The 4 Best Ways to Demonstrate the UpCycle Eco-charger Bicycle Generator

by | Mar 23, 2015 | Microgym, Schools

The UpCycle Eco-Charger is a great tool for getting people excited about renewable energy and conservation.  The following are the best ways to show off your Bicycle Generator so people walk away saying to themselves “That’s really cool what (Your Group’s Name) are doing!” and NOT “That’s a Silly Gimmick”.

BUT BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER, You Will Have to Redirect People From These Misconceptions:

  • Humans Generating Electricity Will Drastically Reduce Power Bills – Folks want this to be more than it is.  When the average price of a Kilowatt Hour is $0.10, the amount of hours one person would need to pedal to make even $1 is way over 20. Instead, Say: “This is one small way to harness our energy when we are exercising”
  • This Technology is Not Real – I’ve heard from “experts” that electricity can’t go back into the grid this way. This is just not true. We’ve had engineers test our equipment and it really does work the way we say it does. Instead, Say: “This technology is just like small scale wind or solar power.  It just connects in a different way”
  • This Technology is Unsustainable – Because electricity is so cheap and the electronics to generate electricity cost money, some will say that it will never pay for itself, and therefore is not sustainable.  Instead, Say: “The technology is no more expensive than the technology in traditional exercise equipment” and “This shouldn’t be compared to solar or wind in terms of payback, because it’s also competitively priced as exercise equipment”

The Following 4 Ways to Show Off The UpCycle Ecocharger Will Help You Deliver These Important Messages:

  • Pedal Power Can HELP Power the Grid – This is real electricity helping add 50-100 watts of continuous power back to the building or battery powered setup you’ve created.  It’s probably not powering the entire building or setup, because humans are limited in how much energy they can physically create.  The more in-shape the human, the more power they will be able to continuously create.
  • It’s fun and Easy to Power a Phone (5 watts), Tablet (10 watts), and Energy Efficient Lighting (10-50 watts) – 50 to 100 watts of electricity will easily power these commonly used devices several times over, keeping people excited and interested in their own power generation.
  • The Power Generated Can Be Stored or Used Immediately – the electricity is most efficiently sent back to the grid using a grid tie inverter setup, but can also be stored in a battery.

    1. Powering Bands at Concerts:

 


Getting on a cycle and pedaling with great live music close by keeps people moving and having fun. Use the watt meters to find out how much electricity the band is using before the show. Then explain to riders how they are helping power a specific percentage of the band’s electricity needs.

2. Kids Taking a Police Light Movement Break:


Young children don’t care so much how many watts they are generating, but they sure do have a good time making an old-school police light spin around! The faster they go, the brighter the light gets!  Make sure you are using the correct UpCycle Eco-Charger Setup (Single Speed) so the light doesn’t burn out from generating too much power.

 

3. “Can I Power It?” Demonstrations:


Testing your limits is always fun. Finding out how easy or hard it is to power certain devices is a great way to educate about energy usage in an engaging, interactive way. Using a power strip with a watt meter, plug the Eco-charger and the device into the power strip. When the device is turned on, the watt meter numbers will rise. When you start pedaling, the numbers will start going down, showing the electricity is going from the Eco-charger to the device, instead of coming from the grid.  Using 2 meters, one for the device, and one for the Eco-charger is a simpler method than the one shown in the video. Good devices to use: Blender (80 watts), Tablet (10 watts), Laptop (30-50 watts), Smartphone (5 watts), LED TV (100-150 watts)

 

4. Powerthons – Earning Rewards for Pedal Power


Creating a reward for time spent or watthours created is a good way to help people combine a nice workout with a sense of accomplishment and fun. Whether it’s $1 off a pint of beer per 15 minutes at this Portland microbrewery to discounts at local businesses or donations to charity, the possibilities are endless.