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Author Topic: pedal power  (Read 28429 times)

Dr

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pedal power
« on: August 03, 2013, 11:26:24 PM »
it has been some time since I posted anything,but I was wondering if it would be possible to build a pedal powered energy system, using a homebuilt low speed alternator. I believe one would have to use a large flywheel to keep the load from bogging it down. would the wire in the copper coils be a large diameter or small? I would of course be using a battery storage system! any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

Magluvin

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2013, 01:18:56 AM »
I ride electric bikes. I have 3, 1 is 600w and a 500w and a 750w.

From what I understand, we as humans on bikes can produce 100w. Something I read. Not so sure about that. I know guys that ride 30 miles at 35 mph on a long flat road. I might think that they are producing more than 100w, or to say consuming more than 100w of human energy.

You dont have to use an alternator. Automotive DC electric cooling fan motors are smaller and have permanent magnets so the output is DC without the use of diodes. They work very good as generators and are good for 20 to 25 amps of continuous currents at 12 to 14 v, if you are able to pedal it to those levels, of which can be between 250 to 350w output, depending on the load.


Lol, I had a thought once based on the Matrix movie, sort of, was to have people driven power plants, but it is like an exercise gym with all generative exercise equipment. Maybe the people get paid to work out, or maybe its free, as compared to the prices of a nice gym, free may be attractive.
But then the place has to be AC'd which would require quite a few consistent members producing just for that, along with lighting, music, equipment electronics, 'air freshening' ;D , etc.

Then again, maybe it would only be enough for the gym to save some money on its electric bill.

Mags



Dr

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2013, 03:47:50 AM »
Magluvin: thanks for the response,yes I agree that a human in good physical shape should be able to produce more than 100 watts of power, thats less than 1/7 th HP. I went out to the shop with a crazy idea and put together a quick setup of coil and magnets. My coil was a 100 turns of 22 ga. with a 1 sq. inch center hole . My magnets are 1/2 thick X1X1 neo. N42. I already had some 1/2 " MDF circles cutout so I made a quick mockup with axle and stator that would hold my coil!. My first test was I wanted to see how many leds I could light with the magnet passing over the coil the conventional way ( at 90 degrees or straight on) I hand cranked the rotor at 60 rpm and found I could barely light 1 led. and then I cut out a space on the opposite side of the rotor, so that the magnets are now cutting the same coil at a 45 degree angle, I also held the coil at a 45degree and cranked the rotor to the same 60 rpm, and I could now light 4 of the same size leds. I thought that I would be able to only light 2 leds since I was cutting  Twice as much copper with the same amount of flux. but to SQ. the output I was kind of surprisedCan someone else verify this, or am doing something wrong?


Magluvin

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2013, 06:29:26 PM »
Magluvin: thanks for the response,yes I agree that a human in good physical shape should be able to produce more than 100 watts of power, thats less than 1/7 th HP. I went out to the shop with a crazy idea and put together a quick setup of coil and magnets. My coil was a 100 turns of 22 ga. with a 1 sq. inch center hole . My magnets are 1/2 thick X1X1 neo. N42. I already had some 1/2 " MDF circles cutout so I made a quick mockup with axle and stator that would hold my coil!. My first test was I wanted to see how many leds I could light with the magnet passing over the coil the conventional way ( at 90 degrees or straight on) I hand cranked the rotor at 60 rpm and found I could barely light 1 led. and then I cut out a space on the opposite side of the rotor, so that the magnets are now cutting the same coil at a 45 degree angle, I also held the coil at a 45degree and cranked the rotor to the same 60 rpm, and I could now light 4 of the same size leds. I thought that I would be able to only light 2 leds since I was cutting  Twice as much copper with the same amount of flux. but to SQ. the output I was kind of surprisedCan someone else verify this, or am doing something wrong?

Hey Doc  ;D

If you are just looking to light leds, for the moment, try more turns on your coil. Also it is good to have the mags alternating NSNS and to space them so the mag centers, the N mags center is crossing one side of the coils windings and the S mags center is crossing the other side of the coil. This will double the number of windings being 'cut' by moving fields. 

