I Redesigned My Tree Generator Based On Your Ideas..

[@ConceptCraftedCreations]

✨ Massive shoutout to PCBWay! ✨ This entire project wouldn’t have been possible without their amazing support. Whether it’s high-quality CNC machining, custom PCBs, or 3D Printing.. they’ve got you covered! Looking to bring your next idea to life? Check them out here: www.pcbway.com Big thanks to PCBWay for believing in creators like me and turning crazy ideas like these into reality! 💡🔥

[@bastiaan7777777]

Windmolen & dynamo.

[@Miraisins]

Hello, your system would be great on a vehicle shock absorber to recover energy while driving.

[@Miraisins]

If you want to recover the energy of the wind through a tree, create a fake tree that moves and bends in the wind. No need to use a real tree.

[@Anon-mk4ms]

There used to be a TV show in the UK called Tomorrow's World, and back in the 90's they showed power being made from the swaying motion of trees in the wind, it also happened to be the same episode where Trevor Baylis first showed his clockwork powered radio.

[@user-ue4he3li8b]

How much tension is put on the branch? And wouldn't that tension alter the growth of the branch in a way that might dampen it's ability to have the full range of movement required for it acting as a spring? It's not like wave motion which would always be the same since you'd be actively suppressing the movement you need from it. Consider connexting it near the top of the main trunk-brand from two different trees as there'd be less chance that a smaller branch would lose it's spring-like action. It might still require the machine to be placed on the opposite side over time and repeatedly so to maintain spring action.

[@nalivai4862]

It looks similar to the autowinding mechanism in wristwatches, they also converting erratic linear motion into the circular. You can crib another idea from it, it has two ratchet mechanisms side by side going the opposite directions, so you can get advantage of upswing and downswing. Almost twice the efficiency for the same motion.

[@freyjaslittlejeeps1602]

I scrolled down to type exactly the same idea!

[@skybirdprojects5489]

Agreed. Also, each branch should have it's own ratchet system, having a common shaft like that only increases the maximum possible torque on the system, not the total power beccause of the ratchet system.

[@whismurmagic7903]

I have a watch like this! Seiko self winding

[@leandrogoethals6599]

ah u beat me to it, but hasn't this been done before?

[@soopergoof232]

{QUOTE} "Two ratchet mechanisms side by side going the opposite directions, so you can get advantage of upswing and downswing. Almost twice the efficiency for the same motion." That was exactly my first thought !

[@corbingrubb5307]

There are double ratchet configurations that can allow you to generate power on BOTH the forward and backward stroke! Prototyping and iterating is the best way to make a good design great!

[@dmhzmxn]

I was also thinking the ratchet setup looses energy on backstroke. It effectively cuts power output in half with his current design

[@miradnu]

​@@dmhzmxnI'm not convinced that's true. The mechanism generates energy from the trees movement and will also dampen the movement of the tree. With the current setup it allows the tree to swing back further. You would probably generate more by making it two directional, but I don't think it would be twice the power. Of course it depends on how effective the system is in the first place and how much of the movement is actually converted to power.

[@ryantoast6035]

Maybe you could hook up two generators? One that makes power off the upward motion, and the other makes power on the downward motion?

[@dasistdaniel]

There's a saying “Everyone always said it couldn't be done and then someone came along who didn't know and just did it.” Good Work, love what you're doing.

[@Kaboom-0623]

the impossible just takes a little longer ... once flying faster than the speed of sound was impossible ... we do it now as a matter of habit

[@3nertia]

@@Kaboom-0623 More people haven't been on a plane than have ...

[@Sauvenil]

@@Kaboom-0623 Now we have a guy who's setting up a race car to have enough downforce to drive upside down on the ceiling of a tunnel.

[@kwaaaa]

That's a great phrase, definitely captures the spirit of the creative inventors. I've also heard from many brilliant people who are naive and tackle a problem and solve it, only to say "if I knew what it involved, I may not have attempt it at all"

[@Kaboom-0623]

@@Sauvenil well it is physically possible with enough force sticking the car to the roof ... the question is how much down force can you keep applied against gravity

[@mcrotbot]

I Would add a mechanical rectifier setup. This is not just a single clutch, but rather a configuration of one-way clutches arranged in such a way that any input motion-whether it’s back-and-forth, or clockwise/counterclockwise-gets converted into continuous, one-directional rotation at the output.

[@DissYraiN]

if you had each pulley tied to the top of a different nearby tree, spring loaded the pulleys to retract, and added a rectifier to spin a shaft on both retraction and expansion, that would take this to the top level. that or each tree has one ground mounted upwind or downwind further from the base of the tree, tied to the top...

[@Apocaloptimisto]

I just used a double pulley and a garage door spring to rewind the cable hooked to the tree on my alternator based version. it worked perfectly.

[@spookydonkey2195]

The outside of the box thinking is why I’m here, keep it up! Drone people (and probably arborists) use big arborist slingshots to throw lines way up in trees. Maybe throw the line over a really tall branch, let the weight come all the way back down and tie it off on the tree. Other end of line to generator on another tree close by. Would take a lot of line but sounds relatively simple, from my comfy chair anyway.

