GigsVT's Journal: Current Project: Hybrid Bike

Well, it all started as a project to add a chassis on the rear of my electric bicycle to allow the installation of a second battery.

That's completed, with some better range using 6 Hawker cyclon size BC starved electrolyte cells as my secondary, but I still have the need.

My current project is a hybrid gas-electric bicycle, using a 32cc 2cycle engine, and a car alternator.

As far as I can tell from google searches, I think I may be the first to try something like this.

I have no idea whether this is going to work out better in terms of efficiency than just a direct motor bicycle drive system. (I bought the motor from one of that guy's ebay auctions)

I went to a junkyard today, extricated an alternator from a circa 1986 car. Got a small mitsubishi alternator. It works. Next time I'll bring something to cut weeds down with, blackberry bushes have bad thorns and grow everywhere. I'd have liked to get another alternator as a backup, but everything else I saw was either too big, rusted out, or too hard to get to. I'm addicted though, hunting in a junkyard is pretty fun.

Also got a couple ignition coils to play with. Sparks are fun.

I might use this project as a way to get into microcontrollers, likely PICs. It's something I've wanted to at least play with for a while. I figure a PIC might be able to control the throttle on the gas engine based on efficiency points of the motor and the alternator.

If I can ever afford it, I'd really like to get something like this. 3.8 pounds, 3 horsepower. Amazing.