Introduction: Gravity Battery

About: Ngo active in the field of digital mediation, based in Toulouse, France

Gravity can generate energy, in this tutorial we are gonna generate enough power to light up a LED. For one meter high you'll get around 10 seconds of light which are not very useful in most scenarios but we are here for a demonstration!

Let's get into the details.

Supplies

You'll need the following materials

  • A small weight ~300g
  • One M3 screw ~10mm
  • A rope >1m
  • A LED
  • Conductive wire
  • DC motor 12v
  • A high and solid support where you'll screw the Holder
  • 2 small screw

3D models printed

  • Holder
  • Manivelle (not mandatory, it is to reroll the spool)
  • Spool

Depending on your motor you may need to adapt the spool yourself. Post your STLs in comments!

Step 1: Mounting the Component Together

  1. Solder the LED to the DC motor with two wires
  2. The orientation doesn't matter as you'll choose it when rolling the rope around the spool
  3. Put the DC motor inside the holder and tighten it with the M3 screw
  4. The DC motor have one side empty between the pieces of metal, the screw need to be in between just to avoid horizontal movement
  5. Don't screw until the end as you'll break the motor's gears
  6. Make a knot by going through the spool with your rope
  7. Fix the holder to a wood
  8. Assemble the spool on the shaft of the DC motor

Step 2: Trying Your Gravity Battery

  1. Knot your weight to the other side or the rope
  2. Check the direction of your motor by turning the spool manually, you should see the LED lighten up
  3. Roll up the spool in the opposite direction
  4. Drop the weight and watch it making light!

Your Gravity battery is ready !