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How to Charge Any USB Device by Riding Your Bike

by JeffB on July 1, 2007 Table of Contents How to Charge Any USB Device by Riding Your Bike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro: How to Charge Any USB Device by Riding Your Bike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Our original intention... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Our Invention Statement and Concept Evolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: Design a circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 4: Getting Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 5: Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 6: The Actual Circuit! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 7: The Enclosure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 8: Testing! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 9: Future Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 10: Finish! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 7 9 9

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

Intro: How to Charge Any USB Device by Riding Your Bike

To start off, this project was started when we received a grant from the Lemelson-MIT Program. (Josh, if you're reading this, we love you.) A team of 6 students and one teacher put this project together, and we have decided to put it on Instructables in hopes of winning a laser cutter, or at least a t-shirt. What follows, is a compilation of our presentation and my own personal notes. I hope you enjoy this Instructable as much as we did. I'd also like to thank Limor Fried, creator of the MintyBoost circuit. It played an key role in our project. Jeff Brookins Divine Child InvenTeam Member

Image Notes 1. Voltage Regulator 2. The 140F Ultracapacitor 3. 2200uF Capacitor

Image Notes 1. The Students 2. The sweet banner Lemelson-MIT gave us.

Step 1: Our original intention...

Our original project was to develop a product that used the Faraday Principle to allow runners to charge their iPods while they run. This concept would generate electricity the same way those Faraday flashlights do. However, we had a problem. To quote my team mate Nick Ciarelli, "At first we considered using a design similar to one of those shake-up flashlights and converting it so that a runner could strap it on for a run and have energy to charge their iPod or whatever device they use. The shake-up flashlight gets its energy from the interaction of the moving magnetic field of the magnet in the flashlight and the coil of wire wrapped around the tube the magnet slides through. The moving magnetic field causes electrons in the coil to move along the wire, creating an electric current. This current is then stored in a battery, which is then available to use for the flashlight bulb/LED. However, when we calculated how much energy we would be able to get from a run, we determined that it would take a 50-mile run to get enough energy to charge one AA battery. This was unreasonable so we changed our project to the bike system." We then decided to use a bike-mounted system instead.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

Step 2: Our Invention Statement and Concept Evolution

We initially theorized the development and feasibility of a regenerative braking system for use on bicycles. This system would create a mobile power source to extend the battery life of portable electronic devices carried by the rider. During the experimentation phase, the regenerative braking system was found to be incapable of fulfilling its dual functions simultaneously. It could neither produce enough torque to stop the bike, nor generate enough power to recharge the batteries. The team therefore chose to abandon the braking aspect of the system, to focus solely on the development of a continuous charging system. This system, once constructed and researched, proved fully capable of achieving the desired objectives.

Image Notes 1. The Bike, on loan from Josh Schuler.

Step 3: Design a circuit

To start off, we had to design a circuit that could take the ~6 volts from the motor, store it, and then convert it to the 5 volts that we needed for the USB device. The circuit we designed complements the function of the MintyBoost USB charger, originally developed by Limor Fried, of Adafruit Industries. The MintyBoost uses AA batteries to charge portable electronic devices. Our independently constructed circuit replaces the AA batteries and supplies power to the MintyBoost. This circuit reduces the ~6 volts from the motor to 2.5 volts. This allows the motor to charge the BoostCap (140 F), which in turn supplies power to the MintyBoost circuitry. The ultracapacitor stores energy to continuously charge the USB device even while the bike is not in motion.

Image Notes 1. Her Circuit. 2. Our Circuit.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

Step 4: Getting Power

Selecting a motor proved a more challenging task. Expensive motors provided the proper torque needed to create the braking source, however the cost was prohibitive. To make an affordable and effective device another solution was necessary. The project was redesigned as a continuous charging system, out of all possibilities the Maxon motor would be a better choice due to its smaller diameter. The Maxon motor also provided 6 volts where as previous motors gave us upwards of 20 volts. For the latter motor over-heating would be a huge issue. We decided to stick with our Maxon 90, which was a beautiful motor, even though its cost was $275. (For those wishing to build this project, a cheaper motor will suffice.) We attached this motor close to the rear brake mounts directly on the bike frame using a piece of a meter stick between the motor and frame to act as a spacer, then tightened 2 hose-clamps around it.

