Magnetic propulsion: can they make an RV generator?

[profdant139]

I read about this in the Wall Street Journal. Supposedly, this company has developed a way to differentially polarize magnets, causing a flywheel to spin, thus generating power. Many scientists are skeptical.

But it is fun to dream, isn't it? Imagine a silent smaller version of this for RV travel -- give it a spin and watch the juice flow:

Seems too good to be true . . . .

[pnichols]

The large EFOY fuel cell - 8.8 amps per hour times 24 hours a day - will restore over 200 amp hours per day into an RV's battery bank.

That's equivalent to bringing back up to full charge about a 430 AH lead acid battery bank that you deplete down to 50% SOC every day. It would take a healthy size RV solar panel installation (even if you could fit it on the roof) and good sun at a good angle each day to do that. If I didn't care about air conditioning, I'd save the Onan or EU3000i Honda generator cost - when buying a new motorhome or TT - and go for an EFOY, instead, for self-contained power guaranteed all the time.

I can think of worse ways for dyed in the wool drycampers to spend $4K RV dollars.

[philh]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi philh,

Batteries don't "boil" unless the temperature inside them is 337 C (~638 f). They do gas.

The device you suggest may cause both positive and negative plate shedding. Basically it "knocks" the hard sulfate off the plates. That buys some time--but the total capacity (amp hours) drops and once the space beneath the plates fills up the battery has had the biscuit.

Here is an example of one such device. I really DO NOT recommend it.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Simplest-Chargerdesulfator-Ever/

That's what I built. It definitely bought time, battery appears to be as good as new. Wonder how many uses before the battery is unusable 🙂

Gave it to a friend that has a very expensive custom battery... something like $250 for his classic cougar. He wants to keep using the replica battery as long as possible. It worked for him too.

[MrWizard]

The efoy is going to produce 12v ? Battery charging
So you need an inverter and some batteries for home use
It lacks the power to do more than run your PC or tv
It won't run your fridge, your furnace blower or your well pump
Using these items will quickly pull the battery down
I much prefer a generator, even a little Honda

I know you are enthusiastic about this thing, but your comments about Emg home use, are not really practical

Designed for the marine sailboat market
Where it could keep the batteries need for radio and navigation equipment topped off, in port with no shore power or be calmed seas

[profdant139]

The other advantage of the Efoy is for home use, in case of a widespread power outage. It would really be unpleasant to have the Honda grinding away for hours or days.

[pnichols]

profdant139 wrote:
phil, those Efoys look mighty fine -- 27 decibels is quieter than a library! Only one little problem -- it's four thousand dollars for the 25 watt unit. Ouch!

I am sure that the magnetic perpetual motion machine will produce much more power for free, in perfect silence. 😉

Dan .... where did you get 25 watts from?

This spec sheet shows three models that deliver - either 3.3 amps @ 12 volts, or 6.0 amps @ 12 volts, or 8.8 amps @ 12 volts: https://www.efoy-comfort.com/technical-data

Keep in mind that these fuel cells automatically put out these currents if the battery(ies) will accept them anytime and all the time as the batteries are being used -> depending upon how fast the loads are trying to drain the battery(ies).

Multiply these three currents times 24 hours and you can see how many amp hours can be put back into the RV's battery bank per day. Doing this you can see that a lot of amp hours per day can be delivered to the battery(ies) as needed ... even continuously hour after hour.

Considering what RVs cost and what the cost is for the built-in generator option in those RVs ... I'm inclined to feel that an EFOY fuel cell might be a great investment for those RVs if air conditioning is not desired. What one is getting with an EFOY is a power source that can be transferred from RV to RV and can be used anytime, anywhere, any season for keeping the battery(ies) topped up ... no solar cells needed.

[GordonThree]

I'm holding out for the zero point energy battery, harvesting energy from the quantum vacuum itself.

[profdant139]

phil, those Efoys look mighty fine -- 27 decibels is quieter than a library! Only one little problem -- it's four thousand dollars for the 25 watt unit. Ouch!

I am sure that the magnetic perpetual motion machine will produce much more power for free, in perfect silence. 😉

[Horsedoc]

swamp gas!!

[GordonThree]

spinning magnetic generators go back a decade on youtube, and much further on other crackpot forums. my favorite are the ones that use a single "dead" battery and "amplify" it using "magnetism" to run a 12 volt car headlight. Of course they don't show you the induction coil hidden somewhere that's constantly putting more energy into the system.

[pnichols]

profdant139 wrote:
MrWizard, just to be clear, these folks did not even focus on the RV market -- they are looking at power generation in general. But assuming it works and is not a hoax (a big "if"), naturally my next thought is "silent power for my RV!"

It's nice to dream, as long as nobody's wallet gets hurt. 😉

Dan, here's the answer for right now (until propane fuel cells are available for RVs). These methanol fuel cells are the next best thing ... quiet, automatically keep your batteries topped up 24/7 with no sun required, make no noise, and run up to 30 days on a 9"x8"x13" plastic container of fuel (a 15 day sized container is also available).

I think that they started out being used in the marine world, but now IMHO should be recognized as a Holy Grail for RV battery maintenance use. You might want to click around the site to read all they have to say. Here's a couple of links to start with:

https://www.efoy-comfort.com/installation-your-mobile-home

https://www.efoy-comfort.com/technical-data

Here's another link with helpful general info on use of fuel cells for power:
https://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/htmlpubs/htm09732309/

[pianotuna]

Hi philh,

Batteries don't "boil" unless the temperature inside them is 337 C (~638 f). They do gas.

The device you suggest may cause both positive and negative plate shedding. Basically it "knocks" the hard sulfate off the plates. That buys some time--but the total capacity (amp hours) drops and once the space beneath the plates fills up the battery has had the biscuit.

Here is an example of one such device. I really DO NOT recommend it.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Simplest-Chargerdesulfator-Ever/

philh wrote:
M. Wanderer

I built a device using a cap and a bridge. Plans came with strong warning that the product would kill you.

I've taken "weak" or even dead batteries, hooked up to this thing and once the liquid begins a slow boil, disconnected it. Batteries will typically test using a load meter nearly full strength.

Are you suggesting this doesn't actually work and I'm fooling myself?

[profdant139]

MrWizard, just to be clear, these folks did not even focus on the RV market -- they are looking at power generation in general. But assuming it works and is not a hoax (a big "if"), naturally my next thought is "silent power for my RV!"

It's nice to dream, as long as nobody's wallet gets hurt. 😉

[MrWizard]

monorails work on magnetic levitation and propulsion, using huge amounts of electricity to create the magnetic fields

something mechanical or electrical will be needed to change the 'magnetic polarity' that is going to drive this RV generator you want
which means some form of stored or created energy will be used from the RV

whether or not the process in the link is real or fake, you are not going to get 'free' power for an RV generator

[philh]

M. Wanderer

I built a device using a cap and a bridge. Plans came with strong warning that the product would kill you.

I've taken "weak" or even dead batteries, hooked up to this thing and once the liquid begins a slow boil, disconnected it. Batteries will typically test using a load meter nearly full strength.

Are you suggesting this doesn't actually work and I'm fooling myself?