[@TheNewton]

mostlybuilds channel has a technique for putting pulleys into trees that is resettable. They do it for putting up hamradio wire antennas so that's another trade to look through for tethering techniques.

[@anonymous-q2b5s]

1. Use a double-ratchet. 2. Tree branches (especially big ones, which don't require much maintenance since they don't grow much relative to their size) have a lot of resistance and therefore torque when being moved. Use this to lift heavy weights (or small weights a large distance using a pulley, although I think there may not be enough space). 3. Use the weights potential energy on a spool to turn it into rotational energy. This is the same mechanism as old clocks use where the rotation is constant and completely unobstructed by the occasional lifting of the weight. 4. Adjust this mechanism to use electronic recuberation (as electric vehicles have) to turn the rotation caused by the falling weight on a spool into electricity. You can add a sensor to measure the weights' height to adjust the resistance of the electric motor so that the weight is always suspended, never reaching the top but also (almost) never reaching the bottom. Essentially if there is a lot of wind and the weight is pulled up fast, the resistance is low, allowing the weight to be dropped fast, while if wind is low and almost not being pulled up at all, resistance is high so that the weight falls very slowly. This way, no energy is lost since the weight never reaches the top but the mechanism also doesn't destroy itself by the weight being dropped so fast it snaps at the rope, since it is being slowed down automatically as it reaches the bottom. 5. Profit

[@Alphabetbubi]

Swap the ratchets for one way bearings! These have significantly less friction compared to the ratchets. On a broader note, I feel like you're missing an opportunity to catch extra energy, because you only engage the mechanism if the branch is moving one way, but not the other. So it might still be worth looking into other mechanisms entirely.

[@justinfiorini7878]

I didnt know that was a thing.

[@bAc0nBoY755]

Yes! Agreed

[@orionpax435]

@@justinfiorini7878 make it! patent it lol

[@grahamcifuentes4451]

ayes, They're called sprag bearings. Expensive, but you don't lose the small movements that a ratchet does, by not moving enough to catch the next tooth! Almost there would be a 90 or 72 tooth ratchet that picks another tooth with as little as 5 degrees of motion, but sprags do it with almost zero!

[@klemmr3233]

British geek living in Zandvoort here - there's a lot of wind between here and Ijmuiden... Your videos are a lot of fun, and an inspiration for 3d printer users. The biggest improvement for me was when you replaced the AI borg voice with proper commentary. Your English is grammatically flawless and really clear. Thanks.

[@Rouverius]

If you're using ratchets, what about a storing the energy in lifting the weights instead. Like the idea found in grandfather clocks?

[@CookieTube]

There is another crucial thing in such clocks: "the watch ratchet" He is very close to re-inventing it :wink: "507 Mechanical Movements - No: 078 - Intermittent Gear, Ratchet and pawl" kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJrSnoqqZ7egmJo In fact, I would argue that the whole design idea and system is extremely close, if not exactly the same, as how self-winding clocks and watches work.

[@adddude7524]

​@@CookieTube It would allow for a constant force to turn the generator, perhaps making it more feasible? I know the whole thing is a wild idea and the biggest concerns are probably cost per unit of energy and durability with storms and everything. But even if it turns out to be completely bonkers and unfeasible, at least someone tried and we'll know for sure. And it's one heck of a cool science project!

[@user-ch6um1vn8x]

I love it.. Imagine if it all could incorporate together somehow.

[@darkplasmo7921]

@@CookieTube I was thinking exactly that, but I don't know how that could be done with rope. I think Rope is crucial for low maintenance usage and if tensions get very high the rope breaking instead of levers or gears is better. Attaching a second ratchet in the opposite direction that is powered by the falling weight and reversing the rotation to the shaft would be better. I haven't thought what way exactly would be the most efficient but since the ratchet is so big, and you could technically even make it bigger some mechanism should fit even if it is not super efficient. Wile righting this I came up with this: You have one external part that has two ratcheting teeth with two inner gears moving in opposite directions, and one of the gears has a second set of internal gears they reverse the rotation. Not sure if you would have to adjust the gear ratio, but the problem of direction would be fixed.

[@Hellsong89]

This kinda requires mechanism that can swap between rotating the generator and weights, depending on rpm. Cant think of the system right now, but sure mechanical battery is feasible, but dont know about how effective it would be since more you add into system more complex it becomes and this increases also the friction causing losses. Even the ratchet system has friction losses, witch is why i suggested using one way bearings.

[@bptmfic]

I have nothing to contribute other than to say that this video is really cool. Looking forward to seeing the testing of the second prototype

[@blakemcalevey-scurr1454]

I was very excited for this update and I'm not disappointed! This design is so elegant! I especially love how you can just attach multiple ratchets to the shaft to scale the system. Just one suggestion: I think you'd get more energy if you reversed the orientation of the ratchet. In the current setup you use some of the branch's energy to lift the weight, which is lost as friction etc as the weight falls back down. However, if you reversed the gear, all of the branch's energy would be transferred to the weight, which would all be passed to the generator as the weight falls.