Image Notes 1. The Maxon 90, with attached wheel.

Step 5: Wiring
For the wiring from the motor to the circuit several options were considered: alligator clips for mock up, telephone cord, and speaker wire. The alligator clips proved to work well for the mock up design and testing purposes but they were not stable enough for the final design. The telephone wire proved fragile, and difficult to work with. Speaker wire was tested due to its durability therefore becoming the conductor of choice. Although it was stranded wire, it was much more durable due to its larger diameter. We then just attached the wire to the frame using zip-ties.

Image Notes 1. The Wiring Job.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

Step 6: The Actual Circuit!

Tackling the circuitry was the most difficult challenge of the process. Electricity from the motor first travels through a voltage regulator which will allow up to a continuous five amp current; a larger current than other regulators would pass. From there the voltage is stepped down to 2.5 volts which is the maximum the BOOSTCAP can store and safely handle. Once the BOOSTCAP attains 1.2 volts, it has enough power to allow the MintyBoost to provide a 5 volt source for the device being charged. On the input wires we attached a 5A diode so that we don't get an "assisted-start effect," where the motor would start to spin by using the stored electricity. We used the 2200uF capacitor to even out the power flow to the voltage regulator. The voltage regulator that we used, an LM338, is adjustable depending on how you set it, as seen in our circuit diagram. For our purposes, the comparison of two resistors, 120ohm and 135 ohm, connected to the regulator determines the output voltage. We use it to reduce the voltage from ~6 volts to 2.5 volts. We then take the 2.5 volts and use it to charge our ultracapacitor, a 140 farad, 2.5 volt BOOSTCAP made by Maxwell Technologies. We chose the BOOSTCAP because its high capacitance will allow us to hold a charge even if the bike is stopped at a red light. The next part of this circuit is something I'm sure you are all familiar with, the Adafruit MintyBoost. We used it to take the 2.5 volts from the ultracapacitor and step it up to a stable 5 volts, the USB standard. It uses a MAX756, 5 volt boost converter coupled with a 22uH inductor. Once we get 1.2 volts across the ultracapacitor, the MintyBoost will begin to output the 5 volts. Our circuit complements the function of the MintyBoost USB charger, originally developed by Limor Fried, of Adafruit Industries. The MintyBoost uses AA batteries to charge portable electronic devices. Our independently constructed circuit replaces the AA batteries and supplies power to the MintyBoost. This circuit reduces the ~6 volts from the motor to 2.5 volts. This allows the motor to charge the BoostCap (140 F), which in turn supplies power to the MintyBoost circuitry. The ultracapacitor stores energy to continuously charge the USB device even while the bike is not in motion.

Image Notes 1. Voltage Regulator 2. The 140F Ultracapacitor 3. 2200uF Capacitor

Image Notes 1. Her Circuit. 2. Our Circuit.

Image Notes 1. A beautiful thing

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

Step 7: The Enclosure.

In order to protect the circuit from external elements, an enclosure was necessary. A "pill" of PVC tubing and end caps was chosen, with a diameter of 6cm and a length of 18cm. While these dimensions are large when compared to the circuit, this made construction more convenient. A production model would be much smaller. The PVC was selected based on durability, nearly perfect weather-proofing, aerodynamic shape, and low cost. Experiments were also performed on containers crafted from raw carbon fiber soaked in epoxy. This structure proved to be both strong and light weight. However, the construction process was extremely time consuming and difficult to master.

Image Notes 1. Our PVC "pill" in the water bottle holder of a bike.

Image Notes 1. Our carbon fiber experiment didn't go as well as we hoped.

