[Energy] Pedal-powered electricity

Noah Vawter nvawter at media.mit.edu
Thu Dec 1 17:29:11 EST 2011


the main disadvantage with using an alternator is that you need to produce a magnetic field from electricity before the generating begins.

that means you either need to start it up by foot, making a field, then flip a switch over to kickstart the system or have a halfway-charged battery available.

technically, doing those things are trivial, but as we've been finding out in this project, the real goal isn't to make a technical system--   it's to make one that works for the people using it, who are non-experts.  trying to explain to strangers and first-time users that you have to throw a switch at the right time gums up the process.  So, we're designing using DC motors.

Here's a great reference for using alternators in a pedal powered generator system:

http://autonopedia.org/renewable_energy/Pedal_Power/bike_gen.html



On Dec 1, 2011, at 5:16 PM, Zmick, Adam wrote:

> Hey Ted,
> 
> Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.  I've seen videos of a similar setup, but they use a car alternator instead of a DC motor.  What are the benefits/drawbacks of both approaches?  I'm looking to moving to India to do some development work there, and I want to learn how to produce power using whatever materials are available in remote locations.  (I figure it might be easier to get my hands on the alternator off an old car than to choose the best generator for the job from a store somewhere.)  Would you have a minute to chat about it sometime in the next week or so?
> 
> Thanks,
> Adam
> ________________________________________
> From: Ted Moallem [ted.moallem at gmail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2011 5:00 PM
> To: Zmick, Adam
> Cc: pedalpower at mit.edu; energy at lists.occupyboston.org
> Subject: Re: Pedal-powered electricity
> 
> In the process of documenting our new design here:
> 
> http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/Pedal_Power
> 
> 
> More info on OB PedalPower group builds, generator components, and
> other designs here:
> 
> http://pedalpower2thepeople.pbworks.com/w/page/47830717/FrontPage
> 
> 
> Ted
> 
> 
> On Thu, Dec 1, 2011 at 4:56 PM, Zmick, Adam <azmick at mba2012.hbs.edu> wrote:
>> Hi.
>> 
>> I walked past the tent with this email taped to it at Occupy Boston, and I'd like to know more.  I thought that pedal-powered electricity was a great idea, and it was cool seeing it in action.  I'd be really interested in knowing how to construct a similar device.  Do you have instructions available anywhere?  Do you have any tips you could share from your experience?  I'd really appreciate it.
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Adam
> 
> 
> 
> --
> ________________________________
> 
> Theodore Moallem, Ph.D.
> moallem at mit.edu
> 
> http://BlindLead.mit.edu
> 

Noah Vawter
http://web.media.mit.edu/~nvawter  <-   Media Lab documentation
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