Making a pedal powered television

[namtrak]

Okay.

I am not a fan of the box, and would happily live without it (notwithstanding Wilfred, Spicks and Specks and any Rugby match). And so as a part of our renovations I am considering putting an exercise bike in our "TV" room and then hooking it up, so you need to ride the bike to power the box.

I have googled this stuff, but all I come up with is mad scientists stuff, which looks half baked.

Do you think it would be possible to power a TV off an exercise bike?

What would the basic principles be?

What would the components be?

Cheers
and TIA

[bitingmidge]

Movie and links to plans here:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvEK4I5HGz4
http://www.los-gatos.ca.us/davidbu/pedgen.html

Cheers,

P
:D

[ozwinner]

Movie and links to plans here:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvEK4I5HGz4
http://www.los-gatos.ca.us/davidbu/pedgen.html

Cheers,

P
:D


Pedal faster Midge, owwwwwh....arhhhh...puuuf......pant.
A relpy is.....puuuuuf ........neeedddedddd....ooooowhhhhh, must pedal faster.......

Al :U

[Iain]

And when you start to look like Arny you can run a home theatre:D :D :D

[chrisb691]

Run the TV off a 12 volt battery, via an inverter. Rig a generator to the bike, to charge up the battery.

[Jedo_03]

Run the TV off a 12 volt battery, via an inverter. Rig a generator to the bike, to charge up the battery.

Yer - I was gonna sergest that...
friend of ours bought a 12v starter booster from Fleabay - it also has an inverter and an inflator...
they took it bush - ran the TV and DVD and 2x60W lights off it via the inverter and had enough power to fry the bacon in the elec frypan the next morning...
amazing
Jedo

[Harry72]

Hmmm pedal powered table saw... its all in the gearing!

[namtrak]

Thanks guys.

I was actually thinking along the lines of direct power, rather than battery and inverter.

With all due respect, I don't want it looking like a cow shed from Nimbin, I was hoping that whatever I come up with doesn't have a big foot print.

One of the links Midge sent refers to a thing called Ultracapacitors. These seem to be the type of thing I am after, they smooth out the voltage in someway.

[Ianab]

Doesn't have to be a huge elecrical mess if it's only a small TV that can be run directly off 12 Volts. The battery just means that if you stop for a beer the TV keeps going. It also provides some regulation incase you dont pedal at a steady speed. A little lead acid battery (fire alarm or computer UPS) can be had for about $20, charge that from your bike powered generator. The battery should run the TV for a couple of hours if you pedal real hard and get it fully charged. :wink:

Cheers

Ian