Muscle power into electricity

David Haaren and Kathy Abbott

Adapted extract from publicity leaflets.

We live in a small house on 14 acres of land in Southern Vermont in the States. The house is located a mile from utilities in a wooded, sloping area. Three photovoltaic panels, which produce 65 watts in full sun, charge our two deep cycle batteries. An exercise bike and generator are also used to charge the batteries. A gas refrigerator and stove and wood help provide for our other needs.

'An exercise bike and generator are also used to charge the batteries'

The batteries power a variety of appliances: a dozen incandescent bulbs, five fluorescent lights, a TV, video cassette player, stereo water pump (our supply is gravity), fan, Makita cordless tools, vacuum cleaner, weed-wacker, typewriter and an inverter for a computer, printer and movie projector. We find that the pedalled generator is enough to provide the necessary boost to take our system through the winter. We prefer pedalling to a noisy and polluting gas generator.

The power transmission is incredibly efficient, as evidenced by the length of time it takes for the flywheel to slow down once it's going. The permanent-magnet generator converts most of the pedal power into useful electricity.

With this system you can pedal-charge a 12 volt battery at up to 15 amps. The generator is rated to deliver 5 amps continuously and is more efficient at easier cruising rates, say 3 amps.

'Quiet enough so that you can read or converse while pedalling'

The pedal system consists of a Schwinn DX 900 exercise bike and a Thermax generator, mounted with what we will call a Haaren aluminium bracket. Power transmission from Schwinn's large flywheel to the generator is accomplished using Berg sprockets and plastic chain. This steel reinforced plastic chain runs on precision sprocket gears and is efficient and quiet, quiet enough so that you can read or converse while pedalling.

We can offer a kit to retrofit the Schwinn DX 900 or we can assemble a complete machine.

David Haaren and Kathy Abbott, Pedal Systems, Box 6, Westminster Station, VT 05159, USA.

You can rate how well you like this idea. Click 0-10 below and press the Submit button.
Bad Idea <- 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -> Great Idea
As of 05/28/96, 37 people have rated this page with the overall rating (0-100%) of: 86%

Previous / Next / Table of Contents