Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
  • World
  • Users
  • Groups
Skins
  • Light
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Brand Logo

agnos.is Forums

  1. Home
  2. Ask Lemmy
  3. How would you feel about cranks (to power a machine) making a comeback?

How would you feel about cranks (to power a machine) making a comeback?

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Ask Lemmy
asklemmy
48 Posts 38 Posters 1 Views
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • C [email protected]

    I find adding a crank to anything quaint and hilarious. Even if just photoshopped^tm^

    A steam whistle that required a good crank and verifying subscrrription overrr dialup would end me

    Edit: it must be a crank and it has to play the all around the blueberry bush progress song like the Sid's handy jack in the box in Toy Story 1

    M This user is from outside of this forum
    M This user is from outside of this forum
    [email protected]
    wrote last edited by
    #30

    It would be neat, but a solar panel and small battery would probably do better in the long run. Less moving parts.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • E [email protected]

      Shoutouts to the PlayDate. The crank doesn't power it, but it does have one! I think you'd love it op.

      Haven't played one myself, but they seem pretty cool.

      cracks_inthewalls@sh.itjust.worksC This user is from outside of this forum
      cracks_inthewalls@sh.itjust.worksC This user is from outside of this forum
      [email protected]
      wrote last edited by
      #31

      This is adorable.

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • crazi_man@europe.pubC [email protected]

        Well, there's at least one thing I crank on a daily basis.

        H This user is from outside of this forum
        H This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote last edited by
        #32

        Yeah me too I CRANK MY HOG EVERY DAY MFER AROOO

        1 Reply Last reply
        3
        • S [email protected]

          Can a human even make enough energy when cycling to power a PC?

          tal@lemmy.todayT This user is from outside of this forum
          tal@lemmy.todayT This user is from outside of this forum
          [email protected]
          wrote last edited by [email protected]
          #33

          Can a human even make enough energy when cycling to power a PC?

          How do you define a "PC"?

          A CR2032 button cell will run a wristwatch for maybe two years. It looks like a CR2032 stores maybe 730 mWh.

          https://sustainability.stackexchange.com/questions/4391/how-much-power-can-a-bicycle-generator-produce

          BBC1's "Bang Goes the Theory" demonstrated a human-powered home in a TK programme. In this segment, 8.5 kW of power required 70 cyclists, of fairly typical fitness, or about 107W per cyclist.

          So, if you include a wristwatch, then clearly yes. Someone doing 107W for an hour would produce 107Wh. That'd be about 146 fresh CR2032 button cells, each of which could run that wristwatch for maybe two years.

          If you count a wristwatch as a personal computer, then clearly it's possible and even practical.

          If you want my Linux laptop at its current power draw...

          unplugs laptop

          $ cat /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/voltage_now 
          16920000
          $ cat /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/current_now 
          -783000
          $
          

          That's 16,920,000 µV, or 16.92V and -783000 µA, or 0.783A. 16.92 volts times 0.783 amps gives about ~13.2W.

          So a cyclist could power it, at least at its present draw. But that's also at a fairly idle state, and I don't have the screen brightness really ramped up.

          An easy way to do the above in short form on a Linux laptop would be this:

          $ echo "$(cat /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/voltage_now) * \
            $(cat /sys/class/power_supply/BAT0/current_now) / 10^12" | bc
          

          Could a single cyclist power my desktop under load? No. The GPU alone has a TDP of 355W.

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • C [email protected]

            I find adding a crank to anything quaint and hilarious. Even if just photoshopped^tm^

            A steam whistle that required a good crank and verifying subscrrription overrr dialup would end me

            Edit: it must be a crank and it has to play the all around the blueberry bush progress song like the Sid's handy jack in the box in Toy Story 1

            P This user is from outside of this forum
            P This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote last edited by
            #34

            Crank-to-charge torchlight/small device would be nice, but that would need to purposely made and optimised to be as efficient as possible, which device these day just aren't i presume.

            C 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • G [email protected]

              I'd say that a fit person can sustain up to 150W, so with a low power PC and some battery to even out the flow of power it's more than possible to power the device and do some actual work, although perhaps it's not the best idea to pedal while working on a computer.

              sibbo@sopuli.xyzS This user is from outside of this forum
              sibbo@sopuli.xyzS This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote last edited by
              #35

              Yeah no doing work or gaming won't be possible at that output. Your brain also needs oxygen and sugar. If you max out your muscles, then there is not much left for any creative brain tasks.

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • sharkfucker420@lemmy.mlS [email protected]

                Bring back crank started cars just not the ones that obliterate your kneecaps

                J This user is from outside of this forum
                J This user is from outside of this forum
                [email protected]
                wrote last edited by
                #36

                "Sorry boss, I'm not going to make it to work today. I was trying to start my car and dislocated my thumb."

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • P [email protected]

                  Crank-to-charge torchlight/small device would be nice, but that would need to purposely made and optimised to be as efficient as possible, which device these day just aren't i presume.

                  C This user is from outside of this forum
                  C This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote last edited by
                  #37

                  I'm pretty sure I own at least one crank flashlight-radio.

                  P 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • G [email protected]

                    I'd say that a fit person can sustain up to 150W, so with a low power PC and some battery to even out the flow of power it's more than possible to power the device and do some actual work, although perhaps it's not the best idea to pedal while working on a computer.

