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gfish ([personal profile] gfish) wrote2007-04-22 10:28 am
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Solar charging

Turns out my dad has a nice 10 watt folding solar panel that I can borrow. (I really shouldn't be surprised.) So the cost for charging digital camera batteries just went from $120+ to $8.92 for a 12v charging unit. I like it when projected costs drop by an order of magnitude.
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[identity profile] catsittingstill.livejournal.com 2007-04-22 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
very cool!

You know, when I ride the exercise bike at the gym, it claims I'm putting out 115-130 watts. I have no problem doing this for half an hour at a time (okay, it's sweaty work, but it isn't painful or even difficult).

Now, obviously for a canoeing trip a bicycle charging setup isn't practical. But I am beginning to wonder in what other aspects of life a spare 100 watts or so would be useful. Would it "pay back" for the electricity of watching TV, perhaps? I have seen a washing machine set up to be run by bicycle; I wonder what else this could be used for.

[identity profile] gfish.livejournal.com 2007-04-22 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Unfortunately, 130 watts isn't very much when it comes to standard appliances (http://www.flatheadelectric.com/energy/appliancewattage.htm). I'm sure you could run a modern little LCD TV from it, though. Or a laptop. Best to have it charging a battery that other things run off of, of course.

Hrm. The problem most people have with getting exercise is that they'll buy the equipment/membership and then not use it. What if you had a bike powering a small TV/DVD player, with some added DRM so it takes special DVDs that only play on it. Rent them out from a Netflix-type service. Now, the equipment purchase includes an ongoing reward you can only get by doing the exercise. I know I'm hooked enough on certain shows that I'd keep peddling for hours to finish the season...

[identity profile] catsittingstill.livejournal.com 2007-04-23 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
Hmm. So you could run most of a computer or... oh, cool, an ice-cream maker! I wonder if that includes chilling it, or just turning it?, or a stereo, or most of a TV...

I think I'm with you on the bicycle-tv combo. Turn zombie time into productive exercise! Or maybe bicycle while surfing the web, though dripping sweat on the computer is probably a bad idea. The trick would be to wire the tv or computer so it *won't* run without a certain input wattage from the bicycle.

I'd sure be willing to pedal for an hour a day to watch Stargate, or the Tick.
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