Selfsufficientish.com

Now I know pedal power is not new but I can't find out what I need for a home made power supply.

What I am looking for is to re create something like this. http://www.econvergence.net/electroacc.htm

The frame is no problem, they are around £50 from any good bike store so it's the electrical generator type motor that is pproving hard for me to find as i don't know what it is.

The reasson I ask about making one myself is that the price of this set up is $899 and $299 for delivery,lol !!!

I was going to use an alternator and a direct drive set up using a cog fixed to the alternator and a chain to the rear wheel cog then have the alternator wired up to a car battery to charge the laptops etc but saw this set up which seems to power the items such as laptops direct.

Anyone offer any help ??

TIA

Big Al

Edited twice to add a couple of bits......

Is this any use?

http://scienceshareware.com/build-your- ... -stand.htm

My guess is that using scrap auto alternators will not be easy as the revs needed won't be available without complex gearing. So you'll need to get an expensive custom dynamo/alternator, or learn to rewire one by hand... ISTR Hugh Pigott (UK guru of build-your-own wind turbine fame) has smth on this in his books.

If you want some inspiration - take a look at this :

http://www.otherpower.com/woodmill.html

I just love the bit where he says "I dragged a magnet around in the dirt of my driveway..."

The motors out of treadmills seem to be flavour of the month with the wind generator crowd. (run them backwards as dynamos)