[@MastaChief1]

I loved your videos about this project. I have a suggestion for harvesting more "tree trunks movement amplitude" that maybe is in opposition with one of your requirement stated in the first video : instead of attaching the generator on a single tree and the ropes also to this single tree , why not placing the generator near the ground between two trees and attache rope 1 on tree 1 and rope 2 on tree 2. Maybe it can generates more movements ? OR, to blend better in the environement let's consider three trees (tree A,B and C) and attach the generator to tree B, rope one to tree A and rope two to tree C. I hope an idea like this one wasn't already suggested a thousand times... Thank you for your videos and inventions !

[@final_catalyst]

For the ratchet system, if you use to sets of them, designed to work for motions opposite eachother, you can have to rotational motors. One getting power from the "down swing" the other from the "up swing" should nearly 2x the output

[@bryanayer]

I think the last comments misled you about how trees grow. If you anchor something to a tree trunk or tree branch the tree won't stretch it out, it will envelop it. As trees grow, the existing branches don't get any farther from the ground. They stay where they are and just get thicker.

[@richardl6751]

Yes, trees grow out from the ends, not up from the bottom.

[@Maximum_777]

What this effectively means as well is no matter what, you'll eventually have to reposition cables to the new ends of branches, and unless you make something that actively crawls along with the growing branches, there's really no way around this.

[@bujin5455]

...and as the branches get thicker, they move less.

[@ARVash]

​@@bujin5455they move less and with more momentum, very little energy lost.

[@bujin5455]

@@ARVash If you can capture it.

[@henryisnotafraid]

I'm really looking forward to seeing how this project progresses!

[@bridey1simon]

That’s awesome. Our first house had 9 big Douglas fir trees. I had the exact same idea, but I wanted to use the movement of two entire trees relative to each other. This was 20 years ago so didn’t have my own 3D printer at the time. Not that it’s required but sure makes it easier. Nice job.

[@zacharydenardi7633]

I'm not an engineer, so I could be not understanding, but is there energy loss when the ratchet system goes back without driving the shaft? Is there anyway to counteract that?

[@blakemcalevey-scurr1454]

@@chasekirkland1697 ooh that's a nice mechanism! It looks more reliable than the one shown in this video, because it is always properly meshed and doesn't have any play.

[@welshdave5263]

I think there would be some, but a negligible amount. Could switch from ratchet to one-way bearing, might be smoother as it uses rollers that ride up a surface to wedge against the outer race, then fall back on reverse, early Saab 2 stroke cars used this to stop oil starvation if the driver tried to use engine braking, no throttle, no oil, early engine failure.

[@CookieTube]

Indeed, you are 100% correct. Such a ratchet system as shown in the video is not the way to go. You'll throw away half of the branch movement. He needs a *differential system* or a *watch ratchet* .

[@CookieTube]

Why re-invent the wheel? This is exactly what he needs: "507 Mechanical Movements - No: 078 - Intermittent Gear, Ratchet and pawl" kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJrSnoqqZ7egmJo In fact, this is exactly how self-winding watches and clocks work (including a coil spring, which he briefly showed in the video 'as a fail'). He was so close.......

[@CeePritch]

What about two ratchets that are geared in opposite directions?

[@robertpowell7428]

To prevent uneven loading in your spring and paw system, I recommend using a 3-paw ratchet. Each 120 deg apart. This is very common on bicycle free hubs. Or, there are some zero drag one way clutches you could use to prevent energy loss from the spring and ratchet. Very cool idea you have going.

[@madnessbydesignVria]

Very cool! I love the evolution of ideas like this. I find it fascinating to watch other people's thinking processes. I'm looking forward to the next version! :)

[@TheRealPlato]

Thank you for the update. I was really surprised to learn that TPU is way more abrasion resistant than PETG or PLA. It survives UV better than I expected too.

[@Dornul]

I love this idea! Immediately I imagine a whole forest full of these things. Maybe even attached to an hydration system for watering the forest during heat waves or something.

[@GraveFable25]

It is a fun idea and a cool concept for a KZbin video, but there is no scenario where this could ever beat or realistically even come close to just making wind turbines. Think of the amount of work required for instalation and upkeep, the energy losses of the long, low voltage wires ect.

[@DirkTeucher]

Gorgeous bit of ingenious engineering. Love the idea especially the weighted cables and flywheels. I would love to know how much power it would generate and what trees are most likely to have swaying branches. I bet you could build a dissertation on something like this. So much to explore.

[@CrystallisedEntertainment]

This project is giving me such Solarpunk vibes and I'm all here for it! 😄

[@TheJerome1502]

Funny thing, i posted the first prototype on the solarpunk sub Got fucking flamed because "we have wind turbines, this will never be as efficient" It also won't use 30 m3 of reinforced concrete ,but getting thzm to understand that proved.... challenging

[@Sauvenil]

@@TheJerome1502 Also, you can easily set up a dozen of these in a day on existing "equipment" in ANY location, but it takes weeks/months to set up one "proper" wind turbine.

[@98Zai]

@@TheJerome1502 It's true, it isn't as efficient in terms of power production (probably?). But in terms of deployment it's much more efficient, in terms of space requirements, animal safety etc. A lot of things that make people mad about wind turbines is solved by this, especially the noise. Wind turbines at sea, tree generators on land? I really like the idea of a tree powering it's own street lights, or an olive grove powering it's oil press.

