Message-ID: <199511051617.LAA73996@atlanta.american.edu> Date: Sun, 5 Nov 1995 08:17:00 -0800 From: mailto:khm1@AXE.HUMBOLDT.EDU> Subject: Re: Wind Up Radio...ideal for 3rd World? To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
> Its a very exciting idea, and like most great inventions, obvious once you
> consider it. These power sources could be used to power a wide range of
> things, from radios to laptops to gameboys. Might be time to sell your stock
> in the battery companies...
>
> -------------------------- [Original Message] -------------------------
> Sir:
>
> With regard to wind-up radios..I have seen a small, very effective model
> for sale in Haiti, manufactured (or at least imported)somewhere in the
> U.S. It actually doubled as afairly large torch and batteries could be used
Have you ever used one of these torches? It gets to be fairly serious hand exercise to keep a decent light going. A radio doesnt *necessarily* need a lot of power (crystal radios need none at all) but ther is a question of what the user wants. 20 years ago, Victor Papanek had a design for a 40-cent radio that ran on cow dung as I recall (via thermoelectric effects) but I dont believe it ever caught on despite its having had Kenyan (?) collaboration.
Before you sell your Eveready stock, there is also the question of 'tropicalising' the gear - anything with moving parts is going to have a shorter life than you might expect.
kerry
PS While we're on batteries - I know that larger Nicads can be reconditioned, but how about the D-cell sized sealed ones?