Pedal powered alternator

[BigNickMontana]

By all means I plan on having as much solar as I can cram on the boat/afford.

I was thinking of this as a project to more help abate the billy big rigger Buddha belly while helping charge the batteries at the same time.

Hard to go for a bike ride or a run at sea. Then again I am new to voyaging I may get enough of a workout it is not an issue but I am trying to think ahead since right now all I have is time.

Great suggestions though, I will look into other kinds of generators.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by BigNickMontana

I don't know about that, you feed me full of Queso and I am really good at making methane.

NOW you are onto something! As far as Buddha belly, I think you will be pleasantly surprised how many calories you can burn just constantly adjusting to a moving home... might be better off getting one of those little batteries that makes electricity from your body heat. Can't remember where I saw that...

[a64pilot]

If your where you can swim and like swimming, I believe you burn more calories swimming than most other forms of exercise, plus obviously you don't sweat, and just simply being in even warm water, you burn significant calories just keeping your body temp up.

I used to be a bicyclist, rode a couple hundred miles a week on average (roadie). Anyway when I went to Germany I knew winter would cut into that so I bought a set of rollers. I quickly learned two things, first without moving 20 or so MPH, you wouldn't believe how bad you sweat, and secondly, not much in the world is more boring that riding a set of rollers, looking at a blank wall, and rollers require a lot more concentration than an exercise bike.
If you persue this, I'd say use the power generated to run a fan, seriously


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[bobnlesley]

Just turn off the lights and have a beer.

[BigNickMontana]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

If your where you can swim and like swimming, I believe you burn more calories swimming than most other forms of exercise, plus obviously you don't sweat, and just simply being in even warm water, you burn significant calories just keeping your body temp up.

I used to be a bicyclist, rode a couple hundred miles a week on average (roadie). Anyway when I went to Germany I knew winter would cut into that so I bought a set of rollers. I quickly learned two things, first without moving 20 or so MPH, you wouldn't believe how bad you sweat, and secondly, not much in the world is more boring that riding a set of rollers, looking at a blank wall, and rollers require a lot more concentration than an exercise bike.
If you persue this, I'd say use the power generated to run a fan, seriously


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Well I will be based out of Seattle, some of my voyaging will be up to Alaska, needless to say I will not be swimming in those waters because prefer for certain parts of my anatomy to remain outside of my body cavity if you know what I mean.

Eventually going to work my way down south through the Canal to the Gulf, I am absolutely going to do a lot of swimming out that way, and diving of course.

[BigNickMontana]

Originally Posted by bobnlesley

Just turn off the lights and have a beer.

That works really well until I try to entice any of the lovely young ladies I meet to show up on said boat in bikinis.

[newhaul]

Nick contrary to what most have said here you can do it rather easily. You just need to make a pm alternator and rewind it to put out 14.5 volts at about 200 rpm which is actually simple to do. Download this book the 12 volt doctors practical handbook http://www.google.com/url?q=http://w...nIivaLoG-KYZiw and follow the instructions on page 171 of the book ( page 90 of the PDF)

[StuM]

Originally Posted by BigNickMontana

By all means I plan on having as much solar as I can cram on the boat/afford.

I was thinking of this as a project to more help abate the billy big rigger Buddha belly while helping charge the batteries at the same time.

Hard to go for a bike ride or a run at sea. Then again I am new to voyaging I may get enough of a workout it is not an issue but I am trying to think ahead since right now all I have is time.

Great suggestions though, I will look into other kinds of generators.

FWIW, I generally lose weight on passage.

[RainDog]

These people have been working on this problem:

Billions in Change

From what I can tell, they are claiming their solution delivers 1050 watt/hours from 1 hour of pedaling.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by StuM

FWIW, I generally lose weight on passage.

Me too and I think most do.

OP: If you are cruising in the same region, not crossing oceans, your passages are, like most cruisers, likely to be short, not much time to put on weight. Most cruisers, most of the time, only do hops of a few days in length or less.

On longer ocean crossings, most lose weight (I think) even when consuming plenty of calories. I certainly do.

Regardless, could be an interesting project, but solar is much more practical for generating juice. Maybe add a prop to it and generate a little more boat speed instead. Or, couple a blender to the bike (a resturant I know has one) for smoothies or cocktails.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by RainDog

These people have been working on this problem:

Billions in Change

From what I can tell, they are claiming their solution delivers 1050 watt/hours from 1 hour of pedaling.

Pie in the sky.

Ye cannae change the laws of physics, Jim!

Nor of biology and chemistry.

No human body is incapable of generating 1 kW of mechanical power for an hour. The average body could achieve maybe 10% of that.

No combinations of flywheels and generators can generate more energy than is put into them.

[SV THIRD DAY]

But i saw it on the internet...

[GILow]

Originally Posted by StuM

FWIW, I generally lose weight on passage.

StuM, you like correctly expressed units.

Perhaps there should be a kg/Nm metric. We could call them "All-is-Losties" or ALs.

I lost 8kg over 500 Nm. So I was running at 0.016 ALs.

Hmm... messy, combining metric with non metric there...

I'm a metric kinda guy, so with apologies to the nautical sensibilities of all, I'll convert that to kg/km. Or Metric-ALs.

So that was 0.008639 MALs.

Hmm... not so good, I'll have to work on that, or do longer trips.

[StuM]

That's actually 0.000007 firkins/furlong


We should all be using the FFF international system of units for consistency.
(FFF= Furlong, Firkin, Fortnight)

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by StuM

Pie in the sky.

I don't think it is "pie in the sky." I think it is an outright scam!

Look at the page headings that they have: "Free Electric," "Rain Maker," "Limitless Energy." These people are just playing off the ignorance of the masses and making impossible claims.

Conservation of energy... It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!