This
generator set includes a small generator with components that
allows you to connect it to any bicycle and produce electricity
while riding a bike.
Electricity produced by this generator can be used to light up
multiple light bulbs.
This small generator can also be used for science projects related
to converting wind energy or other types of mechanical energy to
electrical energy.
Students can make their own wind turbine, water wheel or any other
source of mechanical energy and use a wheel or belt to transmit
such energy to this generator and produce 6 Volts, 3 watts energy.
This generator set also includes a small screw base light bulb,
wires, socket, and alligator clips. |
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How can I use this set?
Before you start using the generator,
you should be able to use a regular AA or C size battery to light up a
light bulb. If you do this successfully, it means that you are able to
make a basic electric circuit.
How to build a basic electric
circuit?
With this sect, you
will get a pair of red-white color insulated wire. Cut about 10
inches of wire pair. (So you have 10" red wire and 10"
white wire). With the help of an adult, remove 1" plastic
insulation from each end of your wire pairs. You do that because
plastic is not conductive and electricity can not go through that.
By removing the insulation you will access the bare copper that is
conductive.
Connect one end of the red wire
to one of the screws on the base (light bulb holder). To do that,
loosen the screw, place the end of the copper wire under the screw
and then tighten the screw.
Connect one end of the white wire
to the other screw on the base. |
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Screw a light bulb in the base.
Connect the other two ends of the wires
to the poles of a battery. The light bulb should turn on.
If you see the light, you are doing
good and you can go to the next step. If you don't get the light, check
your wires, light bulb and battery again. Get some help from a teacher
or an adult to find out why the light bulb did not light on.
After you successfully get the light,
continue with the next step.
How to use the generator?
Now that you
successfully turned on a light bulb using a battery, you can
replace the battery with the electric generator. At the bottom
center of the generator, there is a metal connector. Push it in
until the hole on this connector aligns with the hole on the
plastic casing. Insert about 1/2" of the red wire into this
hole and then release the connector so the wire will lock inside
the hole. (Note that you have already removed 1" insulation
from the red wire, so the copper should be touching the
connector).
There is another metal piece on
the side of the generator. This is your other connector. Connect
the un-insulated end of white wire to this connector. (You can
simply insert the wire in the hole and wrap it around)
Now if you spin the head of the
generator very fast, the light should turn on. You may mount your
setup on the project board that is provided in the set. |
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By now you can display that mechanical
energy is being converted to electricity (electrical energy). If you
want to do more, you may try to build a wind turbine or a water wheel
and somehow connect it to your generator. In this way you will also sow
that the wind energy and the water flow energy can be converted to electrical
energy.
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