Pedal Power
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you plug a regular household appliance or light bulb into a Pedal Power display?
No. Household appliances
use Alternating Current (AC) and the Pedal Power produces and uses Direct
Current (DC).
2. What can you do with a Pedal
Power and what can the audience learn?
The Pedal Power uses a bicycle-powered generator to power lights and various appliances that can be plugged into the display board to provide electrical load. As more things are turned on it becomes harder for the person pedaling the bicycle to provide power to the display. The person pedaling the bicycle and the audience get the chance to see firsthand what it’s like to be a power plant when too many things get turned on. Lesson plans and activities included in the manual provide a guide to discussions and activities about energy generation and conservation, brownouts and blackouts, renewable energy and capacitors. Voltage and current meters on the display board allow you to calculate the power (in watts) needed to run the different types of lights to compare incandescent and fluorescent lamps or other types of appliances.
The Pedal Power manual is about 103 pages divided into two sections. The first section gives step-by-step instructions on how to unpack and set up the Pedal Power display. Each step describes what needs to be done and how to do it, and is accompanied by a photograph of the step being done or what it should look like so that you have no doubts about setting it up correctly.
The second part of the manual contains a series of lesson plans that are sorted by topic and grade level, from K through 12. Each lesson plan contains clear step-by-step instructions, objectives, assessments, and lesson times for teachers. The lesson plans come with additional handouts that may be used for homework assignments or classroom activities. The more technical topics contain additional useful background information that teachers can read in preparation if necessary. Optional accessories like the Btu Lab and the Circuit Breaker Lab also come with their own lesson plans and activities. The Pedal Power lesson plans were developed with the assistance of teachers, engineers, and energy professionals with the goal of providing a fresh perspective on energy topics.
4. How long does it take to learn
to set up and use a Pedal Power display?
The Pedal Power normally takes an experienced user about five to ten minutes to set up. New users are encouraged to use the manual, which provides step-by-step illustrated instructions on how to properly set up the display. Most people new to the Pedal Power skim the manual and are able to set up the display in about twenty minutes.
5. Do I have to be extra careful
with some parts of the Pedal Power display to avoid breakage?
No. The Pedal Power doesn’t need extra care. Dropping or walking on the display board will obviously cause breakage- we’ve repaired some boards that had gotten badly damaged but even with the board in pieces everything still held together and worked.
6. What sort of maintenance will the Pedal Power display need?
The Pedal Power shouldn’t
need any maintenance.
7. How long does the Pedal Power
display last?
The Pedal Power is designed to last indefinitely under normal use. Light bulbs need to be replaced occasionally but the display is constructed with the type of quality difficult to find these days and should provide trouble-free, reliable operation for many years.
8. What sizes/types of bikes can I use
to generate electric energy using the Pedal Power display?
The Pedal Power generator rack can be used with almost any type of bicycle as long as the wheels are 24” or larger. Multi-speed bikes are best since the pedaling difficulty under load can be adjusted however this will affect the amount of energy produced.
9. What can you do with the Circuit
Breaker Lab and the Btu Lab?
These labs are sold as
accessories to the Pedal Power display. The Circuit Breaker Lab explores the
basic theory of how fuses and circuit breakers work and comes with
activities that show what happens with and without circuit protection.
Classroom exercises and handouts show the class the process of designing a
fuse and discuss the dangers of over sizing or under sizing circuit
protection.
The Btu Lab discusses the
amount of energy needed to produce one Btu.
The class uses the Pedal Power to generate enough heat to learn how
much work it actually takes. The Btu Lab activity provides background and
classroom handouts showing step-by-step calculations and show how that can
relate to water conservation (really!) Calculate how long you’d have to
pedal to take a hot ten-minute shower. Here’s a hint: you’ll need one by the
time you’re done.
10. Can I just buy one part or
some of the kit components?
No. The Pedal Power is only sold as a complete kit although the Circuit Breaker Lab and the Btu Lab are sold separately to Pedal Power owners.
11. Can I have the font/logo for
my organization included in the banner?
Yes. The Pedal Power display is a great way to promote your organization and we include your organization name and logo bannered across the top of the display board at no additional charge.
12. Do I need an SUV or a big car
to take the Pedal Power to an off-site location?
No. The Pedal Power kit was designed to fit easily into a compact car.
13. Why don’t you supply a
bicycle?
At the request of our customers we modified the design so that almost any bike can be used. Doing this has several benefits;
The basic Pedal Power display kit comes with the following:
15. How do I know that I’m getting
a real Pedal Power display?
The Pedal Power display is made exclusively by A1 Cable Solutions, Inc. and carries the Pedal Power logo in the center of the display board. The Pedal Power logo is your assurance of owning the best display available. Look for the logo!
16. How much does a Pedal Power kit cost?
Please send us an email at a1cable2005@sbcglobal.net for a quote.