Off the Grid: Step Charged Laptop

Here's a quick clip of what it's like to charge up Weza's FreeCharge portable step-charged generator.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• weza
• freeplay
• freecharge
• leckart
• alternative_energy
• dvice
• dvice.com

[yoshihawv]

you must have bought the last one. they seem to be discontinued everywhere.

[biped19]

Is there a "how to" for converting your exercise bike into a generator? Thanks.

[roidroid]

no sarcasm, i honestly thought your reply to me was a reply to me.

anyway, peace

[miguelsotoseudonimo]

Dear roidroid. I was posting for everybody, and like biped19 I am thinking a bit further and outside the box. Global changes, economic breakdown etc.. Therefore please please stop replying to my messages with your domestic sarcasm. Yes, I should not have clicked on reply (to your message), and for that reason I am sorry. Bye.

[roidroid]

oh you are suggesting i contact Freeplay about my idea? It's not that amazing an idea is it? I'm not that ambitious.

[miguelsotoseudonimo]

BRAND NEW INFO: I just found out from GAMMA TRADING INDUSTRIES (Pty) Ltd in South Africa that distribute Freeplay Products (and among them the Weza), that the part is No Longer Available (and none in stock).

Dave Floyd however who heads up Freeplay Europe will be able to assist from his UK office. He may be contacted telephonically on + 44 20 7935 5226.

[roidroid]

oh i see the source of confusion now. In my original message i referred to the Weza's "pedal".

I should have said "stepper", this is what i meant.

[roidroid]

My reference to the popularity of stepper exercisers was to show that the concept works, and is intuitively quite similar to the current single-stepper Weza configuration.

As such, it would use a flywheel just as the Weza does. It's honestly almost identical to the Weza. The only differences being that it has 2 steppers instead of one, and it would need to be more stable and easy to ballance on - as BOTH feet are required to be on the device at once.

Pedals? No pedals here.

[miguelsotoseudonimo]

Yes they are very popular for the time being, but will they be of any use when the shit hits the fan?. The Weza has an integrated heavy duty 'wheel' that keeps spinning and charging after you stepped once (see video). This is a big bonus that pedal generators don't have. You have to keep pedaling nonstop and you just won't cope (even if the machine didn't break). Go to a good survival shop and ask them, if you do not wish to believe it. But just in case I would make up my mind - right now.

[roidroid]

if the Weza were redesigned to have 2 steps, then re-optimising the ergonomics of it so as to better facilitate using both steps at once - would be part of the redesign.

Stepper exercise machines are very popular. Surely this will work.