Step 8: Testing!
For the capacitors, we test two different types, the BOOSTCAP and a super capacitor. The first graph depicts the use of the supercapacitor, which is integrated with the circuit so that when the motor is active, the capacitor will charge. We did not use this component because, while the supercapacitor charged with extreme speed, it discharged too quickly for our purposes. The red line represents the voltage of the motor, the blue line represents the voltage of the supercapacitor, and the green line represents voltage of the USB port. The second graph is the data collected with the BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor. The red line represents the motor's voltage, the blue is the ultracapacitor's voltage, and the green line represents the USB port's voltage. We chose to use the ultracapacitor because, as this test indicates, the ultracapacitor will continue to hold its charge even after the rider has stopped moving. The reason for the jump in USB voltage is because the ultracapacitor reached the voltage threshold necessary to activate the MintyBoost. Both of these tests were conducted over a period of 10 minutes. The rider pedaled for the first 5, then we observed how the voltages would react for the final 5 minutes. The last picture is a Google Earth shot of where we did our testing. This picture shows that we started at our school, and then did two laps at Levagood Park for a total approximate distance of 1 mile. The colors of this map correspond to the speed of the rider. The purple line is approximately 28.9 mph, the blue line 21.7 mph, the green line 14.5 mph, and the yellow line 7.4 mph.

Image Notes 1. Supercapacitor Graph

Image Notes 1. Ultracapacitor graph 2. Approximately 45 seconds

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

Image Notes 1. Our testing grounds

Step 9: Future Plans

In order to make the device more economically viable as a consumer product, several improvements must be made in the areas of weather-proofing, circuit streamlining, and cost reduction. Weather-proofing is critical to the long term operation of the unit. One technique considered for the motor was to encase it in a Nalgene container. These containers are known for being waterproof and nearly indestructible. (Yes, we ran over one with a car to no ill effect.) Additional protection was sought against the forces of nature. Expansion foam would seal the unit, however the material has limitations. Not only is it difficult to position properly, but it would also prevent ventilation essential to the overall operation of the device. As to the streamlining of the circuit, possibilities include a multitasking voltage regulator chip and a custom printed circuit board (PCB). The chip could replace multiple voltage regulators, this would decrease both the product's size and heat output. Using a PCB will provide a more stable base because the connections will be directly on the board and not floating beneath it. To a limited extent it will act as a heat sink because of the copper tracing in the board. This change would decrease the need for excessive ventilation and increase component life. Cost reduction is by far the most important, and difficult, change that must be made to the design. The circuit itself is extremely inexpensive, however the motor costs $275. A search is underway for a more cost efficient motor that will still meet our power needs.

Step 10: Finish!

Thanks for reading our Instructable, if you have any questions feel free to ask. Here are some of the pictures from our presentation at MIT.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

Image Notes 1. Nick Ciarelli 2. Jeff Brookins (Me) 3. Charles Demmer 4. Kelcie Ebbitt 5. Jeff Cain 6. Laura Veldhuis

Image Notes 1. Our presentation board

Image Notes 1. C.J. Demmer riding the bike for our live demonstration

Image Notes 1. Our table

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

Image Notes 1. Me and Professor Merton Flemings, faculty director of the Lemelson-MIT Program.

Image Notes 1. Me and Josh Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program and a great guy.

Related Instructables

Upgrade Your iPod Mini With Portable USB Flash Memory battery pack No More Hard bike light (with a Drive! by fstedie Luxeon III conversion) by warlord

Build It: DIY Juice Pouch by PopSci

iPod charging PLAY AND tins and packs RECHARGE for beginners... IPOD USING OLD BOOMBOX by erckgillis - Hints and tips by unknownuser2007

Bicycle Innertube iPod Case (Photos) by nagutron

Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 172 comments

griteck says:
that is cool would you be able to power a bike light

Jan 28, 2011. 4:51 PM REPLY

lovetoride says:
I always wondered about charging my devices (I have a lot of them) while riding my bike.

