How much energy for ac power could be generated by pedal power for say an hour?

‘Pedaling a bike at a reasonable pace generates about 100 watts of power. That’s the same energy-per-time used by a 100-watt lightbulb. So if you pedaled eight hours every day for 30 days (no weekends off), then doing the math, you’d generate 24 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy. Note that I’m not worrying about the efficiency in the electrical systems involved, which would drop the number closer to 16 kWh.’

https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/12/08/504790589/could-you-power-your-home-with-a-bike

Tau.Neutrino said:

How much energy for ac power could be generated by pedal power for say an hour?

https://furthermore.equinox.com/articles/2015/06/how-to-train-with-watts

“Most pro cyclists produce about 200 to 300 watts on average during a four-hour tour stage. The recreational rider, on the other hand, might be only able to sustain this wattage during a 45-minute or hour-long spin class.”

So, about 1 amp @ 240 V.

Probably much less if continuous and less fit than top end athletes.

see also:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cycling+energy+calculator&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBAU815AU815&oq=cycling+ener&aqs=chrome.4.0j69i57j0l4.17497j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Tau.Neutrino said:

How much energy for ac power could be generated by pedal power for say an hour?

For me, something like 0.1 kWh, ie 360000 J.

For someone who is fit, something like 0.4 kWh, ie 1440000 J.

Tau.Neutrino said:

How much energy for ac power could be generated by pedal power for say an hour?

You’d go broke buying food to fuel your pedalling.

poikilotherm said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

How much energy for ac power could be generated by pedal power for say an hour?

You’d go broke buying food to fuel your pedalling.

I suppose it would be something to consider if you were already going to do this hour of riding for fitness reasons, (so the food was going to be bought anyway), and you wanted to use the power generated as a side benefit.

Electricity costs around 30c / kWh on average retail price in Australia, so if you were some hyperfit person who can gen 0.4 kWh in an hour on a bike, and you were able to convert that energy with 100% efficiency, then you’ve saved … 12 cents.

It’s a surprisingly small amount.
You’d need quite a few slaves before investing in the batteries to store the energy.
And you need to reinvest in the batteries every 5 years and replace the slaves every 10 years.
It doesn’t stack up economically.

Peak Warming Man said:

It’s a surprisingly small amount.
You’d need quite a few slaves before investing in the batteries to store the energy.
And you need to reinvest in the batteries every 5 years and replace the slaves every 10 years.
It doesn’t stack up economically.

Surely modern batteries last longer than that?

Hopefully modern slaves last longer than that too though I don’t have any data to support it.

dv said:

Hopefully modern slaves last longer than that too though I don’t have any data to support it.

they are a renewable resource so that’s a plus.

In practice you could run a couple of low powered lights by pedal power..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xbUxt2×4InE

How about pit ponies?

I have a vague recollection that the first ever electric power station used for lighting up street lighting (something like 40 globes) used human power.

mollwollfumble said:

How about pit ponies?

I have a vague recollection that the first ever electric power station used for lighting up street lighting (something like 40 globes) used human power.

School of the air in Australia used pedal powered bicycles.

Ian said:

In practice you could run a couple of low powered lights by pedal power..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xbUxt2×4InE

Was looking at some of these wind up radios and wondering how many wind-ups to charge them?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5-Year-Warranty-Dynamo-Wind-Up-Solar-USB-Rechargeable-Portable-AM-FM-Radio/113852109877

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Dynamo-Wind-Up-Solar-USB-Rechargeable-Portable-AM-FM-Radio-3-Year-Warranty/191876218618

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Eton-FRX5-BT-Emergency-Weather-Radio-with-Bluetooth-and-Smartphone-Charger-F/222839504578

Tamb said:

mollwollfumble said:

How about pit ponies?

I have a vague recollection that the first ever electric power station used for lighting up street lighting (something like 40 globes) used human power.

School of the air in Australia used pedal powered bicycles.

Pedal powered bicycles, that must have been revolutionary.

sibeen said:

Tamb said:

mollwollfumble said:

How about pit ponies?

I have a vague recollection that the first ever electric power station used for lighting up street lighting (something like 40 globes) used human power.

School of the air in Australia used pedal powered bicycles.

Pedal powered bicycles, that must have been revolutionary.

groan

sibeen said:

Tamb said:

mollwollfumble said:

How about pit ponies?

I have a vague recollection that the first ever electric power station used for lighting up street lighting (something like 40 globes) used human power.

School of the air in Australia used pedal powered bicycles.

Pedal powered bicycles, that must have been revolutionary.

Before pedals and chains people had to use their feet to push themselves along.

the legal maximum power output for electric assisted bicycles is 250 watts. These motor and battery pack kits will give you about the same power output as pedaling hard.

party_pants said:

the legal maximum power output for electric assisted bicycles is 250 watts. These motor and battery pack kits will give you about the same power output as pedaling hard.

ok.

Tau.Neutrino said:

sibeen said:

Tamb said:

School of the air in Australia used pedal powered bicycles.

Pedal powered bicycles, that must have been revolutionary.

Before pedals and chains people had to use their feet to push themselves along.

Thus

I saw this product and wondered

https://core-electronics.com.au/k-tor-pedal-powered-generator-the-power-box.html

Its a retired product

somewhat overpriced

Tau.Neutrino said:

I saw this product and wondered

https://core-electronics.com.au/k-tor-pedal-powered-generator-the-power-box.html

Its a retired product

somewhat overpriced

The Power Box has 20 watts of generation capacity at 120 volts.

so not very efficient either

Tau.Neutrino said:

party_pants said:

the legal maximum power output for electric assisted bicycles is 250 watts. These motor and battery pack kits will give you about the same power output as pedaling hard.

ok.

That is just to give you a comparison, working at the problem the other way, trying to match an electric motor kit to about what a fit human adult is capable of.