Ok, this might sound like an odd request but hear me out.
A bit of background: You may or may not have heard of a route called 'LEJoG' - it stands for Lands End -> John o'Groats. It is a route from the bottom of the UK right up to the top (Google 'LEJoG' and the image results will show you what I mean). Me and a friend are going to tackle this route on pedal bikes to raise money for charity (most likely Children in Need).
The problem: We will be taking a SatNav device with us to show us the route (with plenty of maps for backup as well). We need a way to keep the SatNav alive during our trip. It will be charged from a mains socket at every over-night stop, but we need to keep it charged during the day. Most models only allow it to be charged from the mains or from a 12V cars cigarette lighter socket. We need a way to generate a 12V source from our bikes (possibly through some kind of dynamo). I understand completely that it would take immense amounts of pedalling at high speed to get steady 12V, so I thought about some kind of system that collects the low voltage from the dynamo over time, and then gives 12V for a little while. I'm not sure on how long the batteries in the SatNav last and how long it takes to charge them.
The project needs to be as light as possible as we will also be taking camping equipment, video recording devices, bike repair equipment, 2 weeks worth of clothes, etc.
I know how annoying it is for people to demand schematics, so I won't. I'm just asking for a helpful prod in the right direction, maybe a few links.
BTW, PM me if you're interested in sponsoring us (we're thinking maybe £0.01-£0.05 per mile - it's about 1000 miles).
Thanks!
A bit of background: You may or may not have heard of a route called 'LEJoG' - it stands for Lands End -> John o'Groats. It is a route from the bottom of the UK right up to the top (Google 'LEJoG' and the image results will show you what I mean). Me and a friend are going to tackle this route on pedal bikes to raise money for charity (most likely Children in Need).
The problem: We will be taking a SatNav device with us to show us the route (with plenty of maps for backup as well). We need a way to keep the SatNav alive during our trip. It will be charged from a mains socket at every over-night stop, but we need to keep it charged during the day. Most models only allow it to be charged from the mains or from a 12V cars cigarette lighter socket. We need a way to generate a 12V source from our bikes (possibly through some kind of dynamo). I understand completely that it would take immense amounts of pedalling at high speed to get steady 12V, so I thought about some kind of system that collects the low voltage from the dynamo over time, and then gives 12V for a little while. I'm not sure on how long the batteries in the SatNav last and how long it takes to charge them.
The project needs to be as light as possible as we will also be taking camping equipment, video recording devices, bike repair equipment, 2 weeks worth of clothes, etc.
I know how annoying it is for people to demand schematics, so I won't. I'm just asking for a helpful prod in the right direction, maybe a few links.
BTW, PM me if you're interested in sponsoring us (we're thinking maybe £0.01-£0.05 per mile - it's about 1000 miles).
Thanks!