[Peripherals] Alternitive Power for Developing Countries

[info at olpc-peru.info]

Caryl,

And now here it is how it could look in its "basic" design.  We need to 
analyze if the RPM (revolutions by minute) are good enough to generate 
electricity with the chosen alternator, we need to choose (or to build) 
an alternator.  And we need to add a rectifier (if the alternator 
doesn't come with one), a charge regulator, the battery (if there will 
be a battery.. that is a whole issue) and other small electricity / 
electronic components.  Not an easy task but it is very possible to do.  
Caryl, if you want to develop a prototype we can discuss how to do it.  
Just let me know (I have made many calculations but I have a daily 
independent work so in this moment I can not put more time on this.  
Furthermore, some parts are more easily available in the U.S.  Contact 
me in private if you are interested and we can check costs for sending 
you one of the spinning wheels that I have in the garage... IF you think 
this device can be usefull to your own idea).  You will get all my 
collaboration on this project.   We need to analyze costs of the 
prototype and intended cost of the final device.  According to your  
background (engineer? lawyer? :-D ...) and personal preferences 
(hobbies, experience) you will see this as a crazy idea or as a possible 
solution.

Other issue: llama, dunkey or goat powered? uhhmmm... dunkey: shure, a 
normal task.  But small villages and poor families here don't have too 
many available donkeys.... ah! there are a lot of wild horses in some 
areas...  llamas? Less than 10% of the villages in Peru has some llamas 
(but all have sheep... but I know sheeps and goats and they are not able 
to do this task.  Any sheep or goat breeder can tell you that).

Best regards,

Javier


Caryl Bigenho wrote:
> Hello Javier Rodriguez and, all the other folks on the peripherals list,
>
> After seeing the creative things Arjun Sarwal is doing with cow-power 
> in India, I started thinking of other possibilities. I remembered my 
> grandmother's old treadle sewing machine and how excited she was to 
> have it electrified.  Later, I saw many being used 35 years ago in 
> regions in the Yucatan where there was no electricity.
>
> Here is a link to a picture of what they look like.  It is the one on 
> the left.
>
> http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade%2DLiterature/Sewing%2DMachines/
>
> Many of these machines still exist.  i see them at estate auctions 
> every summer in Montana.  There must be thousands throughout the 
> world.  I have twice tried bidding on just the treadle mechanism of 
> one on ebay. I lost out on the bidding for both, but have hopes of 
> finding one in Montana this summer.
>
> When I get one, I intend to try to set it up as a combination 
> desk/power source to run an XO.  If it works and doesn't cost too much 
> to set up, it might be something that could be replicated all over the 
> world where these old machines still exist...some probably still being 
> used without electricity.
>
> Javier, have you seen any of these machines in rural Peru?  Are they 
> still being used to sew?  Would there be a need to try to design it to 
> continue to be used as a sewing machine but to generate power at the 
> same time?
>
> It might also be possible to manufacture a similar mechanism, at a 
> modest cost.  But, the idea of recycling the old ones has a lot of 
> appeal. I was also wondering if an old automobile generator could be 
> adapted to work with it.  Perhaps it would require too much torque to 
> work.
>
> It may be just a crazy idea, but if cow-power works, maybe this will 
> too. If and when I do this project, I will probably need some advice 
> from you folks.  Any suggestions for starters?
>
> Caryl
>
> BTW, Could AJ's Cow-power generator be adapted to run on Llama power?  
> How about donkey power?  Goat power?
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