It’s a tough ask. A bicycle generator will be 70% efficient, and a healthy amateur could do 100w over an hour of effort generating 70w. A treadmill would have a lot more friction, and a rowing machine gets nowhere near the power you can generate from your legs. A linear “foot press” exercise machine is not as efficient as the circular motion of cycling.
Power requirements of a gym might also include music systems, outside lighting. Heat/hot water could come from gas.
It can still be worth adding generators and wiring to exercise machines to offset energy consumption, including batteries to prevent peak TOU rates. But it is a tough ask to disconnect from grid, without solar.
600w electrical output requiring 700w cycling power output is not sustainable human power output. TdF riders will usually output 1kwh over their full (4hr ride) day. Enough for 100 toasts
yeah. it still amazes me how much it takes to actually burn calories and its mostly heart rate that does it. I was thinking how you won’t get anything from the free weights or aerobics classes along with swimming and heating pools, sauna, hot tub is not insignificant. I think it could be done as long as what the gym offers is limited and it uses very energy efficient things.
It’s a tough ask. A bicycle generator will be 70% efficient, and a healthy amateur could do 100w over an hour of effort generating 70w. A treadmill would have a lot more friction, and a rowing machine gets nowhere near the power you can generate from your legs. A linear “foot press” exercise machine is not as efficient as the circular motion of cycling.
Power requirements of a gym might also include music systems, outside lighting. Heat/hot water could come from gas.
It can still be worth adding generators and wiring to exercise machines to offset energy consumption, including batteries to prevent peak TOU rates. But it is a tough ask to disconnect from grid, without solar.
It seems like a lot of extra overhead for marginal benefit.
There is a YouTube video around of a sprint cyclist powering a toaster and he can barely do it. I don’t think you could do it “reasonabley”.
https://youtu.be/S4O5voOCqAQ
600w electrical output requiring 700w cycling power output is not sustainable human power output. TdF riders will usually output 1kwh over their full (4hr ride) day. Enough for 100 toasts
yeah. it still amazes me how much it takes to actually burn calories and its mostly heart rate that does it. I was thinking how you won’t get anything from the free weights or aerobics classes along with swimming and heating pools, sauna, hot tub is not insignificant. I think it could be done as long as what the gym offers is limited and it uses very energy efficient things.
Eh if you want to go real efficient you just drop the heating music and light and have only non electric machines and voilà! 0W used :D