[@user-sx9hq7qwert]

@@TheJerome1502 "... challenging"; understatement indeed. Lol. We might use that. :)

[@rowgler1]

I saw a picture of a device like this in a book written back in the seventies. Don't know if anyone ever built it, it was just a drawing of an idea. It used the input of several trees to pull ropes on a mechanism in the middle of all the trees. It was purely mechanical to convert swaying into rotary motion.

[@Gallaxyz]

not all heroes wear capes.. they build tree generators!!

[@JoelRenfro]

So- with regards to your opening comments about designing, and then re-designing, a model... I fully agree. I even tell people "I made it to see why it wouldn't work, then I fixed it!"

[@RonColeArt]

Holy smokes, I never thought I'd ever see someone doing the things I think about. I can't tell you how many hours of my life I've spent thinking about how to do exactly what you're doing here. If nothing else, you make me feel less crazy. The difference is, YOU are actually doing it and I greatly admire and applaud that. Bravo!

[@JudahOstara]

I love the creative pursuit you're undergoing! And I love even more the collaborative support from people all around the world. This type of communal innovation is so inspiring, and it's also entertaining to watch. I look forward to seeing how this project develops. It's very clever and I like the way you test and implement these ideas. Thanks for sharing!

[@bmelloyello]

I think step one of this project should have been to find optimal trees. Which type of trees move the most from wind? Where is the best anchor point on the branch? Would it be more efficient to make a 'synthetic tree'? Something like a heavy duty spring or even an adjustable tension spring, mounted at ground level, and a 20 feet of pipe with something to catch the wind at the top. With this setup the string your using to drive the crankshaft could be protected inside the pipe and would last way longer than being exposed to the elements.

[@youareliedtobythemedia]

Just attach a spring to the end of the rope. Allows you to convert the movement to linear motion directly as the rope will move back and forth. Less friction, simpler

[@Distanc3]

I think it would be worthwhile to rig something simple up to see what type of pulling forces a tree’s branches can reliably generate in the wind. Also, knowing how far the branches can generally pull the strings could be helpful. Maybe at a later stage you could perform these tests to optimize the system.

[@HermiHg]

I think that’s a huge missing component of this project. Before designing an energy harvesting system, you need to estimate the amount of energy that even exists to be harvested in the first place.

[@nerdymoto4353]

Amazing idea. I think the biggest energy loss is the lowering of the weight after the branch has lifted it. Suggestion - make the ratchet double sided, with the other side revered, so that the shaft turns the same way on both strokes of branch, capturing the potential energy as the weight is lowered.

[@Steve-nz6ek]

I thought your first video was great and eagerly await the subsequent iterations. A very unique and innovative idea.

[@RedHeadForester]

This is really cool. That sponsor segment is good too - you actually told us how much the custom part cost!

[@LazloNQ]

When designing ratchets you're always running up against the conflict between strength of the ratchet and the "resolution" of it. The finer teeth will have less slop, but in plastic it makes the final builder weaker. There are friction ratchets with zero slop, but the tolerances are much tighter to build and best built out of metal. There already exists ratchet tools with a pass-thru center that could have a low profile socket attached to a hex nut already welded to a shaft. Think of a tree branch as a solid wave of water. However waves are harnessed for power, convert that use to tree branch power. The beauty of all of this is there is no wrong answer here! Thanks for the video!

[@mikeschouten1964]

maybe use the one direction bearings? it has the metal build friction principal you mentioned.

[@craigsudman4556]

Wow fascinating design. When I was a boy back in the early sixties we lived on a lake, and I noticed that whenever the wind blew there were waves that came against the shore. I always thought that there should be a way to generate electricity from this repetitive motion. Your design would achieve this. Great video thumbs up.

[@luisca92]

This is awesome and why I love KZbin, with the ratchet mechanism only half the motion of the branch generates power, perhaps having an additional mirrored one to convert the entire motion of the branch. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@ralfw7463]

For the flywheel: use a tire (bicycle/car) and fill it with concrete. No rocks just sand for even weigh distribution.

[@MemeticsX]

That ratcheting multi-branch setup looks really slick. Neat!

[@TheGalifrey]

Ratchets are quite inefficient, a sprague clutch bearing like those used on model helicopters are much better (they allow the blades to spin freely should the power source cut off so the helicopter can land during an autorotation). Google Sprag Type Clutch KKFL15 PP 15x35x11 mm. You can also use them on either side of the shaft in different directions making use of the branch swing up or down as in one direction you're only using 50% of the potential energy.

[@Nitsirtriscuit]

I loved your idea for the first one and I think it is actually a really good fit for human movements like walking and running. People and flywheels don’t mix well due to gyroscopic effects, disc size constraints, and mounting issues, but a linear device that shakes slow to medium speeds might work pretty good. I’m working on a triboelectric generator that I believe this idea would work really well with. So don’t worry about changing the world all at once, making one niche and awesome machine is all it takes to be influential!