                    C This user is from outside of this forum
                    C This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote last edited by [email protected]
                    #38

                    Annoyingly, I can't find that NASA paper now (no, I don't know why they were considering pedal powered rockets /s). I did read it, and it had other interesting tidbits, like that you really need to include a fan or overheating becomes a major limit. Maybe that's obvious to other people, but I wouldn't have thought of it.

                    If it's going to be an all day session, you'll probably want to halve that to 75W. More recent research suggest that if you need even longer output maximum power continues to drop, with your ability to digest enough food eventually being the limiting factor. Furthermore, pregnant women reach right around that level towards the end of their gestation.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • sharkfucker420@lemmy.mlS [email protected]

                      Bring back crank started cars just not the ones that obliterate your kneecaps

                      janus2@lemmy.zipJ This user is from outside of this forum
                      janus2@lemmy.zipJ This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote last edited by
                      #39

                      former moped owner. i damn near broke my fucking foot on the kickstarter 😬

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • C [email protected]

                        I'm pretty sure I own at least one crank flashlight-radio.

                        P This user is from outside of this forum
                        P This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote last edited by
                        #40

                        Aight i thought that already extinct as 18650 li-ion battery is so common now, apparently it still being made.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • C [email protected]

                          I find adding a crank to anything quaint and hilarious. Even if just photoshopped^tm^

                          A steam whistle that required a good crank and verifying subscrrription overrr dialup would end me

                          Edit: it must be a crank and it has to play the all around the blueberry bush progress song like the Sid's handy jack in the box in Toy Story 1

                          A This user is from outside of this forum
                          A This user is from outside of this forum
                          [email protected]
                          wrote last edited by
                          #41

                          Start your car, recharge a dead battery.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • C [email protected]

                            I find adding a crank to anything quaint and hilarious. Even if just photoshopped^tm^

                            A steam whistle that required a good crank and verifying subscrrription overrr dialup would end me

                            Edit: it must be a crank and it has to play the all around the blueberry bush progress song like the Sid's handy jack in the box in Toy Story 1

                            O This user is from outside of this forum
                            O This user is from outside of this forum
                            [email protected]
                            wrote last edited by
                            #42

                            As cars become more autonomous, it leaves room for you to do other things. So why not add something to let you work out while driving? Like a cycling machine or treadmill which generates power to drive the car.

                            L 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • O [email protected]

                              As cars become more autonomous, it leaves room for you to do other things. So why not add something to let you work out while driving? Like a cycling machine or treadmill which generates power to drive the car.

                              L This user is from outside of this forum
                              L This user is from outside of this forum
                              [email protected]
                              wrote last edited by
                              #43

                              So if the car gets in a crash you can be standing up and unsecured!

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • C [email protected]

                                I find adding a crank to anything quaint and hilarious. Even if just photoshopped^tm^

                                A steam whistle that required a good crank and verifying subscrrription overrr dialup would end me

                                Edit: it must be a crank and it has to play the all around the blueberry bush progress song like the Sid's handy jack in the box in Toy Story 1

                                mojofrododojo@lemmy.worldM This user is from outside of this forum
                                mojofrododojo@lemmy.worldM This user is from outside of this forum
                                [email protected]
                                wrote last edited by
                                #44

                                https://play.date/

                                lots of indie games!

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • C [email protected]

                                  I find adding a crank to anything quaint and hilarious. Even if just photoshopped^tm^

                                  A steam whistle that required a good crank and verifying subscrrription overrr dialup would end me

                                  Edit: it must be a crank and it has to play the all around the blueberry bush progress song like the Sid's handy jack in the box in Toy Story 1

                                  F This user is from outside of this forum
                                  F This user is from outside of this forum
                                  [email protected]
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #45

                                  This is called a bycicle. I use one often.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  1
                                  • G [email protected]

                                    I'd say that a fit person can sustain up to 150W, so with a low power PC and some battery to even out the flow of power it's more than possible to power the device and do some actual work, although perhaps it's not the best idea to pedal while working on a computer.

                                    P This user is from outside of this forum
                                    P This user is from outside of this forum
                                    [email protected]
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #46

                                    I have an E-Computer 😎

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • C [email protected]

                                      I find adding a crank to anything quaint and hilarious. Even if just photoshopped^tm^

                                      A steam whistle that required a good crank and verifying subscrrription overrr dialup would end me

                                      Edit: it must be a crank and it has to play the all around the blueberry bush progress song like the Sid's handy jack in the box in Toy Story 1

                                      E This user is from outside of this forum
                                      E This user is from outside of this forum
                                      [email protected]
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #47

                                      I considered getting a crank-operated bread cutting machine, mainly so I wouldn't need a wall socket to use it...

                                      C 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • E [email protected]

                                        I considered getting a crank-operated bread cutting machine, mainly so I wouldn't need a wall socket to use it...

                                        C This user is from outside of this forum
                                        C This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #48

                                        Like a salad spinner. Classic cool

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        Reply
                                        • Reply as topic
                                        Log in to reply
                                        • Oldest to Newest
                                        • Newest to Oldest
                                        • Most Votes


                                        • Login

                                        • Login or register to search.
                                        • First post
                                          Last post
                                        0
                                        • Categories
                                        • Recent
                                        • Tags
                                        • Popular
                                        • World
                                        • Users
                                        • Groups