Using a lightweight generator to charge Bosch e-bike battery
- Thread starter The Cycle Tourist
- Start date
In fact, despite public ignorance on this subject, you were not even liable for prosecution at the time. Here is the position regarding that occasion of you avoiding a particularly dangerous traffic situation:
On 1st August 1999, new legislation came into force to allow a fixed penalty notice to be served on anyone who is guilty of cycling on a footway. However the Home Office issued guidance on how the new legislation should be applied, indicating that they should only be used where a cyclist is riding in a manner that may endanger others. At the time Home Office Minister Paul Boateng issued a letter stating that:
"The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required."
Almost identical advice has since been issued by the Home Office with regards the use of fixed penalty notices by 'Community Support Officers' and wardens.
"CSOs and accredited persons will be accountable in the same way as police officers. They will be under the direction and control of the chief officer, supervised on a daily basis by the local community beat officer and will be subject to the same police complaints system". The Government have included provision in the Anti Social Behaviour Bill to enable CSOs and accredited persons to stop those cycling irresponsibly on the pavement in order to issue a fixed penalty notice.
I should stress that the issue is about inconsiderate cycling on the pavements. The new provisions are not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of the traffic, and who show consideration to other road users when doing so. Chief officers recognise that the fixed penalty needs to be used with a considerable degree of discretion and it cannot be issued to anyone under the age of 16. (Letter to Mr H. Peel from John Crozier of The Home Office, reference T5080/4, 23 February 2004)
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I should print this info out and carry it with me when we are cycling in the UK. Clearly Mr and Mrs Average don't know these facts. Thanks for enlightening me!
Thanks Lukas, you are a legend!! This is great news, nothing better than an actual test to see if a theory works or not. Basically it has settled the issue for me. I will get a lightweight generator so that I will be able to charge 3 Bosch batteries at the same time. Brilliant.
Also looking forward to your findings when you charge the batteries from empty to see how long the charge cycle is.
I am a bit puzzled why you want to do this? One of the attractions of e-bikes is that they are non pollluting when in use, although the electric has to come from somewhere. Using a small generator is a very inefficient way of generating the electric compared with most others. The process of storing the electric in a battery wastes even more. Then you have to lug the generator and trailer around, which will zap your battery - It would be far more efficient to buy a small motorbike - eg Honda Grom which will polute the world far less than your intended method, be quicker, safer, much less cumbersome.
Ahhh - but a small motorbike doesn't come with the potential sponsorship, news making potential and feel-good factor that an e-bike does! Besides, if theses guys make the news (for the right reasons) all it does is raise awareness of e-bikes and the lack of charging points, which can only benefit us (and Cyclecharge) long term.
I'm fairly sure that models like Honda's EU suitcase range have a pure sine wave inverter. I personally wouldn't have much of a problem plugging anything in to that.
If you're going to drag a box on wheels with all this stuff in, then maybe contact a generator company, tell them what you're planning and then plaster some of their stickers and whatnot on the side of the box to get it for nothing. A bit of cheeky sponsorship that could work.
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I wonder if this will even work from a practical point of view.
Batteries, generator, trailer and stuff for the trip will amount to a lot of weight to drag along.
The Bosch motor is no ball of fire.
I can certainly see the rig struggling on steep hills, and I wouldn't want to have to push it.
Batteries, generator, trailer and stuff for the trip will amount to a lot of weight to drag along.
The Bosch motor is no ball of fire.
I can certainly see the rig struggling on steep hills, and I wouldn't want to have to push it.
I was just wondering this, having discovered this cheap 8kg generator for £140 new. I'm wondering whether to buy a second battery knowing the charger on top will add a kilo (the EMC-180 weighs 900g, not sure about the S180 from bmsb), or just say heck, get a generator. Stick it on the rear pannier rack even. Or build a trailer.
D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
8 kg is a lot of weight to add to a bike. Put 8kg of bricks in your pannier to see how it rides. 8Kg is probably without fuel. A full tank will probably add another 3 kg.
you won't be needing that much fuel.
I reckon that 1L of petrol can do about 600-800 miles. You'd find a petrol station somewhere before running out.
