THE LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT, AND HAVE STAYED OFF FOR SOME
TIME NOW WITH NO RELIEF IN SIGHT. HOW DO YOU GENERATE
ELECTRICITY TO CHARGE YOUR GADGETS OR POWER OTHER
ELECTRIC DEVICES FOR COMMUNICATION, HEAT, AND LIGHT?
THE ANSWER, IS A LOT SIMPLER THEN MANY KNOW. THIS LONG
POST WILL INSTRUCT ON HOW TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY.
BELOW IS A LIST OF CONTENTS:
1)VEHICLE ALTERNATOR / ELECTRIC MOTOR
A) DYNAMO BIKE GENERATOR
B) WINDMILL
C) HYDRO-TURBINE
D)CHARGE CONTROLLER
2)SOLAR POWER
A)BATTERY IN SERIES
B)POWER INVERTER
3)BATTERIES
A)LEMON BATTERY
B)POTATO BATTERY
C)BAGHDAD BATTERY
D)PENNY BATTERY
1) A VEHICLE ALTERNATOR AND ELECTRIC MOTOR BOTH
WORK ON ELECTRO-MOTIVE FORCE, CONVERTING
MECHANICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY BY
FORCING ELECTRONS TO MOVE BY PASSING A CONDUCTIVE
WIRE OR COIL THROUGH A MAGNETIC FIELD. IT IS THIS
PRINCIPLE THAT ALLOWS FOR STANDARD ELECTRIC
MOTORS TO BE USED AS ELECTRIC GENERATORS AS WELL
AND VICE VERSA. AS A MATTER OF FACT, DUE TO IT'S
COPPER COILING, THE STANDARD VEHICLE ALTERNATOR
IS ACTUALLY BETTER AS AN ELECTRIC MOTOR.
ANY ELECTRIC MOTOR, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, CAN BE
USED TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY SIMPLY BY TURNING
THE CENTER ARMATURE, WHICH IS THE PART THAT SPINS
WHEN AN ELECTRIC CURRENT IS APPLIED. IT SHOULD
BE NOTED THAT THE ARMATURE SHOULD BE SPUN
CLOCKWISE, OR COUNTER-CLOCKWISE WHEN LOOKING AT
THE ARMATURE END, SPINNING THE ARMATURE COUNTER-
CLOCKWISE WILL GENERATE ELECTRICITY BUT NOT AS
MUCH AS SPINNING IT CLOCKWISE. THE VEHICLE
ALTERNATOR FROM ANY VEHICLE OR ELECTRIC MOTOR
FROM A HOUSE HOLD APPLIANCE OR CHILD'S TOY CAN
BE USED. THEY CAN BE USED WITH HOME MADE WINDMILLS,
HOME MADE WATER TURBINES FOR MICRO HYDRO-POWER,
CONNECTED TO ANOTHER MOTOR SUCH AS A LAWNMOWER'S TO
GENERATE POWER, OR CONNECTED TO A BICYCLE FOR DYNAMO
POWER GENERATION. THE FIRST PICTURE SHOWS THE
ALTERNATOR IN A VEHICLE, THE FIRST DRAWING SHOWS A
SIMPLE WINDMILL HOUSING USING A COFFEE CAN, SOME PIECE
OF WOOD, SOME SCREWS, AN ALTERNATOR, A BICYCLE TIRE
AND SOME BINDING MATERIAL. ANOTHER SOURCE FOR POWER
GENERATION IS USING ANY HAND CRANK DYNAMO POWER
DEVICE SUCH AS A CRANK RADIO OR FLASHLIGHT TO
CHARGE OR POWER OTHER DEVICES.
THE NUMBER 3 IN THE FIRST DRAWING IS A HYDRO TURBINE
CREATED FROM CUTTING A COFFEE CAN AND THEN SCREWING IT
ON AN ALTERNATOR / ELECTRIC MOTOR ARMATURE OR ARMATURE
EXTENSION TO KEEP THE ALTERNATOR OUT OF THE WATER. THE
NEXT PICTURE SHOWS A SMALL WINDMILL USING A BICYCLE TIRE
FRAME AND AN ALTERNATOR ON A TRIPOD. THE NEXT TWO
PICTURES SHOW AN ALTERNATOR AND BICYCLE DYNAMO
GENERATOR, ONE USING THE TIRE'S RUBBER AS FRICTION TO
SPIN THE ARMATURE OF AN ELECTRIC MOTOR WHILE THE OTHER
USES A TENSION BELT FROM A VEHICLE TO SPIN THE ARMATURE
OF AN ALTERNATOR.
