Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Bob Minchin formulated the question :
Years ago, there was a prototype electrical generator shown on TV -
possibly Tomorrow's World etc.

It was a low ramp on which one wheel of a vehicle was driven and parked.
In the ramp was a pair of rollers driving a generator. The other
vehicle wheels were chocked. With the car in gear and at tickover
speeds a useful amount of power was generated.
I seem to recall the demonstration was a farmer going out to repair a
gateway and being able to run an electric drill to assist the repair.

I can remember it vaguely.


Does anyone know if this was ever taken to a commercial product and
have any references to it?

I've not seen anything, probably it wasn't that practical.

Likely the same could be achieved using an additional alternator, under
the bonnet. Or there are plenty of small portable genny sets about now,
for not much money.

I have an application where something like this would be a possible
solution.

I'm listening?

My requirement is not to generate electricity but to directly drive a
pump to extract water from a well in deepest France where one could
drive a standard 2CV van. The important part of my requirement is the
vehicle is unmodified and the drive is taken from a driven wheel.
Bob