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Hack: DIY Bicycle Generator

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Last week we posted about Fenix’s forthcoming Velo Bicycle Generator, which rekindled my interest in do-it-yourself bike generators.  There’s all kinds of information out there on the subject, but I think this version is one of my favorites because it combines blue collar ingenuity and frugality with green minded eco-consciousness.  Basically take a car’s alternator, run a belt from your back wheel to drive the alternator, throw on a 12 volt battery to get the system started, connect to a power inverter so you can charge or run items via a conventional plug, and voila, you’ve re-created a car’s electrical system for your stationary bike.  Another viable option that you’ll find kicking around youtube is to use a DC treadmill motor instead of an alternator and battery.  If you already have a battery bank for solar panels, it looks like you could just plug right into that and charge away.  I haven’t built one yet, but when I do someday I’m sure it’ll be interesting  to see what I can get myself to run with it. — even if it’s just the TV and fan I normally run while on the trainer.

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anon
anon
11 years ago

Et voila, un viola!

kyle
kyle
11 years ago

400 watts, my typical output, is enough to power four 100 watt light bulbs. Do some math and realize this is a dumb idea.

T
T
11 years ago

If your normal, continuous power output is 400 watts, then hooking up the generator is just what you need to save a little money. I hear EPO is expensive.

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