Electric bike saves the world - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2019, 01:42:23 pm
content: https://www.goodshomedesign.com/60-minutes-on-this-bicycle-can-power-your-home-for-twenty-four-hours/

author: ZaphodBeeblebrox
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2019, 02:36:30 pm
content: That's like what, 0.5 kWh in that flywheel? Enough to power a household for 24 hoursMust be an over-unity bike then

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2019, 03:11:38 pm
content: Ahah, 0.5KWh and if you're working pretty hard IMO. Given the efficiency, I even doubt that figure. And sure you're not going to power a household for 24 hours with that.Figures aside, I just don't get it. How producing energy through human work is new? The only thing relatively new here is managing to make money offnothing(like through Youtube videos and such.)

author: Koen
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2019, 03:18:12 pm
content: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manoj_BhargavaManoj Bhargava (born 1953) is an Indian American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of Innovations Ventures LLC (dba Living Essentials LLC), the company known for producing the 5-hour Energy drink. [...]

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2019, 08:35:09 pm
content: Quote from: ZaphodBeeblebrox on December 14, 2019, 02:36:30 pmThere'll be 0.5 kWh in the flywheel, if and only if, (1) you pedal for a whole hour, (2) you are capable of setting cycling world records, (3) the system is close to 100% efficient.When Bradley Wiggins set theUIT Hour Recordhis average power output over the hour was ~500W. Anybody who has pedalled a bike at 500W (even if only for 30 seconds) will tell you that the effort involved is huge. When I was young and fit, and used to cycle ~30 miles a day five days a week, it was all that I could do to hit 500W output for a couple of minutes.So, no it won't power the average house for 24 hours because (1) the average (UK) household uses 8.5 - 10 kWh a day and (2) the average person won't be capable of keeping up world record levels of cycling output for 17 - 20 hours each day.Edited to add:It just occurred to me that cycling power levels probably don't resonate with most people in the way they do for some cyclists, even though obviously power is what we need to discuss here. So: Wiggin's 1 hour record setting ride was 54.526 km, so an average 54.526 kph by definition - or 33.88 mph if you prefer Imperial units.

author: Domagoj T
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2019, 10:54:58 pm
content: Here's what takes to power a toaster:A world class sprint cyclist draining himself to the point where he can't even stand up any more.

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2019, 11:37:48 pm
content: This nonsense has been doing the rounds for years, still not making an impact.The BBC did a consumer friendly take on the idea to show how silly it is:

author: Wimberleytech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2019, 03:45:28 am
content: Tooo funny!!

author: Ultrapurple
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2020, 04:23:31 pm
content: I know I'm resurrecting an old thread, but...Leaving aside the strangeness of pedalling a flywheel (energy storage device) to run a generator (inefficient energy conversion device) to charge a battery (inefficient energy storage device), I think some of those deriding this idea are failing to take into account that energy use in rural India is very different from that in, say, London. The power consumption of toasters, dishwashers, 99-inch TVs and other first-world luxuries is completely irrelevant.For the sake of argument, let's assume optimistically that one hour's enthusiastic pedalling can result in a net usable 100Wh from the battery. That's enough to charge a phone (~10Wh?) and power four 2W LED lamps for nine or ten hours. That's more than enough to light a small village dwelling - or possibly two or three. Given a choice between darkness/candles/oil lamp and electric lighting, which would you want?And of course, that precision-made heavy flywheel, chassis, geartrain, generator and everlasting battery will cost far less than four candles a day. Not.

author: chickenHeadKnob
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2020, 02:36:59 pm
content: Quote from: Ultrapurple on January 16, 2020, 04:23:31 pmThe observation about rural off grid use is pertinent, however solar panels easily beat anything human powered and is already seen in growing use in India. By 'beat' I mean in every aspect. Sunk capital, reliability and the fact that solar frees human labour. If you have ever lived the off-grid agrarian life you would appreciate every labour saving innovation that comes along These people don't join expensive work-out fitness clubs and run on rented hamster wheels to stay in shape.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2020, 06:38:15 pm
content: I view pedal generators as more of a complementary technology to solar rather than a competitor, since it has the advantage of working when and where solar doesn't. That said, I think pedal and crank generators would be best for powering portable electronics.

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2020, 06:43:23 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on January 18, 2020, 06:38:15 pmCrank generators have been used to power portable radios in the field since the 50s.