I am one of the lucky few whose name was pulled out of Anthony Gormleys hat to stand on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. My slot is not until 12 August. Since the slot is at night time I am thinking of a light and music show of some kind and want to try to power it all by cycling. I have an ancient folding bike and a full size one. You can take anything onto the plinth that you can carry yourself. Does anyone have any idea on how I might start either using one of my bikes - somehow fixed to a static frame - or where I might go to beg borrow or steal some equipment to try and achieve this. I know I can cycle enough to light my own dymo bike lights, but could I do enough to power multi lights and some music? Any thoughts and ideas much appreciated!
Static cycle power
- Thread starter Kim
- Start date
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02GF74
Über Member
TBH you are better off getting a car battery or two, or some other battery e.g. laptop battery for you pwer needs.
unless you cycle regularly, you'll have trouble proving sufficient power, assuming you want your sound system to be louder than a little mouse whispering and lights brighter than a baby firefly.
you can always take the bike up there and pretnd you are powering it!
unless you cycle regularly, you'll have trouble proving sufficient power, assuming you want your sound system to be louder than a little mouse whispering and lights brighter than a baby firefly.
you can always take the bike up there and pretnd you are powering it!
Night Train
Maker of Things
- Location
- Greater Manchester
I was asked, a year or so ago, to design and build a bike generator to run a shop sign for a sustainability promotional event.
As the job was in London I passed ito on to a friend to do and he came up with three of these:
It took three of them running alternators to produce enough energy to run a couple hundred high output LEDs for the sign. All the staff in the shop were expected to take a turn in the shop window in half hour stints to keep the sign lit.
The alternators are not car ones, they are special purpose alternators designed for low input torque and speed and were used to maintain the charge in a small lead acid battery used to run the sign. The drive belt was difficult to find too, most were not long enough.
You would be best off having a fully charged battery and just top up with a dynamo to last the hour.
As the job was in London I passed ito on to a friend to do and he came up with three of these:
It took three of them running alternators to produce enough energy to run a couple hundred high output LEDs for the sign. All the staff in the shop were expected to take a turn in the shop window in half hour stints to keep the sign lit.
The alternators are not car ones, they are special purpose alternators designed for low input torque and speed and were used to maintain the charge in a small lead acid battery used to run the sign. The drive belt was difficult to find too, most were not long enough.
You would be best off having a fully charged battery and just top up with a dynamo to last the hour.
arallsopp
Post of The Year 2009 winner
- Location
- Bromley, Kent
Its an interesting project certainly. Do you have to be able to carry it all up in one go, or are you allowed to ferry back and forth?
I have two SON hub dynamos, one laced to a 20" wheel, the other a 24". Of course, they're both front, rather than rear wheels, so they don't have any means of driving them. Each would give you around 6W, but are kinda precious to me. I also have a rim drive turbo trainer that'll fit wheels from 24" - 27", but again, there's no way to harness the power it generates.
I suppose whatever you choose has also got to be weather/water proof. Could be a nasty one this. Suggest you google around for microgeneration solutions.
I have two SON hub dynamos, one laced to a 20" wheel, the other a 24". Of course, they're both front, rather than rear wheels, so they don't have any means of driving them. Each would give you around 6W, but are kinda precious to me. I also have a rim drive turbo trainer that'll fit wheels from 24" - 27", but again, there's no way to harness the power it generates.
I suppose whatever you choose has also got to be weather/water proof. Could be a nasty one this. Suggest you google around for microgeneration solutions.
