Bicycle power generation.

m00g · 09-17-2008, 03:59 PM

Hi all,

If you are like me and cannot afford solar/wind power etc and you don't mind crunching gears on a bicycle you should seriously consider generating power from a simple source like the humble bicycle

I've yet to build as I still have to talk to a few people more in the know concerning the motors and batterys etc here in Oz.

Code:

http://www.scienceshareware.com/bike_gen.htm

Hope this of help to people that like myself are not as "financially well off" as others (financially well off sorta makes me chuckle given the recent happenings)

All the best!

-m00g

Dantheman62 · 03-31-2009, 05:30 AM

This is a great idea and there's lots of info out there on it!

The average rider will produce between 125 and 200 watts using the Pedal-a-Watt. While this may not seem like much power, many pieces of equipment draw very little power and can be powered for long spans of time with small amounts of power.
Lights, laptops, and radios all draw small amounts of current at 12 volts DC. In addition, LED lighting and high efficiency fluorescent lighting now allow 200 watts to go a long way. A typical 25 watt fluorescent light bulb, which replaces a 100 watt incandescent bulb, will last 8 hours on 200 watts worth of power. LEDs (light emitting diodes) are even more efficient and will last days on 200 watts worth of power.
Want to know if you can power an appliance? Look at the label on the rear (usually by the power cord) and find out the "rating" which is in watts. For example, the label may read 30 W under electrical rating and this is 30 watts. If you are unsure, please email us with questions.
Power Consumption of Typical Appliances:

Small TV 100 watts
Large TV 200 watts
Laptop PC 10 watts
Desktop PC 75 watts
Stereo 20 watts
Charging a cellphone 5 watts
Hi Effic Desk lamp 15 watts
Any bicycle that is in good shape will suffice for mating to the Pedal-a-Watt platform. However, bicycles with wheels of larger diameters, such as 27 inches as opposed to 16 inches, create more mechanical advantage. Both street bikes, with very narrow, smooth tires, and mountain bikes, with wide, knobby tires, have been used with equal success.

____

Watts is an instantaneous measure of power at any moment in time. Watt-hours is a measure of power over time.

For example, the Pedal-A-Watt, creates 200 watts of power. If you pedal for 2 hours, then you have created 400 watt-hours ( 200 watts x 2 hours) of power.

This 400 watt-hours would power a 100 watt light bulb for 4 hours, a 200 watt large screen TV for 2 hours and so on.

____

<LI style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Creates 175 to 300 watts at 12 to 25 volts DC depending on rider's strength<LI style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Bicycle easily disengages from stand for immediate road use<LI style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Stand folds easily for transport
Power small, household appliances such as a desktop PC, laptop, or stereo

____http://www.econvergence.net/electro.htm_______________________________________ ____________________________

Dantheman62 · 03-31-2009, 05:34 AM

http://www.mattshaver.com/bikegen/index.htm

http://www.scienceshareware.com/bicy...erator-faq.htm

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Power_peri...ered_Generator

09-17-2008, 03:59 PM	#1
m00g Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 39	Bicycle power generation. Hi all, If you are like me and cannot afford solar/wind power etc and you don't mind crunching gears on a bicycle you should seriously consider generating power from a simple source like the humble bicycle I've yet to build as I still have to talk to a few people more in the know concerning the motors and batterys etc here in Oz. Code: http://www.scienceshareware.com/bike_gen.htm Hope this of help to people that like myself are not as "financially well off" as others (financially well off sorta makes me chuckle given the recent happenings) All the best! -m00g

03-31-2009, 05:30 AM	#2
Dantheman62 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: So. Cal. U.S. Posts: 4,205	Re: Bicycle power generation. This is a great idea and there's lots of info out there on it! The average rider will produce between 125 and 200 watts using the Pedal-a-Watt. While this may not seem like much power, many pieces of equipment draw very little power and can be powered for long spans of time with small amounts of power. Lights, laptops, and radios all draw small amounts of current at 12 volts DC. In addition, LED lighting and high efficiency fluorescent lighting now allow 200 watts to go a long way. A typical 25 watt fluorescent light bulb, which replaces a 100 watt incandescent bulb, will last 8 hours on 200 watts worth of power. LEDs (light emitting diodes) are even more efficient and will last days on 200 watts worth of power. Want to know if you can power an appliance? Look at the label on the rear (usually by the power cord) and find out the "rating" which is in watts. For example, the label may read 30 W under electrical rating and this is 30 watts. If you are unsure, please email us with questions. Power Consumption of Typical Appliances: Small TV 100 watts Large TV 200 watts Laptop PC 10 watts Desktop PC 75 watts Stereo 20 watts Charging a cellphone 5 watts Hi Effic Desk lamp 15 watts Any bicycle that is in good shape will suffice for mating to the Pedal-a-Watt platform. However, bicycles with wheels of larger diameters, such as 27 inches as opposed to 16 inches, create more mechanical advantage. Both street bikes, with very narrow, smooth tires, and mountain bikes, with wide, knobby tires, have been used with equal success. ____ Watts is an instantaneous measure of power at any moment in time. Watt-hours is a measure of power over time. For example, the Pedal-A-Watt, creates 200 watts of power. If you pedal for 2 hours, then you have created 400 watt-hours ( 200 watts x 2 hours) of power. This 400 watt-hours would power a 100 watt light bulb for 4 hours, a 200 watt large screen TV for 2 hours and so on. ____ <LI style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Creates 175 to 300 watts at 12 to 25 volts DC depending on rider's strength<LI style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Bicycle easily disengages from stand for immediate road use<LI style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Stand folds easily for transport Power small, household appliances such as a desktop PC, laptop, or stereo ____http://www.econvergence.net/electro.htm_______________________________________ ____________________________

03-31-2009, 05:34 AM	#3
Dantheman62 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: So. Cal. U.S. Posts: 4,205	Re: Bicycle power generation. http://www.mattshaver.com/bikegen/index.htm http://www.scienceshareware.com/bicy...erator-faq.htm http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Power_peri...ered_Generator

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode