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Alternative, Portable and Renewable Energy Source for the BOE-BOT — Parallax Forums

Alternative, Portable and Renewable Energy Source for the BOE-BOT

EzsynnEzsynn Posts: 119
edited 2010-03-08 17:34 in Robotics
I'm planning to get my BOE-BOT to have an environmentally friendly energy solution instead of using disposal Batteries.
Any Ideas?
Solar Panels won't work well at night anyway.
And the Honda Hybrid engines are just too big, bulky, expensive and the fuel is non renewable.
Any Ideas? Again?
I would take Hydrogen Fuel cells as an answer if there is any...
Or even the energy source I mentioned in my signature...

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BWIN ON DA POWAH WIFIN U!!!
(This means the Plutonium Isotope Nuclear Fission And Fusion Reactor Battery Pack you've been hiding inside your jacket!!!)
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Comments

  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-03-02 07:32
    Rechargeable batteries...
  • EzsynnEzsynn Posts: 119
    edited 2009-03-02 08:57
    SRLM said...
    Rechargeable batteries...

    Umm... those may be renewable but... I wouldn't count them as renewable though because over a certain period of time, the battery life "degrades".
    Meaning that after many years, they won't work at all.
    I'd say they at partially renewable.
    After they stop working, the chemicals inside are filling up our dumps.

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    BWIN ON DA POWAH WIFIN U!!!
    (This means the Plutonium Isotope Nuclear Fission And Fusion Reactor Battery Pack you've been hiding inside your jacket!!!)
  • EzsynnEzsynn Posts: 119
    edited 2009-03-02 09:05
    Any Ideas that will make my BOE-BOT tough enough to take on the outside, rough and tough outback of Australia?
    Why? Because...

    "Boy Scouts! This ain't!"
    "A stroll in the Park?! This ain't!"
    "Happy Camping?!?! This ain't!"
    "A Hobby Robotics revolution?!?!?!?! This ain't!!!"
    "Am I going off topic?!?!?! This sure is!!!"

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    BWIN ON DA POWAH WIFIN U!!!
    (This means the Plutonium Isotope Nuclear Fission And Fusion Reactor Battery Pack you've been hiding inside your jacket!!!)
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2009-03-02 16:03
    Alcohol internal combustion engine (~50cc) with 12V alternator.
  • Luiz mauricio mionLuiz mauricio mion Posts: 77
    edited 2009-03-02 18:16
    Big noise...

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  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-03-02 18:46
    The BoeBot itself is not going to function for years in the Australian Outback anyway, so what's the point?

    If you're asking for a practical source of "renewable" power in an area where there's plenty of sunlight during the day, then high quality NiMH rechargables and a solar cell array with careful power management is the best way to get power for years. You will get slow degradation of both, but you design for it along with enough excess capacity.
  • Luiz mauricio mionLuiz mauricio mion Posts: 77
    edited 2009-03-02 18:54
    Lot of $ NiMH batery..

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  • Luiz mauricio mionLuiz mauricio mion Posts: 77
    edited 2009-03-02 19:25
    you have that in mind the relation cost benefit, if and useful in such a way how much the investment

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  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2009-03-03 03:04
    I vote for the plutonium, you can keep enough extra in your shirt pocket to keep the thing going for the rest of your life.

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    - Stephen
  • EzsynnEzsynn Posts: 119
    edited 2009-03-03 08:13
    kwinn said...
    Alcohol internal combustion engine (~50cc) with 12V alternator.

    One question kwinn, Where do I get that?
    And how much is it? That would be a splendid PSU if it were cheap!
    The Idea of a combination solar panel with rechargable batteries is a great idea!
    Thanks guys.

    (Note, the plutonium power cell isn't worth it. I may die from radiation poisoning...)

    NiMH batteries? Okey! I'll take that into it.
    Now how do I incorporate a self charging mechanism when the robot is not in use...?
    Hm... Oh well, Back to the drawing board. (Microsoft Paint)

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    BWIN ON DA POWAH WIFIN U!!!
    (This means the Plutonium Isotope Nuclear Fission And Fusion Reactor Battery Pack you've been hiding inside your jacket!!!)

    Post Edited (Ezsynn) : 3/3/2009 9:16:11 AM GMT
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-03-03 09:09
    You can small gasoline motors at RC car shops, and they're not that expensive (< $100 USD). For electricity, any DC motor will work as an AC generator.
  • EzsynnEzsynn Posts: 119
    edited 2009-03-03 09:14
    SRLM said...
    small gasoline motors at RC car shops

    Any Ideas where to get them in Australia?

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    BWIN ON DA POWAH WIFIN U!!!
    (This means the Plutonium Isotope Nuclear Fission And Fusion Reactor Battery Pack you've been hiding inside your jacket!!!)
  • LarryLarry Posts: 212
    edited 2009-03-03 09:18
    www.modelflight.com.au/

    I just googled model RC car australia. lots more links, too.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2009-03-03 14:12
    A small lawn mower engine, gas powered chain saw, or trimmer engine, etc. would work. The carburetor jet needs to be enlarged slightly for alcohol, and a car alternator would provide 12+ volts at high (30+) amperage. I am planning to build a lawn mowing robot using similar parts when time permits. So far I have only the alternator and cutting blades.
  • bdbbdb Posts: 30
    edited 2009-03-04 03:40
    Hi, Just to make sure you avoid this "gotcha".

    A standard alkaline AA battery puts off 1.5 V but a rechargeable NiCad or NiMH has a lower voltage (1.2). So if you use the standard battery pack of 4 AA batteries and use rechargeable, you may be trying to run your 5 V Basic Stamp with only 4 x 1.2 = 4.8 Volts.

    Parallax has a solution Boe-Boost Module Item code 30078. I've just ordered one. Looks like a slick way of adding a 5th battery in.

    a few ideas that I'm mulling over for a similar project. You've mentioned solar, but most likely you'd want to use the solar to charge the battery. So you've still got some sort of rechargeable battery in the loop. You could use Solar to split water to hydrogen and oxygen and use that for a fuel cell.

    Kind of low tech, but I use enough things that have rechargeable batteries and I also do a lot of bicycling. When not cycling, I come home at night and ride a stationary bike (well road bike on a supported stand with magnetic resistance). Why not use the effort I'm putting into the bicycle to run a generator to charge a 12V battery . Then use the 12V battery to replace a few wall warts as well as recharge my rechargeables ?
  • EzsynnEzsynn Posts: 119
    edited 2009-03-04 04:58
    bdb said...
    You could use Solar to split water to hydrogen and oxygen and use that for a fuel cell.
    Okey, nice idea.
    How does that work?

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    BWIN ON DA POWAH WIFIN U!!!
    (This means the Plutonium Isotope Nuclear Fission And Fusion Reactor Battery Pack you've been hiding inside your jacket!!!)
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-03-04 06:03
    Electrolysis of water (and other stuff): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis
  • EzsynnEzsynn Posts: 119
    edited 2009-03-05 05:47
    Mike Green said...
    Electrolysis of water (and other stuff): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis

    Thanks Mike! Even though sometimes I find you a tad serious.
    You're the guy who never lets me down on Ideas.
    smilewinkgrin.gif

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    BWIN ON DA POWAH WIFIN U!!!
    (This means the Plutonium Isotope Nuclear Fission And Fusion Reactor Battery Pack you've been hiding inside your jacket!!!)
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2009-03-05 10:40
    I have a different idea. Use elastic bands and a tiny generator.

    Wind the bands to store the energy that will drive the generator
    which will create the power to run the robot. Use a clutch to control the
    energy release.

    A series of bands will store up the energy and can be staggered
    in their operation to release energy, like a tag team handing off the
    baton of energy.

    It's like getting a toy airplane to fly using a plastic prop and that big
    elastic band - I'm sure we've all see those...

    Albeit it stores a limited time of energy, but it may create an interesting
    science project and it's totally green! Wow the neighbors with your new
    Elastic Energy Propelled Robot!

    How you turn the bands to store up the power is the green part.
    You can use good old fashioned "elbow grease" or wind power, or a
    miniature water fall. You could collect rain water in a barrel and release
    it.

    Have an exercise bike, or put a storage unit on a regular bike. Your
    exercise will pay off in power dividends! Too lazy? Perhaps your pet
    hamster likes to go around and around in his wheel. Harness it!

    If you live by the ocean, waves can also impart energy to be stored in
    the system. All this stuff works at night to meet your requirements.

    A day option is to use a steam engine. A large magnifying glass will
    heat the water to turn the turbine engine.

    And as a closing note - use vinegar and baking soda. You can find both
    substances in your kitchen! The mixture will build up great pressure with
    considerable power, even enough to launch model rockets. Check the
    web, you can even go with a stack of Mentos and Coke soda pop.

    humanoido
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-03-05 16:32
    I think you're thinking of a stirling engine. Anyway, here is a company that makes a very nice solar stirling engine: http://www.pmresearchinc.com/store/product.php?productid=3096&cat=5&page=1
  • EzsynnEzsynn Posts: 119
    edited 2009-03-06 10:47
    I just found another option.
    Wind Power which gives off 10V DC.
    Anyone know how to change it to 6V?
    Anyone know of an ohm to Voltage converter? (As in telling me 1 volt equals to how many ohms?)

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    BWIN ON DA POWAH WIFIN U!!!
    (This means the Plutonium Isotope Nuclear Fission And Fusion Reactor Battery Pack you've been hiding inside your jacket!!!)
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-03-06 15:59
    Ohms Law:

    V=IR
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-03-06 16:08
    Ezsynn,
    You need to learn some basics about electricity, including the meaning of voltage, current, resistance, Ohm's Law, and the power law (Power = voltage x current). A good place to find explanations is the Wikipedia. Try doing a web search for "Wiki Ohms Law" for a start.

    Not knowing this really really fundamental stuff is like peppering your speech with "ain't" and other slang. I don't care how smart you might be, it makes you sound ignorant.
  • EzsynnEzsynn Posts: 119
    edited 2009-03-06 20:07
    Mike Green said...
    Ezsynn,
    You need to learn some basics about electricity, including the meaning of voltage, current, resistance, Ohm's Law, and the power law (Power = voltage x current). A good place to find explanations is the Wikipedia. Try doing a web search for "Wiki Ohms Law" for a start.

    Not knowing this really really fundamental stuff is like peppering your speech with "ain't" and other slang. I don't care how smart you might be, it makes you sound ignorant.

    Okay, so I need to do some homework?
    I can handle that.

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    BWIN ON DA POWAH WIFIN U!!!
    (This means the Plutonium Isotope Nuclear Fission And Fusion Reactor Battery Pack you've been hiding inside your jacket!!!)
  • GWJaxGWJax Posts: 267
    edited 2009-03-07 15:50
    WOW! OK I just had to ping))) in here, ha ha. I totality agree with Mike Green about the Ohms Law and the Power Law, these 2 laws are the same but changing the values around and is the first laws that you'll learn in even the most basic course of electronics and once you see them for the first time you don't forget them. Now the Lorenz Law is a bit different and more advanced but still in the basic electronic course and is used in repelling an aluminum ring off a rod with at least 600 Joules of current hitting a coil just like a small rail gun with only one coil magnet which is a really cool science fair project for the High School students, "I know this because I built one from scratch in the mid '80's and received 1st place for it and I still have it to play with from time to time, hehehe". So do your homework on basic electronics and then go to analog circuits then digital circuits after that microprocessors and you'll have a good foundation to work with or even better yet sign up for an electronics course from CIE "Cleavland Institute of Electronics" a home study course if you can't go to or have the time to go to a technical school for electronics.

    Good Luck Ezsynn with your venture,

    Jax

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    If a robot has a screw then it must be romoved and hacked into..
  • P!-RoP!-Ro Posts: 1,189
    edited 2009-03-08 01:56
    If you would still like to use a generator for your robot maybe using wind or water power, I would advise using a motor out of an old VCR. I recently purchased one at a thrift store for $3 and the motors still worked great. Since they are brushless, it is much easier to spin them, and they can create a fair amount of electricity too. I found I could make 3v with one easily just by spinning it with my fingers.

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    PG
  • GWJaxGWJax Posts: 267
    edited 2009-03-08 03:15
    Pi Guy said...
    If you would still like to use a generator for your robot maybe using wind or water power, I would advise using a motor out of an old VCR. I recently purchased one at a thrift store for $3 and the motors still worked great. Since they are brushless, it is much easier to spin them, and they can create a fair amount of electricity too. I found I could make 3v with one easily just by spinning it with my fingers.

    Pi Guy,

    Which motor did you use? The main turning motor or the eject motor?

    Jax

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    If a robot has a screw then it must be romoved and hacked into..
  • P!-RoP!-Ro Posts: 1,189
    edited 2009-03-08 03:20
    It was the motor responsible for spinning the coil. The eject motor is just a standard brushed motor.

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    PG
  • GWJaxGWJax Posts: 267
    edited 2009-03-08 03:23
    Got ya, that's what I thought.. I'll have to see if one of my old VCR's is also brushless which I think all of them are just never though of spinning them to see how much voltage and current it provides.

    Jax

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    If a robot has a screw then it must be romoved and hacked into..
  • UghaUgha Posts: 543
    edited 2009-03-09 02:20
    Ezsynn: I'll share with you the online resources I've used in addition to wikis.

    Basics behind electricity and electronics:
    http://www.reprise.com/host/electricity/default.asp

    Electronic components, what they are and how they are used:
    http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/compon.htm

    Basic electronic theories (including how to read schematics):
    http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/g_knott/index1.htm

    Basic electronic circuits:
    http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/mar97/basics.html

    Various electronic tutorials (including decent beginner info):
    http://www.hobbyprojects.com/tutorial.html


    There are plenty more out there if you look.

    Good luck!
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