Nov 2, 2010. 7:56 AM REPLY

I bought the Cycle Charger from www.econvergence.net/cyclech.htm because it has a USB port. It works well and starts charging at pretty slow speeds around 8 mph. I use it primarily to charge my Blackberry for work.

zoltzerino says:

Jul 31, 2010. 6:00 AM REPLY Why not use a smaller, cheaper, lower power motor and use a gearing system to increase it's RPM from the wheel rim? Similar to those wind-up torches with the handles. :-) Nice one anyway, but pricey.

zoltzerino says:

Jul 31, 2010. 6:04 AM REPLY The torch in question (one that I've dismantled) has a simple 4 diode AC-DC rectifier with a smoothing cap, this is somehow rut through a transistor, this seems to be enough to charge a little 3v button cell. With something a little more flashy, could this be notched up to 5v directly? With or without a Minty Boost.

rapidprototyping says:

Jul 16, 2010. 5:16 PM REPLY hey look at what was done in the early seventies in this work on the pancake motor i'm trying to clean up the images but new to that line work

rapidprototyping says:
here is gimp photo of a pancake motor

Jul 16, 2010. 5:08 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

kerembasaran says:
A 140F capacitor is just crazy.

Oct 9, 2008. 12:37 PM REPLY

ReCreate says:
i have seen 300 Farad caps

Mar 1, 2009. 4:49 PM REPLY

uberdum05 says:
I've seen a 3000F supercapacitor on http://www.wima.com/EN/supercap_r_2.htm

Jun 6, 2010. 2:03 AM REPLY

agent harmsy says:

add a transformer, hook it up to a coilgun and watch it blow up a HOUSE! :D

Jul 5, 2010. 12:11 AM REPLY

qwerty156 says:

Jun 15, 2010. 2:58 AM REPLY Bad circuit, good idea. Take a 2 of those caps in series to make a ~5v Cap. so- Motor gives electricity 5v regulator gives 5v to Super caps. Caps give to deveice

adeb2 says:

Jun 5, 2010. 2:02 AM REPLY I agree with dirty valentine, a low dropout 5v regulator is much more efficient. I've build a unit to output 5 Volt 500 mA on USB cable to charge my Phone / GPS / PDA from a 6Volts, 3Watts HUB dynamo using just that. Of course with an additional bridge rectifier and a couple of capacitors. Have a look: http://www.arenddeboer.com/bike-mounted-usb-charger/ Apr 19, 2010. 7:01 AM REPLY Hiya, i want to replicate this circuit for use on my bike, but im a bit confused. The step by step instructions mention components that are not on the circuit diagram, and also the circuit diagram doesnt show the ultracapacitor on it. Could you just clarify what components are needed in your circuit (not the mintyboost circuit). By the way im going to be using the mintyboost v2.0. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance

Stubloke says:

jevoncarlson says:

Jan 21, 2010. 1:27 PM REPLY The supercap post ride charge is a fun idea but who would actually leave their ipod on their bike while not riding? security issues.

Algag says:

Apr 11, 2010. 4:00 PM REPLY if you are talking about how it charges even if you are not moving thats so if you are stopped it still charges, not to leave it on there when you are done

gamal kotp says:

i am habye thank fo all

Apr 10, 2010. 5:22 AM REPLY

jenninstructables says:

Feb 23, 2010. 5:25 PM REPLY I've got the added task of recifying the output of the source, as it's actually an AC alternator, as opposed to a DC generator, or dynamo - which seems to be the subject of this instructable. At least a couple of companies (Shimano being one of them) make these alternators which are built into the hub of the front wheel. Mine puts out a fairly steady 6vac at speed, but is slews to 0v at stop. Has anyone addressed this previously?

jenninstructables says:
.... this supercap is hard to find... does anyone know of a source that will sell ONE ultracap at a time?