[@shrevem]

This is such an excellent idea! Thank you so much for sharing. I'm curious about using a gravity battery for the energy storage. I would think that less energy would be lost to friction vs a flywheel.

[@ImNobudyinparticular]

I like this, a gravity battery with leverage, or something like a compound bow uses to increase . . .

[@tordjarv3802]

I think it is an interesting design, but I can see two potential problems with the ratchet, 1) it adds a lot of friction to the system, and 2) you can't extract energy from the branch moving back (so you lose half the energy of your previous design). I would go back to the linear generator, remove the gears, and try to connect the ropes directly to the generator. I also think that there are potential for improving the efficiency of the linear generator it self, such as testing different magnets, different wirings.

[@fullmentaljacket4159]

I was thinking about the second point, which could be offset by having two ratchets attached to each branch. One advances the shaft while the branch is being pulled, and the other advances the shaft while it's returning to it's base position. While this does put a bit more friction into the system, it also captures a lot more energy, since the full motion is driving the shaft. This would be similar to some self-winding watches, as someone else pointed out.

[@TheBomb420]

Yeah, I was wondering how much worse this design would be simply because of only capturing energy from one direction. I don't understand why he would consider that.

[@Xero1of1]

Easy way to attach cables to branches: Get a strip of canvas, length of 3x the diameter of the branch you want to put it on, plus 4 inches, sew two metal grommets into the extra 2" ends, and then drape the canvas over the branch, preferably just after a smaller branch on that branch to hold it in place. Then tie your cable through both grommets. You'll have extra space in the canvas for the tree branch to grow up to 3x it's diameter and you'll have a secure fastening for cable.

[@ChristieNel]

I love the idea of multiple branches on one generator, but one inefficiency is that there is no "impedance matching" as we say in electronics. It's hard to describe, but comes down to power being force times displacement. For example, if you have a huge branch that catches a lot of wind, it would produce a huge force, but not necessarily move more than a small branch. To extract more power from the huge branch, you need a huge flywheel, but for the small branch that has less force, you need a small flywheel for maximum power extraction. If two large branches are pulling together at the same time, you have twice the potential force, which requires a different sized flywheel for optimal performance. I don't know of a good solution, though, apart from choosing a flywheel that works best on average. Maybe a governer mechanism? Also, you're extracting only half the energy, when the branch moves in one direction, but not the other.

[@meijerstan]

Would this automatic transmission be able to make the flywheel more efficient? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oau3ZaFvmLZsq7csi=ZFNxN9ESyclXZT8o&t=567

[@ChristieNel]

@meijerstan That's a great design, along the lines of the governer idea I mentioned.

[@Sauvenil]

This whole thing I think invalidates using a flywheel at all, as nice an idea as people think it is. You're going to get so much loss out of starting the flywheel, and you'll need so much continuous motion to assure the flywheel can stay spinning too. It's supposed to "even out" the periods of motion versus non-motion, but that means some days you might not even get enough motion from the tree to get the flywheel to start spinning at all, and if the flywheel doesn't spin, nothing else does either, because all of your effort is going into the flywheel at that point. On the other hand, on days where the wind is low, you can always go out and spin the flywheel by hand to get it started, or build a starter (like a car starter) into the system.

[@ChristieNel]

@Sauvenil I don't think smoothing is an argument for a flywheel. It would mostly be to absorb large force and allow it to be absorbed over a longer period of time. But yeah, there are probably better ways.

[@jonathangallant-mills6434]

I was looking for this. Wasn't sure how to describe my thought that there should be a way to make the mechanical energy from multiple inputs cumulative. Right now if 2 branches of equal size pull at the same time, I think they more or less end up generating the same amount of energy as if only one was pull? Intuitively a flywheel seems like it would help a lot. Is there a way to convert the sum of force from multiple inputs into speed?

[@robertlaveyra9940]

I love how you start out with the CNC parts and the snug fit. I saw the base with holes near the slots and thought you would be able to put screws to hold the arms securely and sure enough, that’s what you did. Drove in the bearings, nice. You’ve got me thinking. I hope I will be able to at some point, add something useful. Also, that part you ordered, the complexity, quality, for that price, amazing.

[@Airooadrith]

I'm not sure you're going to get enough momentum to warrant a flywheel with the ratchet system. I would think a clockspring buffer might be better and depending on the spring strength you can gear down the generator to increase power output. think how a self winding watch works but using the branches to be the movement instead of your wrist.

[@ryan370]

I remember in college seeing a very similar idea that uses ocean waves to generate power. A generator is attached to a pole that floats. As the waves lifts and drop the generator on the pole, it generates electricity. The plans are widely available if I remember correctly. It might be a good read to get some ideas for this

[@mikgol81]

Looks awesome, I hope the final version is discreet and wildlife friendly... what a cool way to make electricity!

[@daimyo2k]

This really blows my mind! I really can't wait to see what a full blown generator will put out!!

