49cc generator

[Terry Blow]

Here's a picture of the latest prototype with both coils on. It looks like it only puts out 50% more power than a single coil so my revised estimate for maximum power out is 7.5 watts. Still not bad. Still waiting on a bid for the core and need to refine the mounting bracket. and maybe design a cover for it. Here's a link to a youtube video of it lighting up that 14.4 volt 200ma light bulb.
YouTube - Generator Test

You are the man
When you say design a cover are you talking engine cover
or just a cover for the magneto???
Those numbers are still better than the numbers from Grubee if I remember right they said 12 volt 7amps and yours are 14 volt and 7.5 amps plus if you want that from Grubee you have to buy the whole engine. If this was done as a kit that you could add on you would have a lot of customers and I would love to add this to my website I know this would be the hottest selling thing on the page
Good work
Cheers
Terry

 

[abikerider]

Hi Terry,
When I say design a cover I mean just for the generator. Also, it's 7.5 watts not 7.5 amps. There's a big difference. Grubee's 7.5 amps at 12 volts would be 90 watts which is a lot more power than mine. Also, I still need to come up with an efficient regulator if I want to be able to charge a battery with it.

It seems I am the only one still pursuing this particular solution to the electrical power dilemma for the 4 strokes so I will continue to do so. It's a little slow going since this is vacation season. It's making it difficult to get bids.

 

[Dan]

Think there are a ton of us cheering you on Abiker. Was thinking about this at work today and was gonna PM ya. I will be one of the first guys in line waiting for one if you go that route. Is great concept. I know how frustrating, exhilarating and expensive time and cash wise development can be. Just saying your devotion is very much appreciated.

Edison made 700 light bulbs b4 he got one to work. When asked if he felt bad about it, he said "I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work" (I been saying this over and over to my self last few days, snork. Have a project not going easy)

 

[abikerider]

Think there are a ton of us cheering you on Abiker. Was thinking about this at work today and was gonna PM ya. I will be one of the first guys in line waiting for one if you go that route. Is great concept. I know how frustrating, exhilarating and expensive time and cash wise development can be. Just saying your devotion is very much appreciated.

Edison made 700 light bulbs b4 he got one to work. When asked if he felt bad about it, he said "I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work" (I been saying this over and over to my self last few days, snork. Have a project not going easy)

Thanks Dan. The first challenge is getting it to work at all. The second challenge is optimizing the design, which is really an ongoing process. The third challenge is mass-producing it which I have never done before but am learning as I go. Then of course there is the marketing and selling of it which is also new to me but this is made a lot easier with websites like this. All in all it's been a lot of fun mixed with frustration creating this alternator.

 

[Dan]

Really is fun, the laying awake and wondering, and figuring out paths. Even some of the "won't work"s are fun. I can offer some suggestions on the marketing side. Use what ya want and disregard what ya don't. Actually just simple basics. networking, expansion of use or alternate use and a biz plan. A good business plan is the greatest of all tools. Will force you to look at things and concepts you might have over looked or considered and moved on but a later task makes it need rethunking. But most of all it is a set of goals that you can measure your progress against and keeps you on trac. For financing, folks won't even talk to you unless you have one. then, 9 times out of 8, they only read the first 2 or 3 paragraphs! Cracks me up (the executive summery)

Can send you an example of ones I have written and links to "how2s". Is not at all hard to write but the fact finding and checking is time consuming.

Just MHO and hope it is of some help to ya

 

[karma1968]

i kinda cheated and came up with a solution powers 15volt lights with little effort.
should have no problem charging sla...

YouTube - karmabike1911's Channel

YouTube - karmabike1911's Channel

cheers

 

[silverbear]

Looks like a simple solution. So what motor did you use? I have several old friction bike generators around and want very much to try this out. Thanks for persevering for so long to find a solution to the problem. Especially nice for the four strokes with no magneto to wire in to. What do you recommend in a voltage regulator?
SB

 

[abikerider]

The power output looks impressive. I hope it'll hold up to getting wet. Let us know how the hose roller holds up too. Kind of interesting that it runs off the rim.

I've ordered 100 cores for my alternator but it takes a long time to get them custom made so it'll be at least 3 months before I can begin production. I'm looking into different regulators right now. I'm looking at low voltage drop linear regulators for efficiency and simplicity. Right now I can run a headlight off the prototype. I'll make a video of it to post.