Nov 3, 2009. 7:48 AM REPLY

harpleblues says:
I found the capcitor available in quantites of one at www.tecategroup.com/store/index.php

Feb 20, 2010. 8:09 AM REPLY

jenninstructables says:
man... SO long it took me to locate these BCAP0150 - 150F ultra-capacitor Mouser Electronics - yay! i'll post more later.

Feb 23, 2010. 5:04 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

dirty_valentine says:

May 14, 2009. 7:29 AM REPLY I really like this instructable, but the circuit is not optimal. Stepping down from 6V to 2.5V with a linear regulator such as the LM338 is inefficient. In this case only about 42% of the power from the generator will make it to the Minty Boost circuit. The Boost circuit will have further losses lowering the efficiency down even more. The circuit will no doubt work but it is not optimal. If the generator really puts out 6V, then a simple 5V output Low Drop-Out (LDO) regulator such as the Linear Technology LT1963A ( http://www.linear.com/pc/productDetail.jsp?navId=H0,C1,C1003,C1040,C1055,P1879) could be used to drive pin 1 of the USB directly. In this case about 83% of the generator power would make it to USB device. The USB device would charge twice as fast, and the circuit cost and complexity is significantly reduced. If the generator typically puts out less than 5V under load, a 5V output Buck-Boost converter could be used. This would provide for further efficiency improvement. I don't feel the added complexity and cost is justified if the generator can put out more than 5V under load though.

rpvanpatt says:

Feb 11, 2010. 8:27 PM REPLY I actually was thinking the same type of thing, but i am a newbie with all this stuff, I was wondering if a capacitor would be good tho, so that if the bike comes to a stop, the charging wont stop, i feel like that may hurt the battery to stop and go, is it?

dirty_valentine says:

Feb 12, 2010. 6:15 AM REPLY I=C*dV/dt is the equation for a capacitor where I=current, C=capacitance and dV/dt is the change in voltage with time. rearranging the equation you get: C=I*dt/dV. If you are riding along and getting 6V out of the generator then suddenly stop, your capacitor will be charged to 6V. If a linear regulator is used as I suggested above It will start dropping out around 5V, and most LiIon chargers will stop charging around 4V. Thus best case you can only discharge the input capacitor from 6V to 4V (dV=2V). As for dt, that depends on how long you plan to be stopped. Lets assume you want to stop for 10seconds (dt=10s). Most LiIon chargers charge at 100mA or 500mA. I'll assume the best case (I=100mA). With this information we can figure out what size cap we need: C=100mA*10s/2V=0.5F. 0.5F is a REALLY big cap and would only buy you a best case stopping time of 10seconds. Most likely any hand held electronics you buy today (cell phone, media player, etc) will have a LiIon type battery. LiIon batteries do not like to be overcharged. If overcharged they will start to loose capacity (best case) or can even burst into flames (worst case). The good news is that most quality electronics have built in protection circuitry that keep from overcharging the battery. I have not heard of any issues with starting and stopping charging. In fact some quality chargers do just that to measure the Equivelant Series Resistance (ESR) of the battery during the charging process. Hope that helps.

rpvanpatt says:

Feb 12, 2010. 11:29 AM REPLY thanks for the help...another idea... if you havent already seen the 'contactless dynamo' bike light instructable, I was wondering if it would be possible to use that idea and your info to create a USB charger instead of with a motor...im not sure how much output voltage the contactless magent generator creates though, but I think this would be a better idea

dirty_valentine says:

Feb 12, 2010. 1:47 PM REPLY Contactless induction can certainly be made to work. There are a lot of variables and I do not have much experience with this type of generator so I am not sure if the 'contactless dynamo' instructable will work in this application. My feeling is that the magnets turning at the rate of the wheel will be too slow and too far away from the coils to generate enough power. FYI - it is really power that you are interested in and not voltage. My guess is that the peak voltage is probably high enough open circuit, but as soon as a load is applied (i.e. while charging) the voltage will collapse and charging will stop. To really make this work you will probably need an inductorless motor geared up off the wheel or chain to produce enough power to sustain charging.

rpvanpatt says:
gotcha...would they be good with just led lights tho? and maybe a stepper motor to charge?