[@Pilotpegga]

Bro is just a chill guy that wants to charge his phone with trees

[@Mazarakis_Spyridon]

🤦

[@danieldorn2927]

Trees grow by solar power So why not just use solar panels for that and leave the innocent trees alone

[@reedfish99]

Wow I love this version! Funny, as you were talking through it, I remembered a wave generator video I watched, they found that trying to harness the up and down ‘stroke’ of the wave wasn’t as efficient as just using one of them, for the same reason you described. The flywheel is a great addition, and again when you were describing the wire tension issue, I was thinking of the tensioners on railway lines that keep the overhead power lines in tension. Great work, can’t wait to see how it goes!

[@Red9GearHead]

This is a brilliant idea. I would like to suggest building it in a way so that you are harnessing the movement in both directions. I know the 3D printed parts are being used for easy proto typing but maybe consider that a bicycle freewheel will be cheap and durable. Also if coupled with a standard multi speed cassette you could have 6-7 drive points attached in a narrow configuration, maybe a slotted plastics grate of sorts, built like a wench fair lead to catch the strings from multiple angles and guide them closely beside each other without them getting tangled. I’m exited to see what you do with this.

[@brianhone3385]

I agree. Bicycle freewheels have been tuned to reduce mechanical loss to almost nothing and to last for years. You might also consider something like a single-speed bicycle chain tensioner to maintain tension.

[@JeanClauded653]

Impressive and ingenious ! Thanks to all the commenters' contributors and CCC for taking the time to create such a generator. I'm so curious to find out how this can be scaled up and what sort of energy it could provide! Somehow , this could be adapted to wave energy too!

[@SpeedyGwen]

having multiple arms so random different movements still make it spin is such an amazing idea, and the flywheel too, usually long branches pushed with wind has a lot of tork and mass which would be perfect for taking more energy from~

[@toxicoman1113]

That is so cool that you've listened to the comments section and managed to find a valuable info out of that. This fact itself is inspiring! Keep it up. Good job!

[@ChickenFishz]

There will always be nay-sayers and doubters, but trying new ideas and having fun with them along the way even in failure is the foundation of engineering. I have been considering some ways to reduce energy usage, or create ways for manual input of energy storage for my house. A combination of solar, pumped and stored water/dense fluids at height, and a gravity battery all provide the means of individuals to produce or store energy at home. Not scalable, but still interesting.

[@CaedenV]

I mean... It frankly isn't practical, and the nay-sayers are 'right' in many respects. Tree sway is too chaotic of a system to ever make something that will 'just work', and will always need to be a custom solution to local conditions, while offering highly variable and inconsistent output. There is no way to make this into a 'product' in a way that could be cost competitive with other options on the market, which is why it is a fruitless effort in the grand scheme of power generation. ... but not everything needs to be practical. Watching TV, playing games, and reading stories isn't practical... but we do it. Keeping up with news and world events feels practical... but in reality it is extremely rare that world events impact your local life in any meaningful way (and when it does, you just know the reason for a thing but can't really do much about it). There is fun and entertainment in solving impractical problems. It isn't going to change the world, because to do it right you would need PHDs in tree physics to do a useful design and install for each individual system like this... and that will never be practical. But taking a crack at figuring out a problem with a lot of variables... its just fun! It is engaging! It takes the brain away from our own mundane and annoying problems. It is the same kind of entertainment brain rot as playing video games... but that is healthy within limits, and we need some variety in our brain occupation than just our occupation.

[@timp1390]

I have no idea how to contribute in a large way but this is an awesome concept. One thing I would suggest is using a sleeve for the cables to stop them biting into the branch as it grows as well.

[@gazehound]

Don't worry, your target audience understood that this is just a fun experiment and isn't meant to be a viable energy solution

[@BartJBols]

There are ratchet mechanism that use both the back and the front swing to move the mechanism in the 'forward' direction. The added complexity appears to me worth it because it would almost double the amount of energy you harvest.

[@creativecreepyturtle]

1:14 amongus

[@coreymangold981]

I love this idea. for attaching cables to the branches I suggest a simple tube which wraps partway around the top half of the relevant branch and is connected with screws. if done carefully the branch will suffer little harm and continue to grow while allowing your cable and weight to hang over and slide over top freely for years.

[@swilson42]

Great progress. I feel like the flywheel would be a mistake though because the energy needed from the branches to initially spin up the flywheel would be non-trivial and take away from the total energy captured. Could be wrong, would need to test it I guess, but not sure the benefits of a flywheel come in to play anyway with such momentary input that could stop entirely for periods of time.

[@Guardian_Arias]

Instead of a clicky clack ratchet that makes a lot of noise, i would use a one way clutch. Its 3 bearings inside that jam up against the two pullies creating a smother and more resposive one way rotation with wisper quite operation.

[@chrisharvey1091]

1:42 Ummm.......Have you heard of nuclear energy?

[@mattexploring1184]

Nuclear energy is the most expensive way to generate energy even when you ignore the fact that it creates highly toxic waste that lasts millennia. All existing nuclear energy has a high dependency on Russia, even the USA can't run their plants without funding Putin. And Uranium is limited. Nuclear energy is just used as a poor excuse not to invest in sustainable renewable energy sources that don't rely on dictators in Russia or the middle east as those countries fund the politicians opposing renewable energy.