IN ALL POWER GENERATING DEVICES THAT ARE USED TO
CHARGE BATTERIES IN ORDER TO STORE THE POWER TO BE
USED AT A LATER TIME, UNLESS THERE IS A CHARGE
CONTROLLER THE BATTERY WILL POWER THE ELECTRIC
MOTOR, ALTERNATOR OR PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR CELL INSTEAD
OF GENERATING POWER. THE CHARGE CONTROLLER IS SIMPLY
A SEMICONDUCTOR OR TRANSISTOR DESIGNED TO ONLY ALLOW
ELECTRICITY TO FLOW IN ONE DIRECTION. THE PICTURES
BELOW SHOW WHAT THE SEMICONDUCTOR LOOKS LIKE FOR
SALVAGE FROM OLD ELECTRONICS. ITS IMPORTANT TO
POINT OUT THAT THE DIRECTION OF THE ARROWS ON THE
SQUARE TRANSISTORS AND THE PAINTED STRIPE ON THE
CYLINDER SEMICONDUCTORS SHOW THE DIRECTION OF
ELECTRICAL FLOW. THESE SHOULD BE CONNECTED TO THE
POWER LINES RUNNING FROM THE SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL
GENERATION AND POINTING TOWARDS THE BATTERIES.
THIS WILL ALLOW FOR PROPER POWER GENERATION AND
PREVENT POWER LOSS IN PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR CELLS
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN.
2)SOLAR POWER RELIES ON ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT
BOMBARDING THE PHOTOVOLTAIC MATERIAL FORCING
ELECTRONS TO JUMP BETWEEN A POSITIVE AND
NEGATIVE JUNCTION CREATING AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT.
SOLAR POWER IS USED MORE EXTENSIVELY THEN MANY ARE
AWARE. THEY ARE USED TO POWER STREET LIGHTS AND
ROAD SIGNS, LAWN ORNAMENTS, HOMES AND OFFICE
BUILDINGS. BELOW YOU WILL SEE PICTURES SHOWING SOME
OF THE MOST EASILY ACQUIRED SOLAR PANELS.
THE LARGER PANELS USED ON THE ROAD SIGNS CAN BE USED
TO TRICKLE CHARGE CAR BATTERIES CONNECTED IN PARALLEL
FOR LONGER DURATION OF POWER CONSUMPTION AT THE
BATTERY'S RATED VOLTAGE OR IN SERIES TO INCREASE THE
VOLTAGE BUT NOT THE DURATION. THE PICTURES BELOW SHOWS
HOW IT IS DONE, VERY SIMPLE, CONNECT NEGATIVE TO
NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE TO POSITIVE FOR PARALLEL AND
POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE FOR SERIES. AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE
IF YOU WERE TRYING TO POWER A DEVICE THAT REQUIRED 36
VOLTS DC SUCH AS A POWER INVERTER WHICH TURNS DC POWER
GENERATED FROM BATTERIES, ALTERNATORS AND SOLAR CELLS
INTO AC POWER TO RUN A HEATING COIL OR AIR CONDITIONER.
YOU WOULD CONNECT THREE 12 VOLT DC BATTERIES TOGETHER,
POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE TO GENERATE 36 VOLTS DC. IF YOU
HAD MORE YOU COULD ALSO CONNECT THEM IN PARALLEL
DOUBLING THE DURATION TIME OF WHAT EVER DEVICE YOU ARE
POWERING. ANOTHER OVERLOOKED SOLAR POWERED DEVICE IS
THE COMMON VARIETY SOLAR POWERED SIDEWALK AND GARDEN
LIGHTS. THESE USE SMALL SOLAR CELLS TO USUALLY CHARGE
A SINGLE 'AA' BATTERY WITH A LIGHT SENSING DIODE TURNING
ON THE LIGHT AT NIGHT. THESE CAN BE USED TO CHARGE
RECHARGEABLE 'AA' BATTERIES DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS
THEN REMOVED FOR USE IN OTHER DEVICES.
YOU CAN ALSO CONNECT DEVICE SPECIFIC CHARGING WIRES TO
THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT OF THE SOLAR LIGHTS. ALLOWING
SUCH DEVICES LIKE A CELL PHONE OR MP3 PLAYER TO BE
CHARGED DIRECTLY. NOTE: ALL DEVICES YOUR ATTEMPTING TO
CHARGE IN THIS MANNER SHOULD BE TURNED OFF DUE TO THE
LOW VOLTAGE OF THE TRICKLE CHARGE OR THE DEVICE WILL
NOT CHARGE FULLY UNLESS UTILIZING A MUCH LARGER SOLAR
PANEL.
