Poll

Do you consider human powerd generator to be renewable energy?

Yes
No
Maybe
Not Sure

Author Topic: Human power  (Read 11742 times)

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harley1782000

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Human power
« on: March 06, 2011, 08:51:39 PM »
Just curious what everyone thinks about this.  I am actually questioning my power company about this and have not answer yet.

Jim

commanda

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Re: Human power
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2011, 01:30:24 AM »
Depends on what you eat.

Of course, running the A/C to keep you cool while pedalling like mad probably defeats the purpose.

Amanda

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Re: Human power
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2011, 02:39:58 AM »
Food is neither a cheap fuel nor necessarily low carbon: if you eat food that has been grown with a lot of fossil-fuel input (primarily to make fertiliser) then definitely no.

Plus what Amanda says.

If you ate only 'organically' growns food with no fossil energy or mineral inputs, then maybe yes, but you'd still get more usable energy by paving over your organic farm with solar PV by at least an order of magnitude.

Rgds

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jvnn

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Re: Human power
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2011, 07:41:25 AM »
I voted yes because we're going to eat regardless of whether we use our body energy.

Those who ride bicycles are saving fossil fuels, one of the best uses of body energy.
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-Joel

DamonHD

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Re: Human power
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2011, 08:57:08 AM »
You're going to eat more if you generate significant amounts of power.  If you don't then the emboddied energy of the generation equipment may be wasted.

In this forum we obey the laws of thermodynamics, etc, etc...

(Having said all that, human muscles can be astonishingly efficient, so eating biomass to pedal might be a better way to generate electricity than semi-industrially burning or digesting it.)

Rgds

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zap

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Re: Human power
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2011, 10:26:25 AM »
I voted "maybe".

...eating biomass to pedal might be a better way to generate electricity...

That doesn't sound very appetizing at all! :(

DamonHD

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Re: Human power
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2011, 10:51:17 AM »
In the dystopian future you *eat* your sackcloth and ashes.  Move over Bart Simpson.

Rgds

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wooferhound

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Re: Human power
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2011, 06:43:17 PM »
I think of Pedaling for Power as, more of a novelty way of exercising.
It would be difficult and time consuming to make more than 200 watt hours of power a day.

Norm

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Re: Human power
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2011, 12:03:48 AM »
I think of Pedaling for Power as, more of a novelty way of exercising.
It would be difficult and time consuming to make more than 200 watt hours of power a day.
Pedaling for Power is more of a novelty way of exercising....but if you are exercising anyway
might as well be a useful resistance instead of just power consuming friction resistance.
All my rooms are brightly lit with NiCad batteries powering dozens of LED pushbutton lights.
David Butcher has been pedaling a little over 100 watts a day for quite a few years and even that
is enough for him.
I spend a couple of hours a day on and off to make 50 watts.
It is a good incentive for losing weight and toning up.
BTW I quit smoking 15 years ago and at the price of cigaretts today
( I smoked 3pkgs a day) I save enough in one day to pay for electricity
for a week.....what a bargain grid power !

Norm

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Re: Human power
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2011, 07:35:01 AM »
Meant to say brightly lit at night relatively when the other
lights are off during bedtime.
 Neat ! Ungrid powered light !
Norm.

WindriderNM

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Re: Human power
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2011, 04:51:28 PM »
The more I exercise the more I eat, the more I eat the more weight I gain, the more weight I gain the more I need to exercise.
 If I keep this up I will never run out of power.
I voted yes.
~~~WindriderNM (Electron Recycler)~~~   
~~~Keep Those Electrons Flowing~~~

Bruce S

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Re: Human power
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2011, 05:45:20 PM »
I voted yes.
 Human power can at this point in time be considered a "novelty". It could also be touted as a backup genset.
It is also in various areas being touted as a very good way to get back into shape, to train for those spring/summer clothes that must be bought and fit, low impact for post-infarct patients, etc.
A mere 5 ticks off your BMI gives back longer life.
Besides exercising helps your body to become more efficient at burning the material you put into it.
 
The list is an ever growing one and for those people who build them themselves, this can give them one more reason the smile that all knowingly smile  ;).

For people who are just learning , this would give them a quick way to "feel" what it takes to generate that stuff they are possibly wasting.

Good poll Norm!!
Cheers;
Bruce S
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CmeBREW

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Re: Human power
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2011, 08:13:31 PM »
Just Barely I would say.  I use to do about 20 watt hours per day -- but now only 10 Wh per day just for a quick, easy Cardio-Knee workout . Gets the heart pumpin'. Probably will go back to 20Wh when it gets warmer.
 
Like Norm said, it is funny, but it gives me a small sense of pride each night I use my 5 watt CFL for lighting in my bedroom for a couple hours. Good fun to pedal some watts. Sure does give an appreciation for what it takes to power things.

I would say it is a small renewable energy source IF one actually keeps uses it.   ;D

-Good to see you Pedaling strong Norm!

Norm

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Re: Human power
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2011, 09:34:56 AM »
CmeBREW , It's warmer weather doing 20 watt/ hrs yet?
Been pedaling recumbrent style using kitchen chair for a seat.....
gotta get me a regular seat installed....regular bike seat no good either
for me have a seat more like a motorcycle seat that I'm going to use.
Norm.

CmeBREW

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Re: Human power
« Reply #14 on: April 30, 2011, 08:01:17 PM »
Hi Norm!   

