A newbie question

[steveindenmark]

This is actually a question from my girlfriend Jannie, who is Danish. The Danes are very enviromentally friendly.

She would like to know if there is a system in place where your pedalling would help to replace the power in your battery as you pedal along. Not to save the power in the battery but to effectively recharge it as you pedal.

I would think there would be a system like this, but have no idea what it would be called to search for it.

I hope someone can help.

Steve

 

[banbury frank]

Hi

yes there is its Called a generator you tow it on a trailer behind the bike


Sorry the answer is as silly as the Question

Frank

 

[NRG]

Regeneration.

Its a nice idea in theory but in practice it does not work so well on a push bike as for one the mass of the rider and bike plus low velocity means very little power is put back into the battery plus its only partially effective when travelling downhill.

To put sufficient power back into the battery from pedelling alone would take a very very fit person as regeneration systems cause a huge amount of drag from the motor. Also, the standard small geared hub motors with inbuilt freewheels that are designed to make the bike pleasant to ride without power cannot be used for regeneration. So the heavier and bulkier direct drive types have to be used and these are very unpleasant to ride without power.

Bikes are best and more efficient when they are light and freewheel well meaning little power is required to propel them along.

If you really want to be greener then perhaps looking at where your electricity comes from is a better way to approach it. Maybe solar power could be used to charge your battery or a small roof mounted wind turbine....I've no knowledge of these or if they are a practical way to charge batteries...

 

[flecc]

The BionX e-bike motors can regenerate energy at any time. As well as selectable drive power settings, they also have switch selectable generation of energy, charging the battery.

Bear in mind that all energy conversion loses efficiency, so the power got back from regen will be substantially less than the power used to generate it. That means it's only sensible to regenerate when going downhill, letting gravity produce some current.

There have been others in the past, the Giant Twist 1 and 2 e-bikes had regenerating front hub motors, but it worked poorly, so the later Twist models like the Express and Freedom have lost the facility. At one time a few cheap Chinese e-bikes had regen as well, but they've also dropped it.

A big disadvantage with regen is that the motor cannot have a freewheel, so pedalling without power is very hard work.
.

 

[jerrysimon]

Sorry the answer is as silly as the Question

Its good to ask silly questions. This is how we all begin our learning process in any area

Thanks for stopping by Steve.

Regards

Jerry

 

[steveindenmark]

Thanks for that guys.

Thank you for the welcome Jerry. Don`t be too harsh on people Jerry. I ride a Moto Guzzi motorcycle and so am used to grumpy old men who think everyone should know everything about anything

What with the invention of the Copenhagen wheel I did not think it was all that stupid.

I was going to ask how you recoil the electric lead in after you have been on a five mile ride.

I am glad I didn`t now.


Steve

 

[DBCohen]

What with the invention of the Copenhagen wheel I did not think it was all that stupid.

No, it is not, Frank's brusque manner notwithstanding. But it is worth remembering the the Copenhagen Wheel has not really been publicly tested in anger yet. The substance of its real world performance is yet to be determined.

My Prius, even with an integrated regenerative braking system, computer controlled power distribution and the inertia of a family sized car, needs at least a mile of downhill freewheeling to make a measurable difference to the onboard battery level. The efficiency problem Flecc referred to is huge.

 

[timidtom]

Hi, Steve.
As I understand it, a
cyclist strong enough to generate enough power to recharge the battery wouldn't need the electric motor in the first place ....
Best wishes,
Tom (the timid one).

 

[banbury frank]

Hi

Sorry I seem brusque but I get asked this 5 times a week

also about solar panels and wind generators

In this world you DON,T Get something for nothing

If you could the OIL company's would Buy it and Shelve It

I Have been working on Domestic Wind turbines For 3 years

need the the Planing Permission to Be removed

Also Air to water heat pumps Again need planing permission

You can fit Air conditioning with no need for planing permission

Same thing in reverse

Its all about a $800 dollar heat pump costing in the UK £8000

Frank

 

[flecc]

In this world you DON,T Get something for nothing

Unless you are a top politician or an investment banker.
.

 

[banbury frank]

Hi DBCohen

Have you seen what the do to the Prius in the USA they fit bigger battery's


So more economical 100 MPG

Plug-in Toyota Prius Hybrid Test Drive: Is 100 MPG Possible with A123 Systems Hymotion Kit? - Popular Mechanics

Frank