Feb 12, 2010. 5:58 PM REPLY

dirty_valentine says:

Feb 15, 2010. 9:30 AM REPLY Not sure, as I said I do not have much experience with generators, just a basic understanding of how they work. You would have to experiment or seek out knowledge elsewhere. Good luck.

Ohnanka says:
Yey, constructive criticism! : ) would've been nice to have some from ac-dc.

May 15, 2009. 2:51 AM REPLY

Water Child says:

Feb 12, 2010. 9:24 AM REPLY I love this instructable, most likely ill be using it for life, anyway would it be illegal if i could use this fro my science fair project? there are no winners and no prizes its an elementary science fair for energy and i really lik this idea, i am a polite kid os i have to ask for your permission Nov 14, 2009. 6:15 AM REPLY It's hard to find the materials in this country which is one of ASEAN countries. Cause I lived in Indonesia... If I go to an electronic markets where the items are in so many kinds, the electronic stores are traditional electronic stores (dirty, old building, simple). It sells LEDs, Voltage stabilizer, UPS, antenna, audio devices (not exclusive), transistors, transformator, etc. Sep 24, 2009. 3:33 AM REPLY I need 4.9 volt for my Sony Ericsson phone. Does it matter if over-voltage 0.1 volt? Cause 0.1 volt is matter for computer's processor. Please give a reply on externalleon@gmail.com

advante says:

advante says:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

Jodex says:

Nov 12, 2009. 10:14 AM REPLY You CAN always charge with a lot higher voltage than your battery needs. BUT if you use enough big voltage your battery MAY explode. But couple of volts doesn't matter.. Except LiPos may be bit different.. Sorry for the words written with BIG letters : D

jules15 says:
no man, thats fine

Nov 4, 2009. 12:49 PM REPLY

ctonks says:
How do you handle surplus power?

Apr 3, 2009. 6:54 AM REPLY

name101 says:

May 8, 2009. 4:45 AM REPLY That's What the 140F capacitor was used for. In the graph explains that the surplus power is stored in the Ultra capacitor ~Name101

ac-dc says:

May 14, 2009. 9:52 AM REPLY Such a capacitor would store power, but will not "handle" surplus. When the load current drops the input voltage will rise and the linear regulator will be dropping more voltage, resulting in a higher heat level. You'd need far more than a capacitor to store the energy, something like a battery of a capacity high enough that it never reaches full charge, and yet this would be an additional drag on the bike, it should not be used because the whole circuit is wrong in the first place.

PCfreak says:
7.2v RC Battery is Lightweight and ive used one in many applications

Aug 21, 2009. 9:50 PM REPLY

name101 says:

May 16, 2009. 10:19 PM REPLY The way I see this design, The Supercapacitor was not meant to store "Large" amounts of energy but enough to keep the power consistent if the rider was to slow down or stop for a short period of time.. I agree a battery would be able to store a lot more energy than a Capacitor. but the capacitor is short term. Correct me if I'm wrong. ~Name101

ac-dc says:

