Thread: PSU as a Magnet generator powering a computer

Hi everyone. We are a group of students who want to create for this year science contest a computer powered by a magnetic generator.We need approximately 200 W. Do you think it is possible and how it can be realised? We appreciate any help.

Go to the store and buy a generator. Plug the computer into it. I'm not trying to be a smartass, I just don't understand the question.

Well the idea is that we want to create it from scratch and also to connect it to the same wires that a psu has.

Okay, now what do you mean by a magnetic generator? Something like a permanent magnet generator hooked up to a wind turbine? You can find plans for those on the internet.

Do you mean powering a computer by induction without the need to plug it into the power socket?

Surely all you will need to do is build your generator then ensure you have the same v out as domestic supply current should be rectified by computer.

Easiest way i can think of is a diesel powered generator to ensure a constant electricity suppy then build a variable resistor test with a multimeter to ensure accuracy before attaching to computer and remember to earth yourselves and computer

Yeah we want a permanent one but enough powerfully to sustain a PC like forever. We searched on the internet but we got only the final project not how we could build it or how much power it would give.

If you really want to build a generator from scratch, the simplest is probably a linear alternator: a magnetic moving backwards and forwards within a coil (here is a small-scale example: Mechanically powered flashlight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). You can wind the coils yourself more easily than for a rotating generator - it is mechanically simpler as well.

Building one that can generate 200 W might be a challenge. Maybe you should build a small prototype first. And maybe you should use a laptop rather than a desktop, as it would need less power.

Otherwise, maybe use an electric motor in reverse...

How are you planning to drive the generator? Wind? Bicycle? Petrol engine? Or?

Well you need a coil in a magnetic field that much is obvious but when you want permanent there is problems how will you ensure the coil continues to turn wind power is problematic.. if the wind drops. water would be your best bet i think. Diesel will run out of fuel eventually. nuclear will work but.. well it is nuclear

I suppose if you were to use wind you wind need to make a back up power supply. say when extra electicity is made it charges a battery and when wind drops it switches to battery power to keep the computer running

Originally Posted by fiveworlds

nuclear will work but.. well it is nuclear

Maybe if you got hold of a very large number of smoke alarms ...

Good idea actually. you would need to seal co2 in though that could take some work

Dont forget that will only work if ions can form. This would ensure a constant electricity supply if you have to use a magnet though you could use tungsten wire to boil water which would provide your turning force if you use a properly sealed unit you will not run out of water i cant vouch for the wire though anybody know?.

To maximise efficiency of the water boiling remember to reduce the pressure inside your column if possible

The radioisotope in the fire alarms can be connected in series like batteries to form a large potential difference when enough of them are accumulated

Oh and in case your asked your radioisotope should be amercium 241

Thats all the help i will give you tonight it is 1 in the morning goodnight all

Oh actually use the theme of being environmentally consciencous bad spelling i know say it is your idea for recycling old smoke alarms if there are judges theyll love that.

Get two people on push bikes pumping pressurised air into a couple of cylinders and then using it to spin magnets. In a zombie apocalypse situation, two people (or maybe 3) could power a PC while the other person uses it. This also works because once they stop pedalling, the accumulated pressure could potentially work for a while, allowing a change of pedallers when the others get tired. This way you also get fit, which is important in a zombie apocalypse situation.

Wont work pyoko for one reason stability you need to ensure an even and stable current but good basis just solve that.

Originally Posted by fiveworlds

Wont work pyoko for one reason stability you need to ensure an even and stable current but good basis just solve that.

Of course you will have something in between. You don't just connect the power output directly to the appliance just like you don't connect the power output of a nuclear reactor directly to your iPhone. You have capacitors/ stabiliser. That's sort of assumed.

What I have at home are several large solar panels on top of my garage. They charge (not directly) a whole big bunch of batteries (they are about 1/4 the size of a car battery, and there are many of them. That way when I need the power, I can simply plug in any appliance into a standard 240V output socket. The appliance never "sees" the solar panels. Only the technology between the batteries and the output.

Hi guys. We are very grateful for your help but there are a few details that my mate KangJi forgot to mention:
1. our so-called group of students consists of me and him ( large group, don't you think ? )
2. we are high school students. Even if we both like computers, engineering, science it is quite hard for us to understand everything since we haven't done anything like this before.

Luckily we will be getting support from our physics teacher, otherwise we would've been done for.
As Strange said

maybe you should use a laptop rather than a desktop, as it would need less power.

, we will make our generator/ power supply to work for a laptop since it doesn't require that much power as a regular PC. As a matter of fact, we
firstly wanted to build a computer case ( from scratch as well with all those shiny lights and fans that would capture all the looks ... ).
We are romanians and our time zone is GMT 2+ so that's the reason why my mate KangJi ( don't be fooled by his asian-like nick ) didn't answer anymore.
Thanks again for the help. We will talk to our physics teacher and see what there is to be done.

Sounds like you should consider buying the generator/dynamo/motor ready made. You might have enough constructions problems even without trying to make that from scratch.

You could hide the laptop and dynamo/generator into a standard PC case and have the generator turned by water power. You connect the computer to a standard water tap and it springs into life... Amusing if nothing else.

Another idea might be to use one of those foot powered sewing machines. Hook it up to a dynamo and a series of electronics to get you the right voltage AC and maybe to a UPS as well.