NEXT WE WILL COVER POWER INVERTERS, QUITE SIMPLE ACTUALLY,
THEY CONVERT DC POWER TO AC POWER. BE MINDFUL OF THE
DEVICES YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO POWER WITH AN INVERTER,
IT MAY REQUIRE MORE WATTS THEN YOUR INVERTER CAN
HANDLE EITHER NOT POWERING YOUR INTENDED DEVICE OR
OVERHEATING AND DAMAGING YOUR INVERTER. DID YOU KNOW
THAT ELECTRONICS RUN ON DC POWER AND NOT AC? THE
ELECTRONIC DEVICES CONVERT THE AC POWER BACK INTO
DC POWER BEFORE IT GETS TO THE DELICATE ELECTRONICS,
THIS ISN'T TRUE THOUGH WITH MOST ELECTRIC MOTORS.
THE PROBLEM WITH DC POWER IS THAT IT LOOSES STRENGTH
OVER DISTANCE DUE TO THE RESISTANCE OF THE WIRE IT
IS TRAVELING ON, BUT NOT AC POWER. IF YOU HAVE A
LAPTOP, CHECK THE POWER BOX ON YOUR POWER CORD,
IT WILL HAVE ON IT THE DC POWER LEVEL THAT YOUR
LAPTOP OPERATES ON. IF YOU DID NOT HAVE A POWER
INVERTER TO CONVERT THE DC POWER INTO AC, YOU COULD
CUT YOUR POWER CORD BETWEEN YOUR LAPTOP AND THE
POWER BOX AND CONNECT IT TO A DC POWER SOURCE.
JUST MAKE SURE THE POWER SOURCE DOESN'T EXCEED THE
OPERATING DC POWER REQUIREMENTS OR YOU MIGHT DAMAGE
THE ELECTRONICS IN WHAT EVER ELECTRONIC DEVICE YOU
ARE POWERING. YOU CAN FIND SMALL POWER INVERTERS
AT YOUR LOCAL GAS STATION, IF NOT THEN GO TO A GAS
STATION WITH TRUCKING DIESEL PUMPS AS THEY TEND TO
BE MINI MALLS FOR TRUCKERS. YOU CAN ALSO FIND THEM
AT YOUR LOCAL WAL-MART OR LOWES OR HOME DEPOT OR
ELECTRONICS STORE. THEY RANGE FROM SMALL CIGARETTE
LIGHTER PLUG-INS MEANT TO POWER ONE DEVICE WITH A
COUPLE HUNDRED WATTS OR LESS TO THOSE THAT POWER
SEVERAL THOUSAND WATTS. THOSE ON THE LATTER END
TEND TO COST AS MUCH AS A GENERATOR DOES THAT
PROVIDES TWICE AS MUCH POWER. POWER INVERTERS ARE
EITHER CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO A STEADY POWER SOURCE
FOR USE ONLY WHEN POWER IS BEING GENERATED, OR ARE
CONNECTED TO A SERIES OR PARALLEL OF BATTERIES FOR
A PROLONGED USE WHILE THEY ARE BEING SLOWLY RECHARGED
BY WHAT EVER POWER GENERATING MEANS IS BEING USED.
BELOW ARE SOME PICTURES OF POWER INVERTERS FOR EASY
IDENTIFICATION. IF YOU ATTEMPT TO POWER A DEVICE
THAT USES AC POWER DIRECTLY WITHOUT BYPASSING THE
AC/DC CONVERTING CIRCUITS OR USE AN INVERTER, YOU
WILL JUST BE WASTING YOUR TIME.
3)BATTERIES ALLOW FOR STORAGE OF POWER FOR PROLONGED
PERIODS OF TIME. IT IS BECAUSE OF SUCH, THAT DURING
ANY DISASTER BATTERIES BECOME HOARDED AND SCARCE.
WHEN CAR BATTERIES, SMALLER BATTERIES USED FOR
MOTORCYCLES AND OTHER RECREATIONAL VEHICLES, AND SMALL
APPLIANCE BATTERIES ARE ALL GONE YOU WILL HAVE TO
RECHARGE OR CREATE THEM. BATTERIES THAT HAVE REMOVABLE
FILL CAPS CAN BE RECHARGED BY ADDING WATER WHILST OTHERS
ARE SEALED AND MAINTENANCE FREE BUT HAVE A LIMITED USE
TIME, USUALLY AROUND 5 YEARS . YOU CAN CREATE A SIMPLE
BATTERY BY PUTTING A COPPER PENNY IN ONE END ON A LEMON
OR POTATO AND A ZINC COATED NAIL OR 5 CENT NICKLE IN THE
OTHER AND CONNECTING WIRES. YOU CAN EVEN DO THIS IN
SERIES TO CREATE ORGANIC BATTERIES CAPABLE OF POWERING
ELECTRONIC DEVICES.
