Harbor Freight self contained engine electrical output?

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Sinsinx

New Member
Oct 26, 2013
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California
Hi, I am planning on mounting a 79cc predator engine in a bicycle build i'm doing soon, however I also have plans for adding eletronics to the bike, similar to the "white wire" in 2 the chinagirls. Does the HF have a stock electrical output? If not, how difficult (on a scale of garage mechanic to "actually impossible") would adding an electrical output be?
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
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48
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Moosylvania
Howdy Sinsinx, welcome to the forum.

No, the HF Pred does not have any extra electrical output. So you would have to Ninja or MacGyver some. If you took it off the brake HP, there would be a power loss and if taken off the PTO, a room issue, width wise. Then you would need some sort of alternator.

Another option would be a bottle gen like the old bike light ones but DIY and wound for 12 or 6V and at around 15 or 16 MPH. (What I have found to be the avg, motorized bicycle speed)

Another option is a rechargeable system. But I think the best would be a solar panel with the option to plug in to recharge a battery system.

But you are gonna get some great thoughts and suggestions. Just MHO there.
 

Sinsinx

New Member
Oct 26, 2013
6
0
0
California
Howdy Sinsinx, welcome to the forum.

No, the HF Pred does not have any extra electrical output. So you would have to Ninja or MacGyver some. If you took it off the brake HP, there would be a power loss and if taken off the PTO, a room issue, width wise. Then you would need some sort of alternator.

Another option would be a bottle gen like the old bike light ones but DIY and wound for 12 or 6V and at around 15 or 16 MPH. (What I have found to be the avg, motorized bicycle speed)

Another option is a rechargeable system. But I think the best would be a solar panel with the option to plug in to recharge a battery system.

But you are gonna get some great thoughts and suggestions. Just MHO there.
Thanks for the response, its too bad there is no electrical output, and it doesn't sound like making one is easy by any means.
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
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northeastern Minnesota
I've had good enough luck with a used 6 volt bottle type generator that rubs against the tire, like what Dan was describing. I make my own lights using the guts from cheap little led flashlights meant to run on 4.5 volts. The LED lights have a lot more tolerance for varied voltage than incandescent bulbs which will burn out at higher speed. The cheapest route is LED lights and a 6 volt used generator from ebay or a scrounged bike. I have yet to do it, but adding in a capacitor to briefly store some voltage will allow you to come to a stop and still have your lights lit up for a bit, hopefully long enough for the traffic light to change and be off again generating voltage. I think that would be just a bout the cheapest, reliable setup one could do. Not necessarily the best, but good and highly affordable. Some kind of lights is way better than no lights.
SB
 

CTripps

Active Member
Aug 22, 2011
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Vancouver, B.C.
When you start tinkering, remember... an electric motor is also a generator. It's just a matter of figuring out the output.

For instance, let's say you have an old electric drill laying around. If you stripped it down to the motor and put a sprocket in the chuck, then ran the chain over it, you'd generate power.
 

mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
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Central Area of Texas