Jul

8

Exercise bike generator uses car alternator

Filed Under exercise routine 


Understandably, this is not going to save the planet or signifigantly reduce your electric bill but it will give you really intense workout. It just seemed to make good sense that an alternator would work well since it is already voltage-regulated and cheap & easy to obtain. It is important to get the alternator spinning before you energize the rotating field or it will be very hard to get it up to speed. The amount of power you can get depends on how strong your legs are and the size of the inverter you use. I doubt the alternator could be maxed out with human power. Of course, you could modify the alternator if you wanted to. I’ve gotten 160 amps before out of a modified Delcotron. This one puts out 35 amps. Now, I realize some people would ask whats the point of all this. Well, whats the point of a stationary bike anyways? You expend energy for nothing as it goes nowhere. At least you could run a TV, stereo, lights, or whatever while you’re at your exercise routine. Some of you auto electric experts might want to point out the seemingly high voltage and say “Hey, it should be no more than 13.8 volts” but this is a $3.50 volt meter!

Comments

25 Responses to “Exercise bike generator uses car alternator”

  1. PonyHaven on July 8th, 2010 12:22 am

    This is a great idea.
    I made one, back in the ’80s.
    Pedalling flat out, I got 360 Watts of power from the alternator.
    We humans don’t last long at that power level ;) .

  2. lockbreak12 on July 8th, 2010 1:18 am

    in theory could you use this type of rig as a battery charger? then after the battery is charged use that as a power source?

  3. three0234 on July 8th, 2010 1:23 am

    how is the shaft in the alternator? ball bearing or magnetic ball bearing? is there a way to switch it to magnetic ball bearings if it’s not already?

  4. three0234 on July 8th, 2010 1:53 am

    add a rodin coil to increase the output? i found some people experimenting with it just to have a no contact drive train. ooh also you know a recumbent style exercise bike is much easier so do the same but with a recumbent instead? :D i just thought of trying the experiment you already did. cool gear box? :D

  5. TheLockerzfreaks on July 8th, 2010 2:10 am

    its not voltage regulated if you use the battery to charge the field the whole time, flip the switch back while pedaling.

  6. 69furball69 on July 8th, 2010 3:04 am

    very cool project, thanks for the info

  7. Montauk198 on July 8th, 2010 3:58 am

    here is the idea i’ve had. Try using a multi-gear bike with a few alternators attached. Also try a transmission type thing to get more rpm to the alternators with less pedaling.

  8. theoriginalanomaly on July 8th, 2010 4:24 am

    I have had that idea. But I think alternators are designed for rpm’s that are too high. They are designed to peak at a couple of thousand rpm’s. If you make your own generator, you can get it set up for the rpm’s that are reasonable.

  9. koulailat on July 8th, 2010 4:25 am

    i know a alternator makes 12v but if i pedal for a how how much volts do i get ?

  10. UBERKron on July 8th, 2010 4:33 am

    yes! i have just made a two chain exercise bike with a 70 amp alternnator. i will post a reply tonight. i can only just pedal fast enough to excite it but i can pedal at about 10kmh and 100w load is plenty for exercise.

  11. alwaysTheScout247 on July 8th, 2010 4:51 am

    would this power a large enough electric motor which could get a light weight vehicle moving?

  12. aaronlovespot on July 8th, 2010 5:28 am

    could you sell the power?

  13. pikipirs on July 8th, 2010 5:28 am

    The best exercise computer display. Ever. Now if it would only be a bit less noisy… :)

  14. dylanthorner on July 8th, 2010 5:33 am

    Sweet that is cool, LOWER ENERGY BILL!!!

  15. Armando2012102 on July 8th, 2010 5:49 am

    MrJetjoe: Good idea. I’ll take you up on that. I’ll be the Steve Jobs of human-powered electricity, while you sit on your fat ass eating cheetos and doling out cheap sarcasm on YT.

  16. trailkeeper on July 8th, 2010 5:50 am

    I’d try another alternator than a car one. Maby one from a smaller machine, even a stepper motor maby.

  17. nickdigg5 on July 8th, 2010 6:16 am

    Nice stuff!

  18. Knowlagable on July 8th, 2010 6:55 am

    Positive from the battery to the switch then from the switch to the 3rd pin on alternator. not to the positive or negitive on the alternator but the 3rd one.

  19. Knowlagable on July 8th, 2010 7:37 am

    It has to be connected when spinning and not connected when stopped. sparking it for a second will energize the field but only for that second.

  20. MrJetjoe on July 8th, 2010 8:30 am

    try using a electric bike to power your house

  21. DeDust86 on July 8th, 2010 9:14 am

    Yes!

  22. Harwkins39 on July 8th, 2010 10:08 am

    I was just wondering if you had to use a resistor in series with the energizer circuit. I had to with my setup, otherwise the pedal resistance was to great.

  23. awizardalso on July 8th, 2010 10:32 am

    Greetings, I tried to send you a PM first. You mentioned in the video info that you got 160 amps out of a modified alternator. Was this a typo? That would equate to roughly 2200 watts or about 3 hp. Just wondering under what conditions you managed this. I do realize it would be a very short duration.

    Wiz

  24. awizardalso on July 8th, 2010 11:15 am

    logtype47- Probably more practical to drive the alternator off the drive shaft. Wire the field coil to the brake light circuit and use the alternator for a little extra braking power. Wire the alternator output to a couple batteries in the trunk. Save a little wear and tear on the brakes and the electric power for a rainy day.

  25. logtype47 on July 8th, 2010 11:39 am

    Can this same technology be applied to a standard car on all four wheels.

    If so how can one capture and store this energy in batteries.

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