How to Hook a Bicycle Up to a Generator
The global pattern of rising CO2 emissions is a shared dilemma that everyone faces. Increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have come from our industrialized society as well as our ever growing need for more energy. However, there are many new technologies that give us clean energy that can be used in your home, whether it is harnessing the wind, sun, and water currents or converting your own mechanical energy into electricity.
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Things You'll Need
- Bicycle
- Bicycle trainer
- AC inverter
- Deep cycle battery
- Electric generator, alternator or turbine
- Belt connecting to the generator or turbine
- Charge controller
- Plywood
Instructions
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1
Choose a location with lots of space. Chances are that once you set up this bicycle-generator system, that you will have it stored in the same place for a long period of time. Make sure that you have enough room for a deep cycle battery as well.
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2
Remove the rear wheel from the bicycle. Pull the rubber tire off from the bicycle. Wrap the belt which will connect to the generator around the inside of the wheel, so that it is resting between the grooves where the tire once was. Put the wheel back onto the bicycle.
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3
Set up your bicycle on a trainer. In order to put the bicycle on the trainer, you will need to place the back wheel bracket pin into the notches on the trainer and tighten the bolts on the trainer until they are securely holding the back wheel into place. Give the bicycle a little shake to make sure that it is securely held by the trainer.
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4
Mount the generator or turbine on a piece of plywood so that it is securely in place and will not move when the belt begins to turn. Connect the belt to the generator and give it a test by slowly cranking on a bicycle pedal, which will turn the rear wheel, which in turn will also turn the belt connected to the generator. Watch for anything that would cause the belt to slip off either the wheel or the generator.
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5
Wire the generator up to a charge controller, which will keep your battery from being over-charged and melting down. The charge controller, in turn, should be wired to a deep cycle batter, which will store all of the electricity that you produce via the bicycle.
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6
Wire your AC inverter to the deep cycle battery, which will turn the current from the battery, which is in the form of DC current into AC current, which you can use for most household appliances and items that you plug into an outlet.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure that whatever size belt you use, that it fits the wheel on the generator that it will turn as well as the wheel on the bicycle. Also make sure that there will be enough slack in the belt to run it from the bicycle to the generator.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit bicycle image by Vitezslav Halamka from Fotolia.com
