Wayneburg
02-01-04, 04:02 PM
Someone posted about a bike light that is powered from a no friction generator. I can only find one light like this. Does anyone here know of others on the market other than this one http://www.freelights.co.uk ?
General Cycling Discussion - No friction generator for bikes
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supcom
02-01-04, 04:27 PM
This is snake oil. ANY generator will put drag on the bike. Even a 100% efficient device (which doesn't exist) will require you to expend energy equal to that going to the devices being powered off the generator.
Shimano makes a hub based generator that does not require contact with the tire, if that's what you're looking for.
Shimano makes a hub based generator that does not require contact with the tire, if that's what you're looking for.
slvoid
02-01-04, 04:48 PM
Check the commuting forums. The "inventor" of said device made a post advertising the product and of the many comments, the best one was, "That has got to be the ugliest bike light I've ever seen."
Not to mention that thing is dangerous with only 1 tiny LED up front and 2 in the back and no lens to focus or diffuse the directional light.
Supcom's also right, it's not friction free, obviously you can't get something for nothing. LED's use so little energy that your reflector probably causes more drag against the wind than does the generator for the LED's.
At 3V, a good hub generator that generates perceivable drag would probably put out 12-15 watts while those LED's probably use less than 200 milliwatts.
Not to mention that thing is dangerous with only 1 tiny LED up front and 2 in the back and no lens to focus or diffuse the directional light.
Supcom's also right, it's not friction free, obviously you can't get something for nothing. LED's use so little energy that your reflector probably causes more drag against the wind than does the generator for the LED's.
At 3V, a good hub generator that generates perceivable drag would probably put out 12-15 watts while those LED's probably use less than 200 milliwatts.
MisterJ
02-01-04, 05:00 PM
I know that I'm splitting hairs here. But the statement is "friction free". Not "drag free". The effect is still the same, additional load. But there isn't any reason that you couldn't build a generating system that didn't rely on a friction drive.
TheRCF
02-01-04, 05:51 PM
Someone posted about a bike light that is powered from a no friction generator. I can only find one light like this. Does anyone here know of others on the market other than this one http://www.freelights.co.uk ?
Interesting as I have kinda been wondering about a similar concept - but I have no technical skill to follow through.
I was thinking that I already have a magnet on the bike for my computer and thought perhaps it could be used with other stuff to make electricity.
We also have cars generating electricity during braking. No idea how that works, but could it be used on a bike to charge re-chargable batteries? In my case, I usually only need to ride for an hour at night and then I return during the day. If I was recharging every time I braked, perhaps it would be enough to handle each days ride in the dark.
Bob (who needed to study science more in school)
Interesting as I have kinda been wondering about a similar concept - but I have no technical skill to follow through.
I was thinking that I already have a magnet on the bike for my computer and thought perhaps it could be used with other stuff to make electricity.
We also have cars generating electricity during braking. No idea how that works, but could it be used on a bike to charge re-chargable batteries? In my case, I usually only need to ride for an hour at night and then I return during the day. If I was recharging every time I braked, perhaps it would be enough to handle each days ride in the dark.
Bob (who needed to study science more in school)
Rev.Chuck
02-01-04, 06:01 PM
Looks like he was making a generator, using the wheel as a rotor and the clamp on gadget that looks like a computer pickup as a stator. Seems like it would be more effective with more than one magnet on the wheel.
It would also be cheaper and simpler to go to RadioShack and pick up a couple of led's some fine guage wire, a battery holder and some double a's.
It would also be cheaper and simpler to go to RadioShack and pick up a couple of led's some fine guage wire, a battery holder and some double a's.
TheRCF
02-01-04, 07:02 PM
Looks like he was making a generator, using the wheel as a rotor and the clamp on gadget that looks like a computer pickup as a stator. Seems like it would be more effective with more than one magnet on the wheel.
It would also be cheaper and simpler to go to RadioShack and pick up a couple of led's some fine guage wire, a battery holder and some double a's.
But I can see his point about the long term cost of batteries. I'd certainly like a way to simply recharge batteries as I ride though.
Bob
It would also be cheaper and simpler to go to RadioShack and pick up a couple of led's some fine guage wire, a battery holder and some double a's.
But I can see his point about the long term cost of batteries. I'd certainly like a way to simply recharge batteries as I ride though.
Bob
DieselDan
02-02-04, 06:00 AM
A wind generator maybe?
Wayneburg
02-03-04, 01:38 AM
On 01/19/04 a member named diyebike replied to a thread about Battery-less Safety Lights...
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=44020
S/he said that there are nicer battery-less safety lights on the market. Does anyone know what other lights there are out there like this? I've been searching and searching and just can't find another one.
Thanks for any help you can give.
Wayneburg
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=44020
S/he said that there are nicer battery-less safety lights on the market. Does anyone know what other lights there are out there like this? I've been searching and searching and just can't find another one.
Thanks for any help you can give.
Wayneburg