[@chrisharvey1091]

@mattexploring1184 you obviously don't know what you're talking about since the US and Canada both have abundant uranium resources and I know this because the US's entire submarine fleet is powered with nuclear reactors, and the "waste that last millennia" ,A.K.A Fuel Rods, once "depleted" (they're not actually depleted, they've just had the majority of the usable fuel used) can be reprocessed back into usable fuel rods, whereas your solar panels (talk about highly toxic) and wind turbines (completely loaded with oil) have a 10 year and 20 year lifespan, respectively, and CANNOT BE RECYCLED OR DISPOSED OF IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FASHION (broken blades and towers just get buried in the ground LIKE A LANDFILL).And finally, if uranium is sooooooooo toxic, would you be so kind as to educate us as to where the uranium comes from? I was lead to believe that we mined the uranium out of the earth...but maybe I'm wrong and the Russians traded something for it from space aliens like the Ferengi....

[@HobkinBoi]

If you combine the reversing with the ratchet, back and forth movement will all be turned into rotational energy. Also instead of incrementally running a generator, perhaps the energy can do something like winding a larger weight or a spring, which when wound enough, could dump the stored energy for a longer continuous burst of power

[@JK-oz9lh]

Happy to see that this project continues. I hope the device can also be installed on one tree top using other trees tops as 'branches'. In needle tree forrests it could be installed like a net, harvesting those waves that wander over the forrests, like it does in smaller scale in e.g. fields of wheat

[@mzimmerman1988]

Cool project!

[@neiloler]

I'm just excited to see the progress! Way cool, thanks for working on this and sharing your work!

[@Peakapew]

This is a fun idea. I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this already, but similar to the branch growth issue, if a band is placed around a tree and the tree keeps growing, the band can cut through the bark all the way around, cutting off the supply channels and killing the tree. For this reason, it's important not to leave things tied around trees for extended periods. This can also kill distinct branches and should be considered for all attachment methods.

[@douglasvine2516]

Fantastic updates. Maybe try springs in the cables as a buffer as a way to regulate forces and the tolerances of branch movements and growth.

[@christianlibertarian5488]

This is fun, but I think I would give up on the spinning flywheels and multiple ratchets and multiple weights. I think a hydraulic setup would be simpler, where each branch movement forces fluid through a system. A straight bar to each branch, actuating a piston at the base, and forcing fluid into a pressurized container would cut down on moving parts dramatically.

[@Draakdarkmaster6]

so far you've included everything i'd have added, right down to the one way gear mechanism and the fly wheel, i'd say its more ready than some professional products

[@Clip_It1]

the projector on the table was REALLY cool, loved that part

[@afishl1]

Couple ideas, one if you can do this strategically where you are simultaneously bending, or training, the tree limbs to shape the tree in an efficient manner to further catch wind, that could be helpful over time; and two, if you could connect a mini generator to the blue ratchet part, you can capture even more energy.

[@brandonejem8620]

I love the use of weights, as others mentioned, you should use a two way racheting mechanism to enable the capture of energy in both directions.

[@TheRealSkele]

This is the first video I saw from your channel and even though I don't like putting energy into a mechanism that probably doesn't give out more energy during the products lifetime than is used in its construction, I like the mechanical engineering aspect of it. Thus, I would like to see more different ways to energy conversion and to see which one is the most efficient. Keep up the good work.

[@ninam6826]

Great content, I was really amazed by your prototype in the first video and I'm excited to finish this one! I think your response to unnecessarily negative comments is really inspiring. The unfortunate reality is that the world is full of people that want to be negative for the sake of XYZ. But you're turning that reality into a teaching moment for thousands and thousands of people and I think that's great :) Can't wait to see where the project goes!

[@dalerogers1134]

About 45 years ago I came up with the idea of using the vibrations on the ends of a tuning fork to generate electricity. Magnet(s) on the tuning fork would vibrate next to coil(s) of wire. My idea was to use small tidal waves to move a weight to hit the tuning fork to get it to vibrate. This reminds me of what you are doing with tree branches and the wind. I have not pursued my idea, but it would require far fewer moving parts than what you are doing. I am impressed with your project!

[@thesquatchdoctor3356]

Reeds are essentially very thin tuning forks, you might be able to get a wind organ like effect to generate vibrational power either in air or water

[@agranero6]

The problem of using tuning forks is that you are excluding the energy out of the resonant frequency of the tuning fork. You need a wide band mechanism, the tree will have so many different modes and resonances that it is wide band enough. Tidal waves have a very low frequency 1/12 on average so you can't capture energy this way, the only tidal power generator I know is in France (at Rance) and it works as a dam the high tide fill and and the low tide water is released (it is much more complex because tides are complex). Normal waves usually can be captured by a more resonant devices but the are like buoys that move up and down or in form of a airfoil.

[@ScienceRaven1138-du1mw]

Rowing machines convert linear into rotation, I can see a heavy whizzing rowing machine attached to a tree with 400w, for a comparison in final equipment weight.

[@74cohen]

Really cool Idea!! To let it work on millions of trees is a lot of Energy Output... Really great work!

