unconventional battery charging

kamchuka
kamchuka Registered Users Posts: 65 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Just putting this up to see what kind of things have or have not worked. I've always been interested in some human powered charging devices like the old bike and car alternator thing, which i understand wont work, If anyone has anything different or new please share IE: cold fusion, hamster cages, an old honda spree welded to a generator....what have ya!
900 watts pv (building on) on poles, off grid 60a mppt, magnum 2k 12v msw, 1400 ah forklift battery (rewired to 12v), 8k diesel gen for house. honda eu6500, 2x 8D, coleman 800w inv for shop, honda 5k for well (pumps to 1000g cistern), ryobi 2k suitcase for mobile ops. 
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #2
    Not work is not a good enough definition of failure.

    For example,  a bike tensor can output around 100 Watts if you pump hard enough. That is roughly $0.01-$0.02 per hour of very hard pedaling.  or $0.10-$0.20 per hour if you are off grid.

    Or buy a 300 watt solar panel for $300 and get 3-5 hours of 300 watts (900-1,500 watt*hours per day) for 20+ years. 

    If you can raise crops for oil,  an old Lister diesel could work nice.

    If you can shred wood,  a gasification system plus generator  can work.

    Pig/cow/farm waste can be fermented into methane and used for heating and running a gas (or suplimenting a diesel ) genset.

    And there is the old,  not sexy, solar heating  (air, water,  etc.).

    Depends on where you live.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    The bike thing would likely "work" fine. When I was a kid, I had a generator mounted to my bike frame. When it got dark, I flipped it to make contact with the tire. The tire spun up the generator and ran the lights. On a stationary bike, I could probably charge my phone (and maybe save putting a log in the woodstove).
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • kamchuka
    kamchuka Registered Users Posts: 65 ✭✭
    #4
    Most things I've read on the car alternator bike combo makes it sound nonviable. Well for my lazy ass anyways...lol
    900 watts pv (building on) on poles, off grid 60a mppt, magnum 2k 12v msw, 1400 ah forklift battery (rewired to 12v), 8k diesel gen for house. honda eu6500, 2x 8D, coleman 800w inv for shop, honda 5k for well (pumps to 1000g cistern), ryobi 2k suitcase for mobile ops. 
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Open a gym, charge admission, and have a lot of bike exercise stations, to power your house from.

    A average person can manage 50-75watts for an hour, on a bike power generator. More than enough to charge a laptop.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • kamchuka
    kamchuka Registered Users Posts: 65 ✭✭
    #6
    yes sir...crossfit! get em choppin my wood too!
    900 watts pv (building on) on poles, off grid 60a mppt, magnum 2k 12v msw, 1400 ah forklift battery (rewired to 12v), 8k diesel gen for house. honda eu6500, 2x 8D, coleman 800w inv for shop, honda 5k for well (pumps to 1000g cistern), ryobi 2k suitcase for mobile ops. 
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