Modern Buddy

i was looking at different lighting threads and began postulating ideas of how to increase the electrical capabilities of my buddy 125. while attending electronics courses in college i built several electric generators, some of which attained voltages up to 120 watts. i would like to use a fan mounted in the front shield to power an electric motor which will in turn charge a capacitor/ battery combination stored in the pet carrier. obliviously there are a few other necessary components involved such as diodes, resistors and voltage regulators but i think it would be relatively easy to work out. have any of you had a similar idea?? it would be great to have extra power for improved lighting, gps, phone charging, rocket launchers, tesla coils, or even just to take some strain off of your precious battery life. i live in an apartment complex where external power is unavailable for a battery tender so im interested in alternate, energy plus im an avionics technician and i like tinkering with electronics. feel free to share ideas and what not. ill update as my idea progresses.

Forgive me for asking the obvious but why would you use wind power if you have a combustion engine between your legs pushing two wheels that couls be tapped much more reliably than wind resistance?

You could always install a flux capacitor. Then you don't need the fan in front. But you'll need some lightning.

The wind is generated by the forward motion of the scooter, which is driven by the internal combustion engine. So I don't think you'd get any more power into the system by trying to harness that wind (adding to the wind resistance in the process).

why do you need to take strain off the battery? it only runs the electric starter, turn signals and horn.

everything else is powered by the alternator.

What about solar with an extra circuit for running accessories?

k1dude wrote:You could always install a flux capacitor. Then you don't need the fan in front. But you'll need some lightning.

Yeah, and a hill large enough to help you hit 88mph.

build a fart powered generator

i was looking at wiring up the front factory turn signals as running lights, a rear led brake lights and a brighter headlights. possibly a Klingon disruptor..

has anyone with these modifications had any issues with electricity shortages? if so how did you solve them?

LEDs are very modest. They don't like to use too much of your electricity.

I have dead lights that I set up as running lights, brights on (daytime), and a gps plugged in. Not a single problem.

OK, I give: WHY do you need such madcap crazy ways for more electrical power? Seriously: What devices other than KC Floodlights would need to be on a scooter that don't already run on low amounts of electricity anyways?

Navigation? If a smartphone can run it, an off the shelf small screen GPS will run even less power. Plug a USB port into your 12v outlet and call it good.

Lighting? LED's are the way to go if you *must* have more, but how much more do you really need?

Um.... OK. I can't think of anything else I need while riding. Sounds like over-complication for a problem that does not exist.

Joker219 wrote:i was looking at wiring up the front factory turn signals as running lights, a rear led brake lights and a brighter headlights. possibly a Klingon disruptor..

A small quantum singularity will power the disruptor. For the rest, the stock electrical system may be sufficient.

Joker219 wrote:i was looking at different lighting threads and began postulating ideas of how to increase the electrical capabilities of my buddy 125. while attending electronics courses in college i built several electric generators, some of which attained voltages up to 120 watts. i would like to use a fan mounted in the front shield to power an electric motor which will in turn charge a capacitor/ battery combination stored in the pet carrier. obliviously there are a few other necessary components involved such as diodes, resistors and voltage regulators but i think it would be relatively easy to work out. have any of you had a similar idea?? it would be great to have extra power for improved lighting, gps, phone charging, rocket launchers, tesla coils, or even just to take some strain off of your precious battery life. i live in an apartment complex where external power is unavailable for a battery tender so im interested in alternate, energy plus im an avionics technician and i like tinkering with electronics. feel free to share ideas and what not. ill update as my idea progresses.

That's neat and all, but as someone else mentioned, LEDs don't take much current (my deadlights are LEDs, with regulators plugged in), and if you go the PIAA HS1 headlight bulb route, you will get a brighter headlight without drawing more current. I 'think' the brake light is already LED--correct me if I'm wrong, someone (maybe on the older Buddys they were not?).

However, if you decide to continue on and come up with something cool, please share.