[@tonypalmentera7752]

i love it, i just want to caution, flywheels can be dangerous, and may well be the part of this to tear itself apart. Perhaps, if this ends up the case, securing it with a stronger mount, perhaps multiple bolts like a car tire's rim to the lugs of the axle, would further stabilize it. The smallest of vibrations, over time, will cause a flywheel to blow apart...at very high speeds. Hence, flywheel generators are often placed underground, so if they explode, no one will be harmed.

[@sevenproxies4255]

I'd like to use a mechanism like this with an inflated buoy to harness the energy from waves and tides.

[@hjimenez26]

It's for things like this that I watch youtube. Thank you for this, love to see engineers making things.

[@cansosos]

you should use it in the sea, and make electricity with the waves

[@DamnThem2Hel]

You should have it store power in a spring with a clutch that allows it to spin when released. So it stores up power in the heavy spring by way of your ratchet system. Then it can be released spinning the fly wheel. Maybe a gear box that can switch once the spring is released that allows that ratchet system to put energy into the system at a constant rate to prolong the rotation of the fly wheel. Or maybe a gravity storage system might be easier. Make your ratchet system lift a heavy load that us attached to a gear box with the fly wheel. Once released it can give you constant power for the duration of the falling weight.

[@xenathcytrin202]

A simple way to attach the rope to various branches would be to tie a small loop in one end of the rope, add a weight for easy throwing, and then throw the whole end with the small loop over whatever branch you want to attach to. Then simply put the other end of the rope through the loop, take off the weight, and then pull it taught. It should cinch up up where you looped over. If you ever want to take down or adjust the rope, you can have a length of the rope after the loop that's enough to reach near to the ground, so you can simply pull on it to detach it without any hassle.

[@roberttorrance731]

First tree generators. Next - a way to fix/ connect broken spines, or a warp engine….. It’s people like you that give me great hope for the future.

[@canuckcorsa]

Great job! Could this be used too get power from waves?

[@BestVideosSkynet]

Indeed, They are existing prototypes and startup for this kind of energy harvesting

[@Shu-ShuCult]

I saw this video after seeing the first one. Thank you for taking the ideas and making it work even better. Great job, and I have much respect for your hard work.❤

[@EX_WIZARD_YT]

I just discovered your channel! My suggestion is to build an opposite rachet that work the other way, so you get motion both when the branch is going down and when it's going up. Then you can have twice the input power and the system will work more linear.

[@bofpwet9500]

that is really nice to see, i swear I have been pondering about this for decades. The way i was imagining it however was by having the cable fixed to two diferents tree tips, having the generator part betwin them on the ground, maybe fixed too the ground but tied by a pulley and a string... I am no engeneer! :)

[@eliyahzayin5469]

This looks very promising! Especially with the ability to add extra branches by adding pullies, this feels very expandable. The one caveat to that is if the branches pull at different speeds; while the system will smooth out, it will extract energy only from the fastest pulling branch while the other pulleys freewheel. I think there's probably some middle ground where multiple branches are pulling, but I'd expect the energy output to improve by having several smaller modules once a certain number of branches are reached.

[@theKangarooConspiracy]

Uhhh this is dope...! This is the first of your videos I've seen and I'm impressed! I love the idea behind it and hope you do as well. I don't have much feedback to give around the idea / improvements except to say I love it!

[@raresaturn]

The multiple wheels on the single generator axle is genius, and could be used in other applications beyond just trees

[@aydanwessels761]

Add a simple escapement mechanism linked to a storage spring to regulate power output to the flywheel. You can take that idea as far as you'd like, but that should be able to store enough energy and smooth things out for a more level and consistent power curve.

[@HunterOrock]

I think it's fantastic and beautiful! This type of creative and fun solution can make saving the world feel less like an existential horror and more like a Sunday Funday Project! I love it!

[@benjaminmclaughlin4746]

This design looks great, id suggest using directional bearings instead as they will be more efficient and have less loss through friction compared to the ratchet mechanism. I think the flywheel would work better with a coil spring like from a lawn mower pull start mechanism that can be sprung from the tree and unsprung to drive the flywheel more consistently. Another option would be to use the ratcheting mechanism and gravity to your advantage by having a longer rope and weight that ratchets itself up high and then releases the weight to spin the generator. 😊

[@benjaminmclaughlin4746]

The bearings are called sprag clutch bearings.

[@CaedenV]

For attaching the rope around the branches: get a metal eyelet attached to the end of a rope. Toss the heavy metal bit over a branch. Feed the other end of the wire through the eye, and pull taught. Quick and easy attachment with minimal effort! And the smooth metal of the eyelet will slip past the wire easily to prevent friction damage over time. I use to do that kind of thing all the time at a teen helping my dad cut down trees. We would toss a line over a few branches, and then steak the line down to the ground with a ratchet for tension. It didn't guarantee the direction the tree would fall... but it would guarantee it wouldn't fall on the house or cars! Had to do this recently, and I didn't have a rope with an eyelet on the end... so I just tied one end to a tire iron to toss it over the branch and made a slip knot. It only had to last 5-10 minutes while I knocked down a tree, and I don't live in a wooded area like I did as a kid, so I wasn't as concerned about reusability. Worked like a charm! Makes it too easy! And no fussing about with ladders, or climbing trees!