Alternative power supplies (solar, wind, motion, etc)?

macumbista

I'm near the end of a series of "Neanderthal Electronics" workshops right now, doing small battery powered 4093-based Lunetta synths with electronics n00bs in Northern Ireland, Germany, Norway and the Netherlands. This got me thinking about alternative power supplies beyond batteries and wallwarts.

It seems to me like the combination of simple Lunetta type circuits with solar or other alternative power would make interesting "eco-synths" for use in the half-flooded/half-desert habitat our planet will soon become. And the rather specific issues of such power (either a long slow voltage droop or quick sporadic discharges, for example) provide the kind of "problems" which lead to new kinds of sound synthesis and control systems.

Tom Bugs has a massive solar powered cabinet with those "gold" caps that basically charge/discharge a lot like a battery. And Ralf Schreiber does great solar noise makers as well using a small solar panel and a 74HC14/40106 wired for self-modulating feedback:

http://www.ralfschreiber.com/solarsound/solarsound.html

Anybody else try something similar? Solar, wind, water, walking, bicycle etc powered?

In line with this, does anyone have any tips about low power components (espc audio amps and speaker or piezo drivers) that could be used in our theoretical eco-synth? How about tips for charging/storage or dual supply? Ideas which exploit the issues of such power mentioned above in an interesting way (such as Schreiber's Solarsoundmodule)?

I guess it's time to start haunting the solar robotics forums...

Some first fruits:

http://www.ralfschreiber.com/suneater/suneater.html
http://www.solarbotics.net/library/circuits/se.html [great overview of solar circuit types, including nocturnal...]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BEAM_robotics

RF · Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:16 am Post subject:

macumbista -
Sorry, I got nothing for you on your topic Smile

...but thanks for posting those links. I put together one of those 40106 "solarsound" devices yesterday. Great fun, interesting idea. But a bit much experimentation for a class, perhaps.

Great concept on the neanderthal electronics classes, too. Wink

bruce

macumbista · Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:54 am Post subject:

Hi Bruce,

actually Ralf does the solar sound modules for afternoon workshops all the time, since it's such a simple circuit. Usually participants don't really even test the different values, they just throw in whatever's lying in front of them. The most interesting stuff happens when you test different gate outputs. I think they are perfect for a class!

best,
Derek

macumbista · Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:56 am Post subject:

Another idea: what about those wind-up dynamos that get used in emergency radios and flashlights?

RF · Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 7:19 am Post subject:

Odd you should mention those - I just looked at one a few days ago thinking that would be interesting to hack...

I think that's a great idea.

bruce

slacker · Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:28 am Post subject:

I'd just like to repeat what Bruce said, thanks for linking to those solar powered things. I too built one last night and they're pretty interesting, I haven't tried them with solar power just voltage starved them.

I've been thinking about trying solar power for my Lunetta, not really sure how at the moment though. It would probably have to be something using rechargeable batteries and a solar powered charger.
I think the wind up idea is a good one, if they can power a radio then they should be able to provide enough juice for a small synth or noise maker.

I've been to a few festivals where there's been small acts who use bicycles to power a dynamo that runs a amp and other things. Always looks like hard work though Smile

macumbista · Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 1:29 pm Post subject:

The thing I like about those solar modules are that the voltage created by the light is the only real control method, so they are actually only responsive to the environment.

Batteries and chargers is one solution, but that gives you an instrument that functions just like it might have before. As I wrote before, I'd like to explore systems which exploit the specific characteristics of their alternative power supply.

It's summer, maybe I need to run a friendly competition, a workshop or a little weekend festival on this idea... anyone living in or traveling through Berlin welcome to get in touch! Wink

jochem · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 56 Location: groningen

How about the dynamo on a bicycle? You can get a synth on the go... Razz

blue hell · Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:22 am Post subject:

Clack · Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:55 pm Post subject:

what is it like running stuff directly from solar?

I imagine the current is pretty low and very variant

yeah its an interesting idea the movement used to play an instrument also generates the power and puts it closer to an acoustic instrument

anyone know a good solar scource

I guess you could make a cheap dynamo by using a motor

toybox · Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:16 pm Post subject:

i remember bugbrand building a solar powered synth.i think this is a good idea for a future project

jochem · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 56 Location: groningen

Synth-bike is a cool idea Cool

You want to sponsor one Jan?

Possible solar supply could be from a cell phone charger? There are some gadgets for loading the battery when you are on the go, such as solar, wind-up, etc.

toybox · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:36 am Post subject:

bugbrands solar modular vary nice!

http://bugbrand.blogspot.com/2007/07/solar-power-modular.html

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macumbista · Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:16 am Post subject:

Offlist reply from Bugs himself:

macumbista · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:50 am Post subject:

Some further research has focused on different kinds of power supplies. Super Cap/Gold Cap/Green Cap/Ultra Cap capacitors seem like the way to go, using them as a battery with something like a 20-25 Farad value. A very nice article on replacing 9v block batteries with a Super Cap is here:

http://www.mdk-design.com/docs/9v_capacitor_battery.pdf

Different kinds of "sun eater" circuits are here:

http://www.solarbotics.net/library/circuits/se.html

Supposedly, the best parts-count-to-power circuit out there is the Miller Solar Engine (it's super small!!!!):

http://www.beam-wiki.org/wiki/Miller_Solar_Engine

http://www.beam-online.com/Robots/Tutorials/Freeform/1381_SE/1381SE.html

http://www.beam-online.com/Robots/Circuits/1381.html

And here is a nice very basic "sun eater" assembled free-form:

http://www.ralfschreiber.com/suneater/suneater-free-form.pdf

Lastly, Ralf Schreiber recommends the following sun eater, using the (somewhat expensive) Maxim 8212 IC, when more current (such as the 100+ mA required to drive an LM386 amplifier!) is required:

http://www.bek.no/~flemming/flemmweb_current/details/mmmse_files/mmmse_all/solarbotics_MAX8212_soleng_bep-pm3-v2.pdf

All of these should be able to harness power from solar cells, wind turbines etc etc. There is always a trade off of how often you want your circuit to be active vs how long you want it to run (less frequent = longer activity, more frequent = shorter bursts).

I'll be experimenting with the Super Cap 9v battery a bit next week and will post more after that.

Best!
D.

Luka · Joined: Jun 29, 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: Melb.

how do i set up a generator to store power from a rat in a wheel Smile

macumbista · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:35 am Post subject:

Just think how much energy you could be saving up from all those people working out at the gym!!!!

Inventor · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:00 am Post subject:

Maybe we can harness the incredible force of people blowing hot air and jumpin to conclusions. Rolling Eyes

macumbista · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:30 am Post subject:

Kenyans invent bike phone charger

elektro80 · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:50 am Post subject:

Why not use geothermal energy? Then you might get some unwanted side effects that will most probably be brilliant additions to your next Lunetta concert.

Geothermal energy and earthquakes

Wink

macumbista · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:11 am Post subject:

Kinetic powered e-music: