Australian Lights House with Bike-Powered Fluorescent Bulbs
As reported at the Sunshine Coast Daily, an inventive individual in Australia has rigged a system to light his house with bike power.
Tom Matyas of Yandina, Australia designed the unique lighting configuration in response to a roommate who constantly left lights on. Matyas found a bike for $5 at his local dump, and attached an alternator and an old lawnmower wheel. The lawnmower wheel rubs against the back tire, and spins another alternator that charges a car battery. Thirteen minutes of pedaling charges the battery completely, but only one minute of daily biking keeps the battery topped off. In turn, the battery powers five fluorescent bulbs, enough to light the entire home.
Matyas admints that LED bulbs would increase the efficiency of his system.
If you’re looking to get more bang for your electricity buck, LEDs are the best lighting option available. For instance, Coast LED Lenser’s Leflector bulb, shown above, will last 20-50 times longer than a halogen bulb. In fact, assuming four hours of use per day, a Leflector costs just thirty cents per year to operate.
Learn more about LED lighting design.
