Author Topic: New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup  (Read 6737 times)

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GbreadMan

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New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup
« on: June 01, 2010, 12:59:33 PM »
Hi, wanted to say hi to the group.  I'm from NJ and am a big fan of alternative power.

Late last summer I started researching online "pedal power" projects.  I thought it would be a worthwhile project because I always put on too much weight over the winter, and wanted a win-win of generating power while keeping the weight off (I was already going into the winter too heavy and needed something).  After some calculations I quickly realized the power output would be tiny, but I still wanted to get the health benefits without wasting the energy produced. 

Most pedal-power websites were disappointing because they created pedal power from a dedicated, fixed bike stand (ie rear wheel removed leaving only the gears, or some other similar apparatus which destroyed the original bicycle).   I wanted to make something which would allow a bicycle to be mounted, then removed from the stand and used as a normal bicycle.

I did some quick back-of-envelope "gear-ratio" equations (bike gears converted to the rear 28" wheel radius, pushing the stand's roller).  From the calcs, it was concluded a standard 2400rpm e-bike motor would be a comfortable pedaling speed at the highest bicycle gear.  I removed the resistance magnets on the bike stand, added a 10mm-to-8mm dual-female flexible shaft coupling adapter, a 24v DC permanent magnet motor to the other end of the coupling, jury-rigged a stand with some bolts fastened to the bike stand, and hooked up the wiring (with fuses) to a charge controller, battery bank and micro grid-tie inverter.  Picture follows.



I use a kill-a-watt meter to measure total power produced by the GTI.  So far I've pedaled on it for 8 months, about a half hour every other day, averaging about 1 kilowatt-hour per month, or 17 cents per month off the electric bill (NJ rates are 17 cents per kilowatt-hour).  As a secondary (and much more valuable) energy conservation benefit, I've calculated a significant energy-savings benefit from using less electric-generated hot water and baseboard heat, especially during the winter months (the house was built by an electrician in the early 70's, when oil crises were a myth, nuclear power was unstoppable and the US was the Saudi Arabia of coal...everything in the house is electric aside from an aux propane heater and a fireplace).

I think the biggest mistake in building the apparatus was using the cheapest batteries possible.  I purchased two lawn mower batteries when I should've spent a few extra dollars getting deep-cycle batteries.  The batteries were toast after only a few months.  Lesson learned the hard way.

I also purchased a carbon dioxide meter, which helps monitor co2 levels and adjust air quality. With open windows in warm weather it's not a big deal, but in below-zero January weather with storm windows it becomes an issue. 

As far as slippage between the tire and the rollers, it hasn't been a serious issue, even under "heavy" (200 watt) load.  The rear tire is still in very good condition.  I wear hearing protection because the DC motor/generator is pretty noisy.  I don't produce enough power to keep the inverter "happy" at max output (normally I average 100 watts) therefore it frequently re-sets to zero once the charge controller shuts down access to the batteries (low power situation).  It then gradually increases its demands until it again re-sets.    However, towards the end of the workout I remove the inverter and recharge the batteries to a full state using the charge controller as a monitoring device.  Keeping a steady pace around 27 or 28v is the primary goal and is within a very comfortable and do-able pedaling speed.

Was wondering what everyone thought.  It's still a work-in-progress.

Thanks,
Dan

DamonHD

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Re: New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2010, 01:29:27 PM »
Very impressive, and you have probably learnt more RE lessons than I expect to.

Yes, you probably get what you pay for with batteries (that's my excuse to go thinking about £1k/kWh Lithium batteries anyway, so shush).

Thanks for sharing.

Rgds

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dnix71

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Re: New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2010, 09:23:31 PM »
Nice. I have an ebike with that motor to drive it. Now you know what a deep hole the world will be in when the fossil fuel party is over. It isn't easy making or storing electricity in the quantities western society is accustomed to using.

The Arabs have a proverb that goes something like "My grandfather rode a camel, I fly a jet, my grandson will ride a camel."

hiker

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Re: New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2010, 03:35:02 AM »
nice setup!!
i like using exersize bikes for my alts...
not as much friction to overcome..chain and belt drive........
on my 300+volt ac conversion[three phases wired in series] it was easy to power a small tv and  vcr--watched a few movies on it...
no batts or inverters--just straight ac from the alt...used a ac. volt meter for control...
made a few car alt conversions as well--worked great on the pedgen--never flew one yet.....
heres a link to you tube--forgot my photobucket password!! dam really have to get this hobby
of mine organized!!--havent done much lately--have a few projects stalled out..............
good luck with your bike gen--welcome to the board..........
  http://www.youtube.com/my_videos
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zap

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Re: New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2010, 11:40:28 AM »
Nice system Dan and welcome to the board.
There are quite a few pedal systems that have been showcased here over the years.  We should probably try to round them all up someday.

