Re: Generator for LEDs

In article <pan.2006.03.09.20.01.50.392378@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
Mark Healey <die@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On 2005-10-19, Ryan <quakeserver149@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:On Sat, 22 Oct
2005 01:40:03 +0000, quietguy wrote:

For a few weeks I have been pondering a scheme to rig up a lot of LED
running lights on my bicycle frame for night time illumination.


I've been pondering the same thing. That's what brought me to this group.
I initially planed on using a bunch of hard drive magnets glued around the
rim but then remembered the brakes. I also decided that it would be best
to have the rig near the hub so it doesn't interfere with removing the
wheel as much.

You might like to have a look at Silicon Chip Feb 2004 - they describe a
few human powered torches using small stepper motors to power led
torches - might find some useful ideas there

I took one apart and it's not a stepper, it's just a regular DC motor.
This is what gave me the idea. I actually plan to cannibalize the
circuitry of the wind up flashlight and just turn my wheel into a
motor/generator. The cool thing is that my flashlight has a rectifier
already in it.

It would seem not too hard to rig a motor so it is driven off a bike
wheel instead of being hand cranked

Actually it is. They make generators that rub against the tire but drag a
lot. They also make hubs with generators in them but they cost a lot.

You don't want to drive anything with the spokes, that will bend them
eventually. There is no room between the hub and the fork ends to attach
anything.

Wind a couple "pancake" coils to mount on the forks, then clip magnets
to the spokes, lined up with the coils. Rectify the coil output. Presto!
:)

--
Don Bruder - dakidd@xxxxxxxxx - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd> for more info
.

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