 

[karma1968]

at the moment im only using a rectifier diode. when i get moved and have a bench to work on i will come up with a good regulator that works with dc. i ran a test at night with a voltmeter with a backlight. anything over 20km and the battery voltage stay level no drop in voltage so if anything it will double the battery life.

for the motor you can pick up a old printer or pull one from a old cordless drill.

but as it stands i don't need to put the charger on the battery anymore after a ride i run it on my morning rids to refresh the battery.

 

[abikerider]

New Video of my alternator

Well I finally got my alternator cores and will be making my alternators soon. Here's a youtube video showing the prototype alternator on the bike and running my led lighting.
http://www.youtube.com/user/abikerider?feature=mhsn#p/u/4/4-BOt0c7csY
I ran the output to an outdoor-rated electrical box where I used a full wave bridge rectifier and a 10,000 microfarad capacitor to produce the dc output. It easily powers my 5 watt led headlight and a very bright led taillight. Voltage only varies between 10 to 13.5 volts between idle and revving the engine. Looks like I don't even need a regulator as long as the lights are on!

 

[karma1968]

wow works good

 

[Dan]

Well done AB!

 

[Terry Blow]

Nice work Steve
Are you going to fab a cover for the blower???

 

[silverbear]

Nice job! I know you've put a lot of thought and effort into making this happen. Is it necessary to have the shroud removed from the engine for this to work? Yours is an HS engine. Do you know if it would work with the Greyhound? Would a metal shroud over the flywheel interfere with the generation of electricity? Five watts is a good bit of juice. I'll be real interested to see what this will cost when you get into production. Especially for people who rely on these as transportation and have night riding to do... it may end up saving lives. Well done!
SB

 

[abikerider]

Nice work Steve
Are you going to fab a cover for the blower???

Actually, my name is Mike. I just removed the cover so you can see the alternator better. I've attached a picture with the cover on. As you can see from the picture I had to cut out a section of the plastic cover but what's nice is that the plastic cover covers most of the coils which are the most easily damaged parts. I plan on making some type of metal cover to protect the rest of the wiring.

Oops, forgot to load the pics. Here they are.

 

[abikerider]

Nice job! I know you've put a lot of thought and effort into making this happen. Is it necessary to have the shroud removed from the engine for this to work? Yours is an HS engine. Do you know if it would work with the Greyhound? Would a metal shroud over the flywheel interfere with the generation of electricity? Five watts is a good bit of juice. I'll be real interested to see what this will cost when you get into production. Especially for people who rely on these as transportation and have night riding to do... it may end up saving lives. Well done!
SB

Thank to everyone for your comments! As you can see from my last post, the shroud was only removed for the video. I do not own a greyhound so I do not know how easy it will be to do on that engine. Maybe someone can post a picture of the engine with the shroud off? I do plan on trying to make one for the greyhound once this is in production. The metal shroud shouldn't be much of a concern as the magnetic field flows through the alternator core. After I get my new batch of cores machined, I expect to see even more power out of the alternator. I'm aiming for 10 watts.

 

[Terry Blow]

Sorry Steve I mean Mike

 

[Goat Herder]

Good job

 

[karma1968]

any updates

 

[abikerider]

any updates

I got my new alternator cores cut and need to fabricate a new mounting bracket. Then I'll report on the output.

I also just received some led mr16 lamps from ebay. A 3 led 3 watt version and a 4 led 4 watt version. They are both surprisingly bright and have a nice beam pattern. They only cost about $4.50 and $5.50 respectively. With the present alternator I can only light my taillight and one of the new headlights. I guess 8 watts is a little too much drain. Hopefully the new alternator will power both so that I can have a 7 watt high beam (both lamps) and a 3 or 4 watt low beam. Here are the links to the lamps.

Warm MR16 12V LED 3W down light bulb lamp Studio Home - eBay (item 280597909193 end time Dec-31-10 17:37:42 PST)

Warm MR16 12V LED 4W down light bulb lamp Studio Home - eBay (item 280597910527 end time Dec-31-10 17:42:44 PST)

And I plan on putting them in something like this.