Update on swing power unit

[Norm]

  Here's the latest development in the bike

generator...a little more compact...or could be







Well for a little test I hooked this treadmill

motor up to charge a 5200Ma NiCad 4.8 volt

battery pack thaat I rigged up ....by rocking

one pedal back and forth...about a 1 foot stroke

, once a second I simulated a really casual

swinging session, the generator was spinning an

approximate speed of 300 rpm.

 



The voltage read about 3.98 initially, after about

30 minutes of casual "treadle pedaling" with one

hand....this was so easy it was almost ridiculous

, which is my aim ....casual swinging power.

  ...the battery pack was reading 5.24 volts.....

about 1.3 volt average per cell.

  Still there is much room for improvement, my

final version will be the back and forth motion

of the swing directly to the chain....the entire

mechanism under the floor of the swing except

for the generator and batterys.

     ( :>) Norm.

[richhagen]

Making the kiddies work I see :-)  I observe that people usually swing from a seat held to a top pole by a chain.  I notice that they jump to a start and then put more energy into the swing a little at a time as it goes higher.  Two questions come to mind.

First, how much power can you take out of the system - dampening - before it becomes difficult to swing, and second, some of the energy will be lost if the alternator is too stiff from the gearing at the pedal because the chain will bend some below where it is attached to the alternator.  I'm sure the forces could be calculated, and I don't think that is a big issue in your case because you can rock it gently without applying much force with your hand.  

You could power an automatic light near the swingset for those night time swinging sessions.  Rich

[2dumb2kwit]

 Looks great norm, I like the way you think!

I would like to add something to rich's idea, if I may. If you power a light with your swing-gen, I think you should put the light above your head,......that way when you start to swing, the lightbulb will pop on above your head and everyone will think you just had another idea!LOL  

[Norm]

This isn't a chain swing this is a glider swing

, the roof and the floor form the top and bottom

legs of the parallelogram, the end legs are the

sides that are part of the seats...as you swing

forward, you push forward with the lower part of

your legs and feet on the floor...thats the power stroke.

  I figure about 20 watts steady is enough for

me...

   Then again my next project could hook an air

compressor to the swing storing the air to run

an air motor cylinder type connected to a generator

 large enough to run a small light.

    All fun learning nothing to get off the grid

about.

          (  :>) Norm.

[Norm]

Ah Yes...it would be a dim bulb....!

            ( :>) Norm.

[Stonebrain]

Hi Norm,

did you think off an lineair alternator.I saw pocket lights that keep the accu loaded just by shaking it a bit.Seems quite efficient.

For the swing movement it would mean less transmission losses.

Just a thought...

Really cool project.

cheers,

stonebrain  

[feral air]

It sounds to me like you can reduce the size of the pulley on the motor a bit if it's that easy. Or...

I'd look into internally geared hubs (xmas present for self?). That would let you up-shift once you hit your stride to get the motor spinning faster. Even cooler would be an automatic hub/derailleur, if you can find one (that's not outrageously expensive and) that'll work in your setup, since it could be tough trying to reach a shifter while in the swing.

20w would only be my goal for kids. 50w or more for adults. I know you don't want it to be too much like work but I think you've got enough weight on your side to make 50w achievable...maybe even 100w or more.

Anyway, it looks awesome - like an over-sized dynamo mounted kind of funny. take it easy

[Bruce S]

Hey Norm;

  Very nice !! I took a look at those Batteries, I'm thinking you're getting low and need more:-)

I've stole your idea of adding 4 more to make a dual 12Vdc unit, but I've found so many thing run on the 10V level that I just double up the current by splitting them down the long ways. Makes two sets of 8 right at a solid 10Vdc and double the current. I use a small 25Watt solder iron and solder on to the tabs that are right there for the using.

 Makes pretty easy to charge too.

You need more of those packs, let me know and I'll drop ship some.

Have Great FUN

Bruce S

[Norm]

You need more of those packs, let me know and I'll drop ship some.

Yes indeed I do and thanks so much ! You have

helped open up a whole new adventure series for

me. I lean toward 6 and 12 volt systems.

 I no longer worry about soldering I'm developing

 a rack system for each of my appliances

something like cartridge fuse holders (hmmm...

loongg fuses) I'll post a couple of pics here

of how I'm doing it.

 I think you'll like it !

               ( :>) Norm.  

 

[Norm]

Bruce,

   Here's how I connect 4 stack of cells to make

it a 5 stack (6 volt)

 You can maybe see the other 3 stacks, the split

plastic pipe and a thin slice of dowel rod and

how they fit in the end in the background?





I take plastic pipe same size as the cell cut a

piece same diameter as the c cell saw lengthwise

with the bandsaw(remember the new bandsaw?...

best tool I ever got !) then I manage to spread it

and slip it over the ends of the batteries, then

put a spring between them.

 2 thin slices of dowel rod, same diameter as the cell, staple the slice

onto the ends of the pipe to make a cap.

  Now I drill holes in the ends and put a bolt

thru....head of the bolt on inside ....then drill

4 holes in two sticks ....the end of the bolts

slip into the holes ...after you put the wires

into the holes, the wires are configured to put

these series of cells parallel or series or 12

volt or whatever. These split plastic pipe grip

quite firmly onto the batteries....beautiful !

I think you'll like it....maybe even NTL will...

he kind of inspired me to this I didn't have pipe

big enough for the batteries to fit inside as

NTL suggested at one time....all I had was same

diameter as the cells....the only way I could do

it was split the pipe....OH CRAP ! this wouldn't

work either...well cut it in pieces...one cell at

a time....Hey these pieces of pipe are like

little clamps LOL ! AH Hah! Why not ? So goes

the way Norm thinks ! and it just won't stop !

 It keeps getting better and better ! LOL !

      Time for Coffee !

     ( :>) Norm.

[elvin1949]

Norm

 Feral Air made mention of a automatic hub/derallier

bike auto shifter.

 I have one on a 26 inch wheel.If you think it could be used on this project.Drop me an email.

 You can have it,all i need is an address,it's free

I will even pay shipping.It is just in my way

maybe you can get some use out of it.

later

Elvin

[Norm]

Yes...I would be glad to have it, Elvin, I will

be able to get a lot of use out of it.

 I'll E-Mail you my address....

Thanks a lot ....

         ( :>) Norm.

[Bruce S]

Norm;

   Sorry , didn't mean to take so long getting back to you. Thanksgiving is a big deal for us. 7 stses worth of people converge on in-law house and it's a wondeful time.

I have about 1/2 dozen of those pack charged for a different project for our DBA, < he's getting his recumbent trike ready for the nite ride > and I'm helping build the light poles. The packs break down into pefect 2 10VDC 1300ma sets and this <with G-'s LED help> lights up the LEDs perfectly.

Anyway , come Monday I'll pack up those 1/2 dozen and send them out to the same address as before, along with a new surprise box for you. Call it an early Christmas present:-). I will have more as soon as the tester finishes testing them, will then send them by the 6pack if you want/need.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Bruce S

[Norm]

Yes...I've been busy myself understand how it is.

I've got these 20led camp lights that take 4 AA

alkaline batteries...that's about 6 volts and

something like 175Ma....anyway left the 4cells in

series but paralleled the stacks giving me 4.8 or

5.6 max and 5200 Ma/hr  (I guess??) anyway I left

these on all night from 1Am when I got up at 6AM

they were just a kerosene lamp bright and the

voltage had dropped to about 4.6 from 5.2 at 1

so....I guess I'll have to have a double or triple pack like that ....I was thinking of adding 1 cell per stick or using the 5 cells and paralleling about 6 'sticks' to make a 6 volt

7.8 amp/hr battery ....but then at a higher voltage

it might draw more current and drive the LEDs

too hard.

   Ever charge a battery with pedal power?

Might be easy pedaling but takes a looongg time !

Makes you appreciate 14 cents a kilowatt/hr or

whatever it is now....

   I was just laughing with my sister about the

time Dad hit the ceiling because the bill had

went over a $1 for that month.....that was a

long time ago.

                 ( :>) Norm.

[Bruce S]

Norm;

 Pedal power? nope or should say not yet:-)

I stick these onto the little 12V 1.5 watt panels and have them charged up by it:-) I find that if I break them into 2 10V packs and let the charger work with that , I'm sure to have a nice set of batteries charged for my tests.

I have been messing with a different set of packs, much newer, but only setup for 18V in a 3x5 bank, and they are not as easy to reconfigure as these old ones are.

Perhaps I'll send a few of them along for you to fight with as well. 2 of them will make a nice ~12 unit since there'll be 10 per set.

By my numbers.... that system would last better than 24hours.

How about putting up a picture of that 20LED light:-)?

Cheers

Bruce S