A Hand Cranked MagnetoGenerator

snipped-for-privacy@dslextreme.com

I ran across a site a while back, can't remember where, whose author was selling used magnets he gleaned from hard drives and claimed they were Neo's. I was skeptical because of storage media in a computer but, it appears he may have been correct.

rg

The part of the motor armature that's between the magnets and the media is soft iron and "shorts out" the magnetic field. Kinda like the E-core around a relay coil.

Cheers! Rich

I'd like to take exception to this number here. You produce almost 70 watts just sitting there! (albeit, in the form of heat and not real useful.)

When I was in HS physics, the class got around to the F+MA and all that stuff, and did an experiment to determine just how much power a person can generate. There was a 3-floor stairwell at this school, and what the physics class did was get a few boys to volunteer to run up the stairs as fast as they could, and be timed. Then, of course, the boy's mass times the height, with some gravity factor was the work done,divided by the time it took him to ascend 30 ft. (10 M) of stairs gives power, the rate of doing work. These guys were pushing a horsepower. But you were allowed to cheat - use the handrail, vault instead of turn the corner, whatever. I tried it and made about 300 watts, IIRC.

But that's "fight or flight sprint" mode - nobody could keep that up for any extended period of time, obviously. So, maybe 70 watts would be a good comfortable pace on, say, an exercise bicycle.

What somebody needs to invent is a movie of scenery going by, that moves by (on the big-screen projection TV next to the exercycle) at the same speed that you're pedaling. :-)

I also have an invention for a new type of recumbent pedal - but for a generator, you wouldn't need the gearshift. But I see I've gone over, and that's a topic shift...

Thanks! Rich

Your analogy is correct about the shorting- but it takes effort (work) to move the iron armature (or pole pieces) through the magnetic force. Regardless of the structure (magnet flux). It may be easier to move through 360 degrees with a well designed armature/field but it would take the same effort to produce the same power (electrical energy) if it is produced in 90 degrees or 360 . . . (or with the bad design you could use a flywheel, or some other mechanical means to smooth the effort required)

I have a 120 vdc generator (from the 40's) and if I add any kind of real field voltage (excitation) on it, it seems to lock up (as far as one's hands trying to turn it are concerned)

No such thing as a free lunch. You want to generate electricity . . it takes work.

Now, how much and how does it compare to the "grid' - a few years back I did the arithmetic, buying an alternator, buying fuel, buying the ancillary items (shed for the alternator, regular maintenance (air and fuel filters), radiator flushes, depreciation, lubricating oil, etc. etc).. I could just generate energy at the point where the power company is selling it to me . . .

Now my opinion . . . the utility company probably tracks this stuff more closely than I do . . it will always be just a little tiny bit cheaper to buy power than make it (hydro, wind, solar cells, geothermal, tides, notwithstanding).

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I'm not about to argue with you. A person "can" generate a horsepower of more for a (very) short period. (like how kenmore or craftsmen appliances are rated in the US)

And when it comes to horsepower - The horse is walking in a circle - pulling a load, not lifting his/its weight - so I'd have to figure that in . . .

I can generate over 300 watts for a few minutes - I can only generate

100 watts for a few hours - and that's breathing hard - feeling like death is imminent - all out, do or die exertion - with very few people that can compete with me - except my neighbor. Hour long race, and he's 1000 yards ahead of me.

True he's got that sweet carbon fiber bike, with the fancy alloy spokes, and he's six years younger - but dammit I want to beat him!

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