I'm a little surprised yours is loud enough to require hearing protection.

SparWeb

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Re: New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2010, 12:18:58 PM »
I love it when somebody signs up to offer something of interest like this!  Welcome aboard.

In the context of charging a set of batteries in the room, there are gases like H2 produced by the process, but not CO2.  Could you elaborate on the CO2 meter you mentioned?  I have CO meters in my house because it's heated with natural gas (very very small risk) but the CO2 question never even crossed my mind.  My leaky house isn't particularly stuffy except in the height of summer.  Is that what you're monitoring?

By the way, I hope the wires and batteries on the carpet was just for the sake of the picture or trying out the original set up, and that now it's on a tray of some sort for regular use.

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GbreadMan

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Re: New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2010, 10:04:00 PM »
CO2...breathing while exercising on the bicycle.  Exhaling.  Same as a coal power plant but minus the sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, mercury, cadmium and lead.  So I'm sort of a "clean" power plant (minus the heavy metals and acid rain).  CO2 meter I bought was at co2meter.com.  They don't seem to be selling that particular model anymore.  In the winter with doors & windows closed the co2 level can go from about 500 ppm to 3000 ppm in less than ten minutes (the alarm goes off at 1500 ppm).  I usually opened the window before it got any higher.

Initially I had a 350 watt prototype, but that didn't work out (too much stress on the shaft, and it kept slipping...the stand was also very awkward).  I also purchased other shaft couplings on Amazon but they didn't work out (wrong inner diameter, and boring them wider damaged the set-screw threads).  I didn't have any plans, so I was figuring everything out as I went.

As far as the parts, most were from ebay vendors (names given).  I've estimated the payback period at current rates to be...oh...120 years give or take (maybe I'll live that long with all the exercise I'll be doing  :D ).  Here's the list:

1)  Purchased From:bikesdirectbikes  (Feb 2006, then sat in my garage for 3 1/2 years):
NEW BICYCLE TRAINER - INDOOR BIKE EXERCISE STAND  1 $69.00 USD $69.00 USD
(includes any seller handling fees) $20.00 USD
 Total: $89.00 USD

2) 250 Watt - 24 Volt Motor (Style: MY1016)
Sale price: $30.00
Shipping & Handling: US Postal Service Priority Mail $11.00
Seller: tncscooters

3)  Flexible shaft coupling (between bike roller shaft & DC motor shaft)
Flexible Coupling Coupler 8 x 10 mm for stepping motor
Sale price: $14.99
Seller: d_kwa2520

4)  12/24V 24A Adj Solar Charge Controller w/Display
Sale price: $69.00
Shipping & Handling: Standard Flat Rate Shipping Service $10.00
Seller: cs419

5) miscellaneous:  batteries, battery clamps and fuses/fuse holders at advance auto parts (again, should've gotten deep-cycle somewhere else but I went cheap)
scrap wood, measured to proper level
two 7/16" galvanized foot-long carriage bolts (with nuts & washers) at Lowes, to fasten the wood blocks to the bicycle stand
scrap wiring, had some 10awg black wire and some 14awg red lying around.
1 1/4" drywall screws (hold the motor down to the wood base)

Dan

ghurd

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Re: New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2010, 08:34:50 AM »
Might be a good idea to remove the solar controller, or omit it from most plans.

If something happens, like the battery reaches full charge, or the grid goes down, or a wire comes off in the right place,
anything that would make the controller want do any 'controlling',
then the solar controller could blow up from overvoltage input.

Most 12V solar controllers can take about 30V at the input.  Most 24V solar controllers can take around 60V at the input.

The wife specifically put her Minoura trainer on "the Do Not butcher list".

Stories like this make me appreciate a good 50W solar panel.
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www.ghurd.info<<<-----Information on my Controller

don1

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Re: New to group - Hi - and personal bike-power setup
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2010, 10:32:40 PM »
Hey G bread,
  First of welcome to the site. I have a couple of  question for ya. Does the hydrogen off gassing help you get to sleep faster? ;D
 What do you use the batt power for?