Mechanical energy from a bicycle can be converted to electricity.
Consumers weary from paying high energy costs and polluting fossil fuels are looking for cheap, clean ways to generate electricity. While most people don't have access to materials to build a wind turbine or a solar panel, a simple generator can be built with a trip to a junkyard and the hardware store. The device not only generates upwards of 300 watts of electricity, but the mechanical energy expended provides a solid workout, as well.
Instructions
1. Remove the rear tire from the bicycle and reinstall the wheel on the bike with the drive belt fastened into the rim. It should have at least a foot of free space to fit around the motor's driveshaft. Fix the bicycle to the indoor bike trainer.
2. Drill holes into the aluminum mounting plate and bolt it to the cross member of the bike trainer using U-bolts.
3. Thread the drive belt around the driveshaft and mount the motor to the aluminum plate so that the belt is pulled tight.
4. Attach a red wire to the positive terminal of the DC motor and a black wire to the negative terminal. Attach these two wires to the input terminals of the charge controller. Use the appropriate wire crimps in the wiring kit. The charge controller will limit the voltage going into the power pack in order to protect it from overcharging.
5. Attach wires between the output terminals of the charge controller to the input of the rectifying diode. The diode will keep the electricity from flowing out of the power pack and into the DC motor. If the electricity was allowed to flow in both directions, the charge from the power pack would turn the DC motor, which would then spin the bicycle's tire.
6. Attach the wires from the rectifier and into the power pack. Make sure the power pack is turned on and begin pedaling the bicycle to start charging the battery. Plug a small device, such as a laptop or a cell phone charger, into the power pack and enjoy charging it without harming your bank account or the environment.
