Bicycle System for Charging

Trickle Charge

Any recommendations?

Cheers
TC

BB.

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

You mean you want to peddle on a fixed bicycle and collect the energy (charge battery bank)?

Roughly if you are very good, there is about 100 Watts you can supply for 20 minutes+ at a time (reasonably hard pedaling).

And, a typical generator system is ~50% efficient (chain/gear box/bearings/etc.).

Vs getting a 250 Watt solar panel for ~$250 and it will generate for ~4-6 hours per day.

Usually, a bicycle generator is only useful for science fair type exhibits.

Your thoughts?

-Bill

oil pan 4

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

I think it would be a useful demonstration as to how much work a kilowatt hour really is.

waynefromnscanada

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

oil pan 4 wrote: »

I think it would be a useful demonstration as to how much work a kilowatt hour really is.

Agree. If everyone could take part in this demo, maybe people would complain a lot less about the cost of electricity and more about the cost of phone service.
I remember my late father, many years ago complaining about the relatively high cost of phone service that does very little for us, compared to the cost of electricity that does so much.
My cell plan for example charges me 50 cents a minute if I go over the limit. People accept that, but go off the deep end if their electricity costs 1/3 that if running an electric heater for an hour. Go figure.

Trickle Charge

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

Hi,

I know it isn't efficient but the bike sits on a trainer all winter long right next to the batteries. True I can use every watt but it's really because my better half has been on me to get this done for two years now sooooo...

I don't want to build one from scratch but I'd rather use my own bicycle so if anyone has one they've used and recommend that can be ordered online that would be great.

BB.

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

For a turn key solution, found these guys through a search:

http://www.thegreenmicrogym.com/electricity-generating-equipment/

But even a generator retrofit kit is $750 (if I read it right).

Otherwise, DC servo motor, belt+pully+rectifier+charge controller+battery -- Look up any DIY wind turbine site and just modify the hardware to a bike installation.

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_wind.html

Look for a 100-200 Watt system design...

-Bill

Hill_Country

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

My wife and I looked into the "Pedal-A-Watt" (see: http://www.econvergence.net/The-Pedal-A-Watt-Bicycle-Generator-Stand-s/1820.htm ). I can't comment on it, since I don't own one, nor do I know anyone that has one...but it turned up when we were doing research for off-grid living. The Pedal-A-Watt was a little too expensive for us, but we were considering using bike-generated energy to take care of individual loads...say, to do a laundry cycle, or provide enough power to watch a movie; that sort of thing. It gives those activities meaning when you have to pedal for what you want to do. Ultimately we never pursued the pedal-power thing, but may consider it in the future. Hope this helps!

AuricTech

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

I'm not at home right now, but I have a couple of links to vendors on my home machine. I'll post them when I get home.

westbranch

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

save the bicycle and go straight to this for the washing...
http://inhabitat.com/human-powered-giradora-washer-needs-no-electricity-and-costs-only-40/

or this one with a dryer cycle..
http://inhabitat.com/cyclean-bike-powered-washing-machine/

direct drive is better than injecting electricity into a human powered dynamo...

oil pan 4

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

I have worked on higher end exercise bikes that use a car alternator and a load dump to give you a work out.

zoneblue

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

For a good cheap low rpm generator you cant go past the motors from permannet magnet brushless washing machines. They are easy to get from junk yards here, because our leading washer manufacturer (F&P) uses them in their smart drive range of washers.

AuricTech

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

For a bicycle-based charger, Genarider offers four products: two are designed for stationary flywheel-based exercise bikes (one comes with the exercise bike, one without), and two are designed to use conventional bikes in a support stand (one uses a roller drive, while the other uses a belt drive).

Unfortunately, the other link I had saved (Windstream Power) doesn't currently offer a turnkey bicycle-based charger. However, Windstream does sell a range of permanent-magnet DC generators that one could use in a DIY project. Windstream also sells the Flexcharge NC25A charge controller, which I assume Windstream views as appropriate for use with their generators.

Trickle Charge

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

AuricTech wrote: »

For a bicycle-based charger, Genarider offers four products: two are designed for stationary flywheel-based exercise bikes (one comes with the exercise bike, one without), and two are designed to use conventional bikes in a support stand (one uses a roller drive, while the other uses a belt drive).

Unfortunately, the other link I had saved (Windstream Power) doesn't currently offer a turnkey bicycle-based charger. However, Windstream does sell a range of permanent-magnet DC generators that one could use in a DIY project. Windstream also sells the Flexcharge NC25A charge controller, which I assume Windstream views as appropriate for use with their generators.

Thanks. I was hoping for some feedback by anyone that had a chance to own one. I started getting parts for a DIY install but I can tell it isn't going to happen.

softdown

Re: Bicycle System for Charging

This would work. A salvage yard alternator is probably $25 from a common car. You could make a load dump for next to nothing with a little research. I forgot what little I knew though I seem to recall the concept of heating water. EDIT: Well...your "load dump" would be your battery bank.

oil pan 4 wrote: »

I have worked on higher end exercise bikes that use a car alternator and a load dump to give you a work out.