Title: FYI...OWS Generators Source:
Me URL Source:http://None Published:Nov 2, 2011 Author:war Post Date:2011-11-02 12:18:17 by war Keywords:None Views:7482 Comments:13
Walking up from South Ferry this AM I noticed that the OWS people were using bikes to generate power.
A few weeks ago Keegan Stephan, a bike mechanic and member of environmental group Time's Up! brought with him to the Occupy Wall Street protests a device he built over a year ago to power his refrigerator. The bicycle-powered dynamo was intended to serve as an example of pollution-free energy, but proved to be a great resource to the camped-in protesters at Zucotti park when the FDNY confiscated the gasoline-powered generators they were using to charge cell phones and other devices. The protesters also benefited from members of the Occupy Boston protests who donated three additional bikes to be converted to generators.
According to Stephan his stationary Schwinn can generate enough power to last up to 100 hours after just six hours of pedaling.
Me: I'm impressed by their spunk and innovative ways.
According to Stephan his stationary Schwinn can generate enough power to last up to 100 hours after just six hours of pedaling.
Me: I'm impressed by their spunk and innovative ways.
I'm impressed by his spunk and innovative ways also,but not by his claim because it is meaningless. "Generate enough power..." to do what? Charge a cell phone? After 6 hours of pedaling a bike to charge a battery?
Ain't nothing new about this,Fred. The US military (for one) have been using hand and foot cranked generators to power radios since at least WW-2.
Still,I doubt this guy knows that,so it's not taking anything away from his ingenuity and it does show he's thinking.
Each bike charges batteries capable of running for up to 100 hours. The only real downside is the significant amount of physical exertion it takes to power them. It can take up to two hours of uninterrupted pedaling to reach 12.5 volts. To fully charge a battery could take up to 6 hours of pedaling. The fully charged batteries are brought into the Occupy Wall Street encampment and used to power laptops, cellphones, and all media and communication around protests.
Each bike charges batteries capable of running for up to 100 hours.
Once again,a VERY vague claim that borders on being meaningless. Does that mean it will power a night light for 100 hours,or flood lights?
The only real downside is the significant amount of physical exertion it takes to power them.
No real downside. Most people can either do it themselves or they have young healthy people around who can do it for them. After all,it ain't like they are going to be busy watching tv or anything else that required electricity,is it?
It can take up to two hours of uninterrupted pedaling to reach 12.5 volts. To fully charge a battery could take up to 6 hours of pedaling.
Whoever wrote this doesn't know squat about batteries or electricity. Those are contradicting statements,since some batteries are 12 Volt batteries that the first statement says can be charged in 2 hours. Others are smaller batteries that can be charged quicker.
Not to mention there is a direct relation between how quickly the bike generator will charge a battery and the effort it takes to pedal it. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. Light load generators won't require much peddling,and heaving load generators would be a bitch.
The fully charged batteries are brought into the Occupy Wall Street encampment and used to power laptops, cellphones, and all media and communication around protests.
Ok,that makes sense. And given the low draw of such devices,I can see where it would be no big challenge to use the bike to keep those batteries topped off. Especially with all the young people around who would be willing to do the peddling.