1 magnet crossing the face of the coil, the fields will cut the approaching side of the coil first, causing current to flow in one direction in the coil, then as the magnet crosses the departure side of the coil, currents are reversed.  So as the mag passes the coil, you get 1 cycle of AC. By having more mags as I said above, you will get AC also but more and a continuous wave of AC. With the 1 mag as you have it, try to use a full wave rectifier to charge a cap, then see what voltages can be reached by storing each generative pass of the magnet. The you might be able to light the led using a current limiting resistor from the cap and get constant light from the led instead of blinking.

Is your coil air core?

Mags

Dr

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2013, 09:20:53 PM »
@
 Lakes: thank you for the web addresses for pedal bikes, I noticed no one was using a large flywheel to smooth out the loading. mmmmmm                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   @Magluvin: I do have air inside the coil! I know it is possible to mix fine metal shavings with epoxy and fill the coils, but this creats heavy cogging, due to magnetic attraction,,but increases the output of the coil. I have aDC motor that I turned with a drill motor, but was really surprised at how much  HEAT that thing put out when hooked to a load, even a small wattage light bulb. I was wondering how it would hold up to long term use , with no cooling air flowing over it? :-\

Magluvin

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2013, 09:44:53 PM »
@
 Lakes: thank you for the web addresses for pedal bikes, I noticed no one was using a large flywheel to smooth out the loading. mmmmmm                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   @Magluvin: I do have air inside the coil! I know it is possible to mix fine metal shavings with epoxy and fill the coils, but this creats heavy cogging, due to magnetic attraction,,but increases the output of the coil. I have aDC motor that I turned with a drill motor, but was really surprised at how much  HEAT that thing put out when hooked to a load, even a small wattage light bulb. I was wondering how it would hold up to long term use , with no cooling air flowing over it? :-\

Cogging can be smoothed out with asymmetric core centers. Like when one mag is being pulled toward the core, the other is trying to get away from its core. Each coil can have its own rectifier and cap, then you can series parallel as needed. Also like you said epoxy, the mix can be weak to compromise between cog and power out. JB Weld already is magnetic. The 2 part epoxy only the 'metal' part is magnetic. But their 2 part putty sticks, both the outer part and the inner part are magnetic.  You can tape off the coil and just mold it in. 

What size DC motor did you try with the drill?  Cooling fan motors can take some heat. ;) And some of the pancake motors, they are nice and compact and can take or give some good power.

Mags

Lakes

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2013, 09:53:35 PM »

Dr

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2013, 01:02:21 AM »
Magluvin? I guess that means you take a liking for magnets? cool handle!! My DC motor was from an old mikita cordless drill that I wore out along time ago, actually the chuck was stripped so I tore it apart and saved the motor!  it was 12Volt, I hooked up a 12V light bulb and spun it up with my new cordless drill. the motor got so hot I had to let go pretty quickly, or I would have burned my hand! :o

Dr

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2013, 01:08:11 AM »
Lakes: Those last two that you showed do have flywheels, but they are on the small side and pretty inneffective, as there is no weight concentrated out on the rim. The flywheel I have in mind is  a min. of 5 ft. dia. and weighs at least500lbs. :)

SkyWatcher123

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2013, 01:28:33 AM »
Hi folks, thanks for sharing, here is an idea that uses the lifting of heavy weights.
The pedal sprockets are geared so it is very easy to lift the weights and goes slowly, then when lifted to max height, the pedal cranks do not move because of free wheel.
Then the sprocket ratios step up the slow decent of the weight and give high rpm at the generator head to power a load or charge batteries.
Hope you enjoy the funny picture design, hehe.
peace love light
tyson ;)


Dr

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #11 on: August 11, 2013, 09:40:54 PM »
Started my pedal powered project, instead of sitting on my fat ass and watching TV. I can sit on my fat ass  and pedal a machine so I can watch TV, get some  much needed exercise, and maybe have a little fun doing this project. I made my stator already 9 coils with 160 turns of 22 ga. with a  3 phase AC output. heres a pic.

Dr

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #12 on: August 11, 2013, 10:34:03 PM »
that picture was sized to small, trying again

Dr

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #13 on: August 11, 2013, 10:37:45 PM »
Wow is there a tutorial on how to upload pictures on here somewhere, the quality is really crappy!???

Dr

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Re: pedal power
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2013, 03:39:39 AM »
I made some more parts today, lets see if I can get the pictures  clear this time :-[