Re: Kenyan Bike Phone Charger

"Papa Tom" <TomMontalbano@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4a6dd1e5$0$10294$607ed4bc@xxxxxxxxx
Thanks, Ben C. It's always refreshing when somebody can put together a
response without starting with an insult. As I mentioned in another post,
the meat and potatoes of my question is "why CAN'T we make simple
electronics operate using eco-friendly, renewable sources?"

Bicycles are out in the sun most of the time they are being used. They
are also producing friction from pedaling most of that time. Shouldn't
the combination of solar and friction power be enough to charge a basic
headlight, a flashing taillight, and perhaps a little radio or mp3 player?

As cyclists, we are so "green" in so many ways; yet we burn through
batteries like crazy. I, for one, would like to go a few steps further
and break the battery habit. We are challenging auto manufacturers to
produce vehicles that can run on alternate energy sources; so why are we
accepting that juicing up a cell phone with the sun just can't happen?

Dynamo is a better choice than solar. They're used for bike lights in
countries where cycling for transport is the norm - so your "basic
headlight, a flashing taillight" is already answered.

Cell phones - there are I think you're going to run into problems of market.
It doesn't take much electricity to charge one of those, and the
infrastructure is already in place. Unlike a bike light, a little battery
can last for hours or even days. (heck, ours lasts months - but we don't
turn the thing on often). An on-bike charger is possible, such a thing may
be useful for tourists, and people have mentioned suitable devices already.

You may well spend more energy creating and distributing your little solar
panel than you spend on charging the cell phone too - it's not unlikely that
your alternative energy source is worse than the current one.

Also, what do you mean "burn through batteries like crazy" - the
rechargables in cell-phones are pretty good. If they were running of
alkaline cells you may have a point, but that's already been addressed.

See also http://www.mark-ju.net/bike_ride/equipment/electronics.htm



.

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