Mario Lazetti wrote:Cool project. I was looking for something similar and found the pedal-a-watt system which is somewhat comparable. I like the price point of this, thanks for sharing.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I call it the doomsday generator because it's made from 90%
free salvaged junk and sometimes in certain scenarios you make due with what you have on hand. I also enjoy sharing and building these contraptions, and if the power ever goes out, it's good for emergency. I have wired a household outlet directly onto the ceiling fan alternator recently, which I haven't documented, but it makes it easier to plug in things such as the shop light in the recent video. I
think this could be used to supplement a small offgrid or emergency power system on cloudy days, and charge batteries only when the
solar isn't keeping up. That way you can use the batteries with an inverter to power things, and not have to pedal while you are running the electricity via battery/inverter. But it's also amazing to me that I can plug a 110 v appliance like the shop light, and power it directly as well with no rectification or any other diodes or inverters, as I demonstrate in the video above.
Anyone with money can certainly purchase a similar device, but on doomsday you might not have power, or Internet, and money might be only useful for toilet paper in a collapse scenario. Personally I just enjoy recycling and repurposing junk, learning and saving money, plus providing a simple DIY video for my followers and other
people interested in offgrid and alternative
energy.
I still have yet to try charging batteries or rectifying the current to DC for charging battery banks, as intended, but if I get my hands on a bridge-rectifier or accomplish anything further I will make an update.
🙂
