Starting gravity wheel project, GRAM

[burnit0017]

Hi, I completed the fabrication of a test fixture. I am using ratcheting box ends to form weighted pendulums that will only swing in one direction. So on one side of the wheel the weight will be a pendulum and move toward the axle and on the other side it will extend and  form a weighted lever arm. Basically the system finds equilibrium and stops.  I am adding ramps with magnet rails to extend the weights to form the lever arm.

Short video of manual operation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G33-9oeNjLs&feature=youtu.be

The pull force required to extend the weight to the end of the ramp is < 5 pounds. Suggestions for the magnet rails are welcome.

[TinselKoala]

Here's a suggestion.

Lock down all moving parts except the main axle/wheel. Then apply a known turning force to start the apparatus and time how long it takes to coast to a stop. Call this the "baseline rundown".

Now free up all moving parts so that they move according to your plan. Apply the same known turning force as you applied in Part 1. Time how long it takes to coast to a stop. Call this an "experimental trial".

Do each condition ten times or so and get average times for each condition.


Compare the average Experimental Trial rundown time with the average Baseline Rundown time. Which is greater? Does it help, or hurt, to have moving stuff on your wheel?

Once you have a solid Baseline Rundown time, you can now tell if any of your alterations or changes or additions are actually _improvements_ or not, by repeating trials, using the known starting force each time.

You can generate the repeatable starting force by, for example, wrapping a string around the axle or the periphery of the main wheel, having a weight on the string end, and letting the weight fall a known distance, pulling the string to rotate the wheel. The energy imparted by the descending weight will be mgh: m is the mass in kilograms, g is the acceleration due to gravity 9.81 m/sec², and h is the distance through which the weight falls while pulling the wheel by the string. There are other ways as well, to inject a known and repeatable starting impulse to the wheel.

So you are injecting a known energy value mgh each time. The wheel will turn for more time, or less time, depending on alterations and what is moving. If you ever get an Experimental Trial series of rundown times that is _less_ than the baseline rundown, you will then know _for sure_ that your improvement or alteration is actually helping rather than hurting.

You can also buy excellent and low-cost "one way bearings" to replace your lossy ratchets, at the local RC Helicopter supply store.

[burnit0017]

Hi, thanks for the input. The configuration I was trying proved to have to many problems.

project updates

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDmv59p1XkA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp3-UDY7VNM&feature=gp-n-y&google_comment_id=z12ku1trbtjtinm4x04chpwqxvrkth44x5o

[burnit0017]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SbqR6BVDsg&feature=youtu.be

Hi, moving forward.

[burnit0017]

http://gallery.anotherpower.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=28036&g2_serialNumber=1&g2_GALLERYSID=2e31e7bb0af645c48c6e7b3eb28ec6fb


PMA installed, it will now function as a manually operated gravity assisted electric generator. AC 3 phase radial flux PMA.