A Way To Convert Rowing Into Battery Power?

[[old] squale]

This is sort of funny, the other night I was rowing and looking at my pm2+ as it showed the amount of "Watts" I was producing. I was thinking, wow, if only there was a way I could actually convert the rowing force into producing real electricity and save the electricity into a big battery and then use the battery to help run things in my house. This would save on my electric heating bill, lol!<br><br>I was just wondering if anybody actually ever set something up like this...<br>

[[old] Atorrante]

Interesting. In that way, maybe my wife will let me row in the house, and not in the office.

[[old] gorow9]

That's a unique... unique? idea. Maybe I should do that for my next science project... now that would be an interresting one... but hey if they can do that with bubbles from the ocean why not? <br><br>~Sara~

[[old] Deano]

rig it up to the stereo, if you dont generate enough power you dont get any music

[[old] Coach Gus]

Never heard of it for a rowing erg, but have seen/read about it for a stationary bicycle. Shouldn't it be able to be done about the same way? <br><br>My recollection is for the bicycle, the children in the family had to generate enough power to be able to watch TV or they didn't get to watch any.

[[old] Deano]

what a great idea

[[old] Coach Gus]

I thought so too. Would love to be able to adapt my erg to do the same, but have absolutely zero talent or knowledge on how to do so.

[[old] mletour]

FYI<br><br><a href='http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question658.htm' target='_blank'>http://computer.howstuffworks.com/quest ... r><br>Mike

[[old] eurofoot13]

<a href='http://people.howstuffworks.com/hydropower-plant2.htm' target='_blank'>http://people.howstuffworks.com/hydropo ... ><br><br>I dunno how to bulid one, but imagine it on it's side with the turbine being the fan of the erg.... I think it has possibilites.

[[old] Byron Drachman]

About thirty years ago I had a homemade bicycle ergometer in the basement. I had the rear wheel of a stationary bike with a long pulley to a car generator. I had the generator powering three 100 watt light bulbs, and I measured the power I was producing with a wattmeter. I used some calculations by an engineer from California who did some wind tunnel and other tests, and was able to predict how fast a cyclist could go based on the readings. I could predict a cyclist's 4000m time on the track within a second or two. This was before bike ergometers were available for home use. <br><br>You could replace the fan of the C2 with a generator and produce enough power to run several light bulbs. That would be a torture session. <br><br>Byron