Project: Hybrid buggy

[outsider]

This is what I propose to do:

I will take one of those tiny nitro engines for small aircraft (I think there is one called the SuperBee or something) and attach it to a similarly small generator. This will be enclosed along with a small fuel reserve in an open top box, the size of a stick or sideXside pack. The box will be made out of sheet metal to conduct heat away from the engine and have heatsinks. If heat becomes a problem, I can install a small fan to blow air into the engine.

The major problems I foresee is
1. heat
2. amp output. Might be too low for a motor.
3. getting a small generator

What do you guys think? Is it doable?

[jeepinator]

Remember, you will lose some energy when converting:
1) Fuel into kinetic energy (superbee)
2) Kinetic energy in to electric energy (tiny generator)
3) Electric to kinetic (drive motor)

Each of these conversions run in the 50-60% efficiency range, so you will need quite a bit of power to start with. A superbee will do it, but performance could be abysmal (maybe not even enough to rotate a standard 540 motor).

I like the idea though and will be giving this much thought. I will return with what I come up with. Maybe we could co-develop this cool idea ! The toughest part will be finding a reasonable generator ... I have no clue what devices would make use of such a thing ... and then to have the voltage/amperage output be with in the range we need ... hmm ... sounds like a toughy !

[jeepinator]

Of course any motor can act as a generator, but not to the degree a dedicated generator (designed for this function) can ...

[outsider]

Well that's what I thought. I could use a normal 380 sized motor and a voltage regulator would have to be designed to not superceed 9v or so. Maybe 8.5v to be safe. I wonder if tinkering with the armature would result in a standard motor being more efficient at producing electricity. Perhaps a wind with less strands. I even thought of having the superbee run two mini motors. It should be strong enough, but then we have to worry about space constraints. BTW, I searched and still have found no tiny generators...

[outsider]

BTW, what is the average output in amps a NiCd or NiMH puts out?

[outsider]

I wonder if you can fit something <a href="http://www.hpower.com/edukit.html">this small in an rc car</a>...

[roadrage]

dont some bikes have generators to light up headlights and back lights? :confused:

[outsider]

I think a better way id to have an intermediate pack of batteries (say 6 AAA 1.2v 550mah NiCd) to be the intermediary between the ESC and the generator. That way it works like a real car somewhat. The generator acts like a charger (I would need some voltage regulator circuitry and maybe a cut off so the batteries stop charging when they reach peak.) for the AAA pack. Then from the AAA pack some leads can lead to the connector for the ESC.

Also I have been reading up on alternator design and an electric motor would work as one but would be inefficient. But you can use the can and most of the armature. You would just have to wind the motor with some really thin guage wire from RadioShack the same way a real alternator is. I think some of the arm would have to be cut off to make room for the wire wrapped on the outside of the arm instead of the inside like motors are to get the most efficiency out of it.

Also, anyone know about the Cox KillerBee? Is it relatively easy to run? It would be going at a constant speed so there should be less than normal stress on it. Is it a high maintainence motor?

[ 08-16-2001: Message edited by: outsider ]

[RC Crazy]

or just get a 100' extention cord and put a 1hp motor in it and then watch it go :eek:

[Car_Head12]

sorta- the wheel-power (for lack of a better word) is the generator on *most* of the bike headlights i have seen...

[Smitty]

Wouldn't a normal motor working as a generator create a Alternating Current?