimpy blower motor is a good thing.

Here's another alternator based one that's "not easy" from the promo for the Specialized "Innovate or Die" bicycle innovation contest:

__________________
.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
MetroMPG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-09, 09:56 AM   #56
jwxr7
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
jwxr7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: mid michigan
Posts: 191
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Nice video of your set-up. That looks like a very nice old mountain bike .

That Specialized dyno is quite the contraption too.
jwxr7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-09, 03:10 PM   #57
MetroMPG
Infrequent noob
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 402
Thanks: 37
Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts
Default

I like this one too because being mounted to the bike itself, it's portable AND it doesn't disable the bike in any way - although it looks like they put a smooth rear tire in place of a knobby.

__________________
.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
MetroMPG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-09, 01:04 PM   #58
MetroMPG
Infrequent noob
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 402
Thanks: 37
Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts
Default

Can anyone think of a reason I shouldn't hook my DC/AC inverter directly to the generator output?

One reason I'm using the battery in the circuit is to buffer the output of the generator, thinking it might be hard on the inverter to subject it to voltage that swings pretty wildly as I start/stop & generally pedal at different rates.

But the battery in the circuit battery adds a fair amount of resistance to create X watts of output from the inverter, because I'm also charging the battery (or at least trying to maintain its current state of charge).
__________________
.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
MetroMPG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-09, 01:03 PM   #59
MetroMPG
Infrequent noob
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: 1000 Islands region, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 402
Thanks: 37
Thanked 20 Times in 19 Posts
Default

Update:

Capacitor needed?

I got one reply to the previous post's question on the Xantrex forum (Xantrex Forums: XPower Plug 175w + pedal generator: battery req'd? ) suggesting I should be using a capacitor (or battery), but didn't say whether it was strictly necessary.

Tire wear!

On another note: I have noticed the generator hub is starting to wear out the sidewall of the tire. So I'll need to take action to prevent that, even though the tread was already pretty worn out for trail riding purposes.

Using it regularly.

I've been using it maybe 1/2 hour a day on average. It's hooked up to a little radio that comes on when I start pedalling. Sometimes I use it to power the laptop to watch or listen to stuff too. (Appropriately, last night I used it while watching: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/energy/program.html )

Still charging up the junk battery I got. Its resting voltage is in the low 12.5 range now.
__________________
.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

  • To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
MetroMPG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-09, 02:17 PM   #60
jwxr7
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
jwxr7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: mid michigan
Posts: 191
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
Update:

Capacitor needed?

I got one reply to the previous post's question on the Xantrex forum (Xantrex Forums: XPower Plug 175w + pedal generator: battery req'd? ) suggesting I should be using a capacitor (or battery), but didn't say whether it was strictly necessary.
I would try a large electrolytic capacitor, but you will probably need a fairly large value (the bigger the better, microfarads wise) to make much difference under heavier loads. Just make sure the voltage rating is high enough on the cap. Should be more efficient than a battery as a buffer.
There could also be a concern for overvoltage on the inverter under low loads with or without a capacitor. Most inverters have overvoltage shutdown though. That might be an advantage of having a battery in the circuit, it would better limit upper system voltage.

jwxr7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Tags
bike, generator, pedal

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Ad Management by RedTyger
Inactive Reminders By Icora Web Design