Bike Genny
Bicycle power
Bicycle powered generators also known affectionately as bike jennys.
Portable clean and green, bike jennys can be used to charge mobile phones or run small electrical devices, often designed to provide charge to battery pack allowing different devices to be connected.
They are great for community events where providing mains power is not an option and everyone can take their turn to generate some electricity while also getting a workout.
Basic plan
Old bicycle frame (ideally a racing bike, with as many gears as possible) + some form of stabilising frame + car alternator + 12 volt battery + (switch, bulb & wires) = Human powered Bike Jenny
A variation of this would be...
Old bicycle frame + stepper motor + a few random bits ( switch, bulb & wires) = Human powered Bike Jenny
For a more detailed write up on the possible designs and practicalities follow this link to check out The Campaign for Real Events In their own words.... "This page is a rewrite of the 1996 'Hippo' leaflet which has been used by many people to make working generators. The idea is not so much to show a design to be followed exactly as to get you a basic working generator so you are inspired to develop and improve it yourself."
The knitting club will be holding a bike jenny workshop for members in the coming weeks, if your interested in booking a place Then get in touch . Non members can attend by signing up for the day. Suggested fee for attendance €20 all participants must be members for insurance reasons for more information contact us .
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Comments
#1 Progress
A few of us got together last Saturday to have a go at putting together the Knitting Club's mark one - prototype Bike Jenny.
This is what we started out with!
But with a little T.L.C (and some power tools)...
Things started looking more like this
While the Frame was being constructed outside and the technicalities of how best to mount the alternator and weld the frame were being discussed, some of the younger members were hard at work inside finding suitable components (i.e - voltmeter, fuse, bulb, switch, wires) to put together the circuitry for the control panel to be mounted on the handlebar.
Then the fun bit! Putting it all together ( the right way around)
Having wrapped up the circuitry in copious quantities of hot glue the only component left needing some attention was a sound system modified to run off the 12 v battery that was being used to store the power.
Having gotten all the bits together we did get the bike to produce power though as I was too busy generating some electricity (i.e - pedaling) at the time I failed to get a photo!
We will be partaking in the Ballyvaughan farmers market fair day on Sat 25th Sep hopefully with the bike jenny in full swing so come along and have a go at pedaling for your power.
#2 Mark one
A great time was had by all at the Ballyvaughan Farmers Market Harvest Fair last Saturday! We had plenty of volunteers to pedal for power and so the music was playing from 10 till 2 while others played with the vibro bots and electroluminestent hat, the led circuit game and other little bits we had brought along.
A big thank you to everyone who stopped by on Saturday.
You can read a full account of the fair day on The Ennis Review by Méadhbh boyd