May 17, 2009. 12:13 AM REPLY Of course, a supercap is short term. The problem is, a supercap doesn't have enough capacity to *buffer* for regular riding. That means that once the supercap is charged the voltage in the system rises and creates even more heat and loss with the linear regulator. Let me put it another way. I don't revel in wasting energy but it's not so much a concern when something is AC wall powered. When you are peddling on the other hand, and a design has multiple forms of loss, energy conservation is really good, worth the time to do it right. The problem was they didn't look at how to get from point A to point B, point A being a human being producing linear movement of a wheel, and point B, producing the desired charge, then finding the best way to get there. Instead, they reused a design not just suboptimal for the purpose but contraindicated for the input and output. The way this is set up it would be far better to just strap a battery pack onto a bike to recharge something, or of course to use a proper bike generator, a switching supply circuit that accepts (uses) input over the voltage variations that result from a bike generator, and and output with current regulation and the associated charge control chip complimentary to the battery type being recharged. I appreciate this is beyond the ability of someone starting out, but at the same time this is what is great about technology today that we have ready-made ICs to do things difficult or lengthly to do with discrete parts. It is good to experiment but it is also good to see when it is redundant work, that each part of the problem can be seen modularly as how to get from point A to point B and that today we have great custom ICs to do these jobs (since when broken down into units, none of the things being done are new electronically). I think it's great if they had no hands-on experience, to learn from building something like this, BUT to put it out there for others as an example of how to get something done, it is a poor one.

name101 says:
Well Personally am new to electronics.

May 17, 2009. 2:08 AM REPLY

I see that stepping down then stepping the voltage up again is a waste of energy. but when the power supply is so close to a LDO linear regulator I thought Providing consistent energy would be a problem. You said "supercap is charged the voltage in the system rises and creates even more heat and loss with the linear regulator." How is this so? I would like to learn from this experience. I would like to learn how to make this as efficient as possible. (I'm sorry about the short comment I wrote a big one but pressed cancel instead of post =( ) ~Regards Name101

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

ac-dc says:

May 17, 2009. 2:02 PM REPLY To make it as efficient as possible, to start you would approximate an efficiency, perhaps 80% pulling numbers out of air. Next determine the required charge current for the device, and divide that by 80% or 0.8. Next determine the minimum dropout voltage for the regulation stage, some working familiarity with switching regulator designs helps a lot here, but just to pick a number a run with it until something more is known experimentally let's say 3V dropout across regulation stage. With this much info we know the minimum output voltage a generator will need, and can begin testing generators loaded to the desired output power (current times pre-dropout voltage) to see if they are sufficient. Once one at least capable of this output power is selected, the max and minimum voltage during riding with it powering the same load level will tell us the voltage range the switching subcircuit will have to accept. Next go to a website like Digikey if you don't have a regulation controller in mind yet. Browse through their offerings for a regulation chip capable of the input voltage variations and either fixed output for the device charging, or variable output with components you add to select the target voltage. Study the regulators example datasheet circuits as they provide the basic topology as well as reading any datasheet notes about precautions and requirements for it's rated functionality. Then you are ready to convert a rough sketch of circuit logic blocks into a schematic of electronic component values, and generate a PCB layout. Prior to that you probably also want to have selected a chassis for the circuit board, a vibration resistant mounting, and have therefore determined the dimensions of the PCB and keep-out zones for mounting hardware so you can plan the circuit layout around these dimensions. Obviously there's a bit more to it than described, but it is a start. May 17, 2009. 1:52 PM REPLY With a variable input voltage (6V is not constant) an LDO will be a problem, but even if kept above the LDO regulated voltage it's still a very lossy circuit. With the supercap you are improving charging, but putting more drag on the rider to generate that charge, and by keeping the voltage higher it is continual drag instead of the voltage being allowed to drop below the critical level needed to power the rest of the circuit so the rider has no moments of relief. So it does improve the circuit but it does not meet a different goal in use on a bicycle, plus it adds a lot of weight. With a battery on the other hand, or really I mean a pack of series cells, they serve as a crude but effective enough form of regulation to keep the voltage at roughly the sum of the cells. There is some loss in doing this too, but not as much as use of an LDO. One thing that is not really clear is why either would be needed, charging doesn't have to continue at all moments necessarily. It could be good to even tweak the circuit such that applying the brakes bypasses a current limiter right after the motor so that during braking a higher % of power is produced and more motor drag, then less when not, but it would be a secondary issue, the primary one being that the better solution is none of these supercaps or batteries, to just use a wide input voltage, regulated output switching circuit. I'm not suggesting no capacitors are needed for that, but rather less capacitance, a smaller design with only the parts the regulation stage needs, also built more rugged (leaded parts like capactors don't like vibration much as you'd see on a bike, you can cement/glue/etc them in place or you can pick parts more immune to the environment).

