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Lots of motorcyles and mopeds don't use batteries, but cranks.
The problem with cars is that their engines would be too big to crank--though in the old days this was done.
So take out the battery and replace it with a lawnmower sized engine.
When you want to go, just pull the cord--from
inside the car, or step on a pedal for this purpose. This way, the little engine is started. When it's going, you get the little engine to get the big engine to go.
This way, you don't have to worry as much about cold days or leaving your lights on all night.
How to start an SR-71 engine.
http://www.hill.af....s/coldwar/ag330.htm
It's a Buick. [Amos Kito, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]
Using a pony
http://www.vannattabros.com/dozer3.html
Scroll down to "Starting an Old Cat" [lurch, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]
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I actually once had to run a battery charger from a camping generator to start a car but didn't think about this. |
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A small engine like the ones they use on model planes would be much lighter than a battery and would not require toxic lead to build. Some make a few HP peak. |
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Get a small research grant, buy a car and start experimenting. |
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The problem is getting the necessary torque to turn over the big engine. Electric motors are used because they generate their maximum torque from a standstill. A lawnmower engine would have to have a massive clutch, with a great deal of slippage to turn over an automobile engine. This clutch wouldn't last long. |
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Get little engine to run generator to run starter motor. The get an even littler engine to run tiny generator to run itsy-bitsy starter motor to start little engine. |
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//The problem is getting the necessary torque to turn over the big engine// |
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So take out the battery and replace it with a lawnmower sized engine. |
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How about a larger engine with independent multi-cylinders. Start 1 first and that starts the next two and etc. When you start a multi-engine aircraft like a C-130, you start one engine first and then use that to power up the other three. |
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The car could also shut down a few cylinders when idling and improve fuel economy. But of course, this is baked too. |
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Electric start is a fairly new thing on larger diesel engines, and dates from the mid-50's or so. Prior to that, starting was usually done with a hand/cord/pedal cranked "pony motor" (q.g.) |
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The pony motor also warms up your main engine, runs your oil pump, warms up diesel fuel, etc. |
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Would it be possible to make the engine somehow stop with one of its cylinders right at the top of the compression stroke, so that it can start again when a spark plug fires? I've always wondered, but thought it would either 1. Tear the engine apart, or 2. The fuel would have seperated out of the air mixture by then, making it nonexplosive. Someone please enlighten me. |
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Also, what about a big spring? A solenoid holding a clutch off of the engine releases when power is shut down, causing the engine to wind a spring with its last few revolutions? Perhaps a flywheel would be needed. Do whatever it takes to make the spring release, and the solenoid automatically disengages it again as soon as there is power, also preventing over-cranking of the engine. Of course, if it doesn't start the first time you're screwed. |
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wouldnt it be simpler to make the little engine run a generator that drives the conventional starter? (somewhat similar to [kbecker] annotation. |
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The battery on a car allows the vehicle to provide certain 'services' such as the dome light and emergency lights when the engine is not running. This is a useful feature. In addition, it allows the use of an alternator instead of a dynamo. |
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What's wrong with an electric-start car? |
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[BTW, when the starting solenoid on my Toyota went out about 10 years ago, I was able to start the car by pushing it up a slight incline, climbing in, letting it roll down, and popping the clutch. Such a trick will work if the starter is defunct, but not if the battery is too depleted to run the ignition.] |
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// What's wrong with an electric-start car? // |
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Ask that question in Fairbanks at Christmastime. |
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//Ask that question in Fairbanks at Christmastime.// |
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Even a magneto-based engine would have trouble starting at those temperatures, wouldn't it? |
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Sure, it'd be no picnic. But just think - instead of sitting there helpless, you could crank and crank and crank... keeps *you* warm, anyway. And who knows, it might start. |
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maybe a crank in the vehicle geared to spring to start the vehicle. elimates the out in the cold and it would be possible to re-wind the spring if it didn't start the first time... for lower compression vehicles (read turbo-ed ) the best of baked ideas |
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Rather than a crank, have 'Bugsy Malone' style pedals. |
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Nah, man - a motorcycle kick-start. |
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Wouldn't an easier solution be to try to tackle the problem at source- ie a small sensor that turns off the car lights automatically if the following two conditions are met: a) the motor is not running and b) the battery charge is (say) less than 20%?. Never come out in the morining to a flat battery again! |
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This is done in Russia. Battteries are sometimes rare out in the sticks of Siberia, and so a small pull-start gas motor is used to start the tractor engines. |
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Some huge marine deisel engines I've encountered have compressed air start. Air is used to move the pistons until the right compression is gained and the glow pulgs are hot enough and the engine starts. |
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1) I think car are not made for people that leaves lights turned on all night... (but also, there are cars that turn off lights when engine is not running, like my Fiat Palio) |
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2) If I don't have a battery... I would need to reprogramm the stereo stations every time I start the car... |
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3) Cars have a lot of electronics... so I prefer a battery!!! |
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4) Maybe some kinde of mechanic starter would be nice for the extremely rare situation when the battery dies.... maybe a SECOND BATTERY!!! |
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5) And... think... every time, every morning, you need to start your car you would need to make all that mechanical stuff... no way! Simple turn of a key is the best option. |
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6) Maybe we could also have gas lights... and wood wheels... and no plastics... and ...hehe bye |
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Carbide lights and add salts to the flames for colo(u)ring them red or orange for brake and indicator lights. |
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[cevilthedevil] Baked. You can buy a device that does exactly that for about 30 bucks. |
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Good points. In such a case, a battery could also be installed, but not a big one. One that would have enough charge to keep the ROMs on. Even if such a battery had to be big enough to endure lengthy periods between charges in very cold weather, it might not have to be bigger than, let's say, a 6 volt or 4-D cells--no cranking amps needed. |
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One might even try fuel cells in such a case too. Also possible are solar cells, and/or a wind-up. |
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As for the morning, all you do is push down on a special pedal--maybe once or a few times. Push a button, and the little engine is cranked. Wait a few seconds for it to rev up, and then get the big engine going. If it's so cold that it seems it will take a while, turn on your stereo (the little engine will at that point be powering it) and drink your coffee. |
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Awesome answer to the smaller scooter, bigger pollution problem. |
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If I understand correctly, mostlly people are worried about the battery having no energy when required, and the driver being helpless.. so why no have a simple mechanism of uncoupling the alternator (or a freewheel like on a bike) so that the alternator can be driven manually. Then the driver could be kept warm by cranking the alternator for 10-20 minutes. The crank should be useable from inside the car. If the battery were under the driver's seat, this would help to warm the battery! (more current when its' warm) |
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If the battery is dead, the alternator wouldn't produce any current even if driven manually. |
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The fact is that cars need batterys to produce a steady wave line of electricty that is put off from the alternator. most DC generators or alternators have a wave form that could destroy the cars electronics if used with out some source to stabalize the power (the battery). to put it this way a generator cycles from 12 volt to 0 volts depending how fast it is turning. The battery puts out 12 volts as long as it recieves the power from the alternator |
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Please change the idea name to "Fuel powered motor starter". Anyway, now that its in the annotation, it will be found in google. |
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