No, fraid not-- still just 10WH.  Well, it IS warmer now -- but I was just waiting for the rainy season to pass. (Kidding)
Actually, over the last month I bought one of those mini-trampolines and have been bouncing on that for 15min a day to rid Toxins from my Lymphatic system.  So 10 WH is all I can muster right now on the Electro-pedaler.  Just yesterday I strained my right knee jumping too high on that Tramp.
Surprised me -- thought I was in shape. Maybe in my mind only!

I did completely change my Electro-Pedaler to a fixed seat position.  I had to turn the whole pedals around and cut of a bunch of stuff.  Pretty much everything is just made of pine 2x4's.  I made the seat myself with padding and viynl nailed over it.  It is Super comfortable now, and I like it MUCH better.

I left the 2 minute super burn 200Watt workout Idea. After awhile, I found myself not wishing to do it that often.  So now it is an easy 50-60 watts slow ~40rpm pedaling.  I find it is the only way I will KEEP doing it each day.
I finally got an analog Ammeter hooked to it, to watch the power as I pedal, and it is not as good as I had hoped, but still about what I expected.  Since I like it geared so slow, the Ammeter goes up to 7 or 8 Amps for a spit second (on the down crank), and then Immediately drops down to 1 or 2 amps for a split second, then back to 7 or 8 on the other down crank and so forth.  So, It seems that I am doing a very comfortable 50-60 watts average.
I think I will try to post some pictures about the changes soon.  Maybe give somebody an idea on the simple framing or something. 
Norm, I will try to pick it up to 15 WH each day and see what happens.  I actually do many different workouts each day with weights too to get bones in shape before I break'em.  ;D

 

zap

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Re: Human power
« Reply #15 on: May 02, 2011, 11:11:32 AM »
Gym power...
http://thegreenmicrogym.com/
Here's a video of it from the BBC... nothing special:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7735256.stm

bob g

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Re: Human power
« Reply #16 on: May 02, 2011, 01:14:00 PM »
the term "human energy" just flat pisses me off no end!

this is a term coined in an effort to keep those of the world that don't have access to
electrical power or rather cheap power of any sort, doing the same thing they have done
for millions of years,,, that is slaving away while those that can afford cheap power keep on living the way they always have.

much like "blood diamonds" where those that can afford diamonds justify buying from those
that slave their fellow man.

i hate that term "human energy"!

grrrrr

bob g
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large frame automotive alternators for high output/high efficiency project X alternator for 24, 48 and higher voltages, and related cogen components.
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Bruce S

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Re: Human power
« Reply #17 on: May 02, 2011, 04:08:54 PM »
the term "human energy" just flat pisses me off no end!

this is a term coined in an effort to keep those of the world that don't have access to
electrical power or rather cheap power of any sort, doing the same thing they have done
for millions of years,,, that is slaving away while those that can afford cheap power keep on living the way they always have.

much like "blood diamonds" where those that can afford diamonds justify buying from those
that slave their fellow man.

i hate that term "human energy"!

grrrrr

bob g
Bob g I would pretty much agree on the human energy thing moniker, human power is quantifiable and can be given real numbers; where as human energy is in the realm of  AEther-ness.
slavery and "blood diamonds is a real term and certainly will raise arguments too.
Your not peeved with the human power that we can measure are you?
Cheers
Bruce S

 
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bob g

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Re: Human power
« Reply #18 on: May 02, 2011, 05:12:07 PM »
no i am not peeved at "human" powered projects from the diy'er community,
where take exception is some multinational company populated with "ad men"
that never worked physically a day in their lives taking the term "human power"
and try to promote their will on those of the world that are just now emerging.

it just seems very wrong to me to have some corporation or politician that either is backed
by or has at his disposal vast sums of money to continue living his lifestyle while expecting some villager in some 3rd world country to forgo the use of coal/oil/electricity etc because of global warming...

all the while using the term "human power"  as if it were some new age technical term, something green, something promotable when the reality is those that use this sort of logic already have their vast estates, corporate jets, and limo's.

as hard as it is for me to listen to ed begley i have to give him his due, at least he is living what he preaches, walks the walk. quite unlike some of the others like algore.

its just one term that makes my skin crawl

bob g
research and development of a S195 changfa based trigenerator, modified
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Norm

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Re: Human power
« Reply #19 on: May 02, 2011, 05:45:35 PM »
CmeBREW ,
    If you can get a WattsUp meter sometime really worth the price
nice to know how many watts you are really pedaling...with an ammeter
it just jumped around so much I was just guessing when I thought I
was averaging 45 watt hrs. with the Ametek ....I was surprised when I
got the WattsUp meter I was only averaging 15 watt/hs.  ......that's
when I switched to the EMC and discovered 18:1 ratio was much to high
and 6:1 ratio was too low.
     I've discovered along the way that how many watts you pedal isn't
as important as much as to simply keep going every day!
Norm
     

Bruce S

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Re: Human power
« Reply #20 on: May 03, 2011, 10:33:08 AM »
bob g;
 THAT I can certainly agree with! ed B I will listen to; as you say HE is walking the walk...
I do like his way of making toast :)
Al-boy and mouths like his I have NO time for.
Cheers
Bruce S

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Madscientist267

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Re: Human power
« Reply #21 on: May 03, 2011, 12:36:26 PM »
I say DEFINITELY.

Just ask Joe Arpaio.

Human powered jails? Works for me.

Need to expand the idea. More exercise bikes, more inmates, more power.

Might even help with the oil crisis.

Ok maybe not.  ::)

It's still 'RE'.

Steve
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How much magic smoke it contains does !