Research

[Dan]

I am talking with a manufacturer of Stators. What I want to do is use the front wheel as a Stator to generate 12 volt electricity to charge a small battery for lighting or maybe just run lights out right. If there is any interest in this I will make more after a prototype or 7.

Any thoughts? Market, voltage, mounting etc....

 

[xPosTech]

There was a TV series on human powered vehicles, generators, water pumps, etc. I think on the Discovery channel a year or so ago. One of the projects was an alternator using the front wheel.

The guy epoxied several rare earth magnets to the rim (disc brakes?) and wound a coil for the pickup. Since the output of a moving magnet past a coil is directly proportional to the speed of the magnet it had a high efficiency, enough to power his lights and GPS receiver with just a few magnets. Magnets were scavenged from dead hard drives.

Since I'm kinda Scroogey, I only have basic cable. The channel would have to be Discovery, History, National Geographic or The Learning Channel. You could probably find the series searching their websites.

Instructables probably has a few how to's on home built alternators.

Good luck

Ted

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Not a bad idea, Dan.

You would have to ahve about 13.4-13.7 volts regulated to charge a 12v battery. If you just wanted to make a few watts to power stuff on the bike, it seem like it would be pretty easy.....if you know electronics, of which I am sorely lacking in knowledge.