YOU CAN ALSO CREATE A BAGHDAD BATTERY BY USING A GLASS,
CLAY OR PLASTIC CONTAINER THEN PLACING A COPPER SHEET
AND IRON ROD SEPARATED BY NON CONDUCTING MATERIAL,
JUST FILL THE CONTAINER WITH ACIDIC LIQUID SUCH AS LEMON JUICE,
LIME, GRAPEFRUIT, ORANGE, TOMATO JUICE, VINEGAR OR YOU
CAN CREATE YOUR OWN BY DISSOLVING SALT INTO WARM WATER
UNTIL NO MORE SALT WILL DISSOLVE AND USE THAT AS YOUR
ELECTROLYTE. THEN JUST CONNECT A WIRE TO THE COPPER
SHEETING AND A WIRE TO THE IRON ROD. MAKE THESE TO
CONNECT IN SERIES OR PARALLEL TO POWER OR CHARGE
ELECTRIC DEVICES. AN ALTERNATIVE IS JUST FILLING CUPS
WITH AN ELECTROLYTE AND PLACING A PIECE OF COPPER ON
ONE SIDE AND A PIECE OF ZINC ON THE OTHERS AND DOING
THIS IN SERIES TO POWER OR CHARGE DEVICES BUT THE SCALE
NEEDED TO EQUAL TO ONE 'AA' WOULD TAKE UP A LOT OF
SPACE AND MATERIALS.
ANOTHER BATTERY IS THE PENNY BATTERY, GET PENNYS DATED
1983 OR EARLIER AS THEY ARE MADE MOSTLY OF COPPER, AFTER
1983 THE U.S. PENNY WAS COMPOSED MAINLY OF ZINC AND
THOUGH ZINC WILL WORK WITH COPPER,
IT WON'T REPLACE COPPER. YOU COULD MAKE A PENNY BATTERY
OUT OF OLD AND NEW PENNIES. THE OLD ONES ARE THE COPPER
ELEMENT AND THE NEW ONES ONCE SANDED DOWN ARE THE
ZINC COMPONENT. OR YOU COULD JUST USE SECTIONS OF
COPPER SHEETING FOUND AT YOUR LOCAL HOBBY STORE. NEXT
GET AN EQUAL NUMBER OF NICKELS OR SMALL CUT SECTIONS OF
ZINC COATED (ANODIZED=ZINC COATED) STEEL SHEETING. SAND
THE FACES OF THE NICKELS(ZINC-NICKEL ALLOY) AND PENNYS
UNTIL THEY ARE FLAT SURFACES. NEXT, PLACE A FILLER MATERIAL
SUCH AS FELT, CLOTH, OR EVEN TISSUE PAPER TO GO BETWEEN
EACH PENNY AND NICKEL. STACK THE PENNYS AND NICKELS
(OR ANODIZED STEEL PIECES) PENNY, FILLER, NICKEL, FILLER AND
SO ON. START WITH THE NICKLE AND END WITH THE PENNY. NOW
CONNECT A WIRE TO EACH END, ONE SHOULD BE A PENNY AND
THE OTHER SHOULD BE A NICKEL. KEEP THEM TOGETHER WITH
TAPE, A GLUE GUN OR RUBBER COATED WIRE AND PLACE EITHER
IN A ZIPLOCK BAG OR SOME OTHER CONTAINER OR SOAK IT FIRST
THEN WRAP IT UP IN PLASTIC WRAP TO HOLD IT TOGETHER. THE
OTHER AFORE MENTIONED ZIPLOCK BAG OR OTHER CONTAINER
YOU WILL NEED TO FILL IT WITH ENOUGH ACIDIC FLUID TO KEEP
THE FILLER SATURATED AND YOU HAVE YOURSELF A PENNY
BATTERY. NOTE: THE COPPER IS THE POSITIVE END OF THE
BATTERY AND THE NICKEL OR ZINC/ANODIZED STEEL IS THE
NEGATIVE. THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS BATTERY, ARE THE
EASILY OBTAINABLE MATERIALS NEEDED TO CONSTRUCT IT.
