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Problematic results with my grid tie bicycle generator.

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  • #1

    Problematic results with my grid tie bicycle generator.

    Thank you all for reading/replying to this post, any feedback and suggestion is greatly appreciated.

    Statistics:
    Bike
    -Between the crank, rear tire, then to the motor, I have calculated roughly a 40 to 1 gear ratio.

    Motor
    -DC Input
    -110V at 3100rpm/29.9amps

    Inverter
    -500 Watt Wind Grid Tie Inverter
    -22-60VDC Input
    -more stats here: Multiple Different Grid Tie Inverter for Solar Panel or Wind Turbine Pick One | eBay


    Preliminary information:
    I have built a bicycle generator system (see picture) that runs a treadmill motor. I purchased a 500 watt wind grid tie inverter to future proof myself a bit because I plan to install a wind turbine in the future. I have a serpentine belt that is running to the motor and though I am sure some slippage is occurring, it is minimal.

    The Problem:
    I am not getting the results I had hoped for and expected. Under load to the wall it is extremely difficult to pedal and I max out at about 100watts of energy. I find this perplexing because in my mind there is no way a wind turbine with this type of motor would be able to spin under normal wind conditions. Videos online with similar circumstances do not seem to be struggling like I do, I think there is something wrong with my setup, my thoughts are below.

    1. Because I am nowhere close to exceeding the grid tie 500 watt limit, I do not have anything hooked up to the dump load. Is that causing more resistance? If so, is there something simple I can run to it that will correct this since I will not be utilizing it.

    2. Most videos that show this being an easier experience are charging batteries, not grid tied. Would battery charging have less resistance than grid tie if it is a simple 12v (4) battery system?

    3. One video online shows a scooter battery with stats roughly 400watts @ 2900 rpm/20amps. He is only running a chain from the crank of a bicycle straight to the motor. By employing the rear wheel (increasing the gear ratio) I expected to see dramatically greater results yet he is also able to get 100 watts into a solar grid tie invert under modest physical strain.

    4. Under no load I can easily get 60 VDC out so I know the gearing is good.

    5. The motor has crossed my mind as a culprit of this as well but all the reading I have done leading up to this suggested that I hit gold with 110v at only 3100 rpm compared to others.

    Thank you again!

    Tags: None
  • #2
    additional info

    The stats listed for the motor listed to understand its efficient nature ( or lack there of). I have no delusions of pulling 29amps but those answering this post may need to know what the motor is rated for to accurately understand what a human could produce. My hope was to pull about 250 watts with this setup. I am unaware if volts/amps rise linearly or exponentially with speed but with a 40 to 1 gear ratio of a bike pedal, I hope some estimations are possible.

    Comment

    • #3
      Average human output using a bicycle generator.

      Hi stereophonics29,

      If you go to this site, you will see that an ordinary 40 years old man using a bicycle generator can produce an output of around 160W peak, so your goal of hitting more than that are slim at best.
      This graph shows you how much power was generated by a 40 year old casual rider who works out 2 to 3 times a week. I know him well. You will see that the peak power hits about 160 Watts of power output. You will also note that many times the watts trend hits the zero level. This is because the built in charge controller has kicked in and protected the Duracell powerpack from getting too much current which is a safeguard for the small 28 Amp Hour Battery. This data was captured using the sensor and software from WattsVIEW Serial Power Monitor RS232 Serial Port Monitoring Software with Watts Volts Amps
      Pedal Power Bike Generator Frequently Asked Questions

      And here is another site that confirms this:
      The average output of a person pedaling the Bike Power Generator is about 60-100 watts when connected to a load - usually a 12V Battery. Power output depends on the energy available from the person pedaling.

      The generator we use can actually produce a maximum PEAK power output of around 275 Watts (13.6 V x 20A = 272W) for a few seconds when someone pedals with all their might. This is the nature of the peak power rating. It is more realistic however, to look at and ask about, what the average and sustainable power output is. This is the case with all pedal power generators on the market.
      Human Power Generator Series
      Bike Power Generator

      Hope this helps,

      Michel
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeYscnFpEyA

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by stereophonics29 View Post
        The stats listed for the motor listed to understand its efficient nature ( or lack there of). I have no delusions of pulling 29amps but those answering this post may need to know what the motor is rated for to accurately understand what a human could produce. My hope was to pull about 250 watts with this setup. I am unaware if volts/amps rise linearly or exponentially with speed but with a 40 to 1 gear ratio of a bike pedal, I hope some estimations are possible.
        stereophonics29,

        You could check with UfoPolitics who is a member of this forum.

        He has developed a new way to wind a generator for more output.

        IndianaBoys
        Last edited by IndianaBoys; 02-02-2013, 11:05 PM. Reason: Correct mispelled word

        Comment

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