I reckon that 1L of petrol can do about 600-800 miles. You'd find a petrol station somewhere before running out.
True, to both, I mean even 50 or 100 miles would be alright and yes 8kg seems properly heavy - but here's a question - to avoid the even greater weight of a spare battery, is it possible and healthy for the li-ion battery to be recharged while being used?
You might as well get a Honda 50.
http://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/range/scooter/vision-50-2012/overview.html
http://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/range/scooter/vision-50-2012/overview.html
It wouldn't exactly be doing both at once, but changing between the two depending on how much power you were taking out of it, compared with what you are putting in. I don't see hwy this should cause a problem.
Evening, folks!
I actually fancied this set-up for long journeys a while ago, chief! I put my Honda suitcase generator in my trailer for a dry-run, but found it incredibly irritating lumbering around with the weight, especially at kerbs and on towpath terrain, etc. So, sadly, the idea went the way of my electrically powered canoe rudder with car battery in a picnic basket. Only used it once!
Machine Mart do (or, at least, did) a full sine-wave generator for a good price. My pal snapped one up for our recharging on campsites, but, there again, coughing up just £3 for a night's mains-electric hook-up seems easier and quieter - and you can make toast too. Simplicity always seems the best option!
JOKETIME! There's been a sharp increase in crime at multi-storey car parks. I think it's wrong on every level!
Johnny
I actually fancied this set-up for long journeys a while ago, chief! I put my Honda suitcase generator in my trailer for a dry-run, but found it incredibly irritating lumbering around with the weight, especially at kerbs and on towpath terrain, etc. So, sadly, the idea went the way of my electrically powered canoe rudder with car battery in a picnic basket. Only used it once!
Machine Mart do (or, at least, did) a full sine-wave generator for a good price. My pal snapped one up for our recharging on campsites, but, there again, coughing up just £3 for a night's mains-electric hook-up seems easier and quieter - and you can make toast too. Simplicity always seems the best option!
JOKETIME! There's been a sharp increase in crime at multi-storey car parks. I think it's wrong on every level!
Johnny
Yes I hear you Johnny - it does sound a pain now that you mention it. The one I'm looking at (albeit with huge scepticism) is 8kg before fuel; are they terribly noisy these things? There's a chap on Endless Sphere designing a 5kg one, but it's a way off, and if it's incredibly loud then maybe all of the charm is lost. I'd be like this mobile sewing machine.
I mean even if just charging while stationary, it doesn't really feel 'on' to start up the generator and walk away for dinner or sightseeing - even if everything is locked up securely.
I find amusing the thought you might have brought a toaster with you on your bike. Makes me want to bring my microwave.
I mean even if just charging while stationary, it doesn't really feel 'on' to start up the generator and walk away for dinner or sightseeing - even if everything is locked up securely.
I find amusing the thought you might have brought a toaster with you on your bike. Makes me want to bring my microwave.
Tee, hee, Jonathan! It's not only toast, of course. With a mains hook-up, you can boil water, run a chandelier, work a fan heater and watch telly - so long as you do them all separately! LOL! And I believe there's even a 12volt microwave available...so there's hope for you yet!
Although it's a quiet generator, we did put it and zee bikes (locked up!) in the corner of the field whilst charging, so as not to disturb anyone. I went to the Great Dorset Steam Fair a few years back, and there was a chap zooming around on a biggish mobility scooter with a running generator strapped on the back.
Cheers, Johnny
Although it's a quiet generator, we did put it and zee bikes (locked up!) in the corner of the field whilst charging, so as not to disturb anyone. I went to the Great Dorset Steam Fair a few years back, and there was a chap zooming around on a biggish mobility scooter with a running generator strapped on the back.
Cheers, Johnny
D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
I don't think your neighbours will let you get away with using the generator at a campsite. If you did go down that route, I'd take a spare battery and charge it while travelling. It's dead easy to build a custom trailer to do that. Here's one I made with a 10kg Kipor generator. It was OK on the road towed by a 50w BPM motor. That's the exhaust sticking out the back and the starter handle to the right of it. I made it lockable to keep some stuff safe, including the generator, while left unattended.:
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