ac-dc says:

name101 says:

May 17, 2009. 7:27 PM REPLY Personally. I want to charge my device a constant as possible(GPS device). Once the Supercap is fully charged the Circuit will only draw the current needed to maintain the charge on the device. Correct? When I was doing the Research with my basic knowledge Something similar to this was perfect. I was aware of the energy loss through heat and converting the voltages 2 times is excess but the way I saw it was the voltages(form power source to USB device) are too close to use the LDO linear regulator. IF the hub generator produced 12v for example having a single Linear regulator would be perfect. Simplifying the circuit drastically. If the supercap was replaced with a battery pack for example would the circuit charge the batteries and would the batteries act like a capacitor? From my understanding capacitors have the advantage of being able to charge or discharge incredibly fast while if a battery had the same current draw the battery it self would be damaged. I completely forgot about the environment with my research. I must thank you so much with helping me here. ~Name101

ac-dc says:

May 18, 2009. 5:00 PM REPLY The generator voltage is not "close" to the LDO regulator necessarily, it depends on the load on it and of course gearing or friction wheel diameter, how fast it is spinning. A genuine 6V bike dynamo goes quite a bit above and below 6V even being designed for the task. That's why it's normally it's normally rated for wattage like 6W or 12W. I'm not saying it's terribly bad to have the supercap except it puts more drag on the bike at the worst possible time, getting started from a dead stop after having discharged. A constant charge isn't really needed, you only need to limit the max voltage and current within what the battery will accept. For example, suppose 20% of the time it wasn't charging, but the rest of the time it was charging at a high enough rate to compensate. The point that I'm attempting to keep drifting back towards is this needs to be seen as an accessory to bicycling, not the primary detail that matters so much as what factors are present while riding. Yes the batteries would charge like a capacitor, the point would mainly be that you can either: A) Have already charged them before the bike ride so they are a renewable portable power pack. B) Shut off the charging circuit before it drains them too much, then turn on again after having gotten up to speed so they aren't putting a high early drag on acceleration. You really don't want a linear regulator, not even an LDO. The voltage from a motor varies quite a lot, to always have it charging you will have to use something larger and create a great deal of heat as well as extra drag riding. The only way to have a small drop before the linear regulator is if you already had a wide input range switching regulator, but if you did then you wouldn't need the linear regulation stage at all. I have already outlined a much better way to do it, for good reason, that it should not be done a different way for bike powered use.

name101 says:

May 18, 2009. 7:59 PM REPLY Oh. I'm starting to understand. Haha. I suppose I'll keep this in mind when I'm designing future circuits. I did throw myself into the deep end by starting with this projects with very little prior knowledge. Ill Look into what I can do. Seriously, Thank you so much. =] ~Regards Name101

PCfreak says:

Aug 21, 2009. 9:42 PM REPLY your "PVC Pill" Just Gave me an Idea for a bike project Thx Ps. its not a pipe bomb either, to those that were probably thinking

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/

kd0afk says:

Jul 27, 2009. 6:42 AM REPLY How about a parts list for the electronic components. And many of us can't afford a charging motor that costs more than our iPod, how about discussing using a bicycle generator.

3xpl0dingR4pt0r says:
Now please design one for my unicycle. Then ill be happier, still, good job.

Jul 12, 2009. 4:57 PM REPLY

Alexbretherton says:
complicated

Jun 20, 2009. 12:07 AM REPLY

Shut Up Now says:

May 14, 2009. 6:38 PM REPLY all this electrical work is way over my head..when do people typically learn how to read schematics and work out big circuits...im just starting high school so thats why i am wondering..

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http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Charge-Any-USB-Device-by-Riding-Your-Bike/