Before introducing the project I have chosen to put my efforts towards, I first need to introduce a larger project that will take my smaller project upon it's completion and introduce it--among additional projects--to others. The larger project I am speaking of is the Waterpod™ Project--a self-sufficient habitat on a reborn industrial barge, but their website spells it all out much eloquenter than I can. The project I will be working on is some sort of portable bicycle-powered electricity generator stand. Bicycle-powered generators convert the mechanical energy in the pedaling of pedals into electricity using magnets. The magnets are part of what is called a brushed DC electric motorW (also called a permanent magnet generator), which basically works by spinning a bipolar magnet surrounded by another bipolar magnet. This spinning creates direct currentW, which is able to power some appliances; however, alternating currentW is more commonly used in everyday appliances. To convert the DC from the generator into AC, an inverter is needed. A battery for storing the DC may be used if necessary. These are all fairly common pedal-power components that I will need to use to build this project.
Criteria
- portability
- meets the requests of the Waterpod people
- cost: scrap metal, eBay, thrift store items, materials found in nature, etc. should be used when possible.
- originality: this project should be it's own project, building off of others' work, but not lose efficiency