People-Powered Hair Salon in Paris, 1945
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 8.08
The electricity supply in Paris was pretty intermittent in the spring of '45, so an "ingenious beautician hires unemployed 6-day bicycle racers to peddle away on a bike, the back wheel of which is attached to a small generator! The current runs 6 driers." Charlie at Modern Mechanix doesn't buy it- "Hair dryers use a LOT of electricity." Having tried to keep a lightbulb going at the Ontario Science Centre as a kid was a lot of work; the Eco-Geek says that "the maximum output for a toned adult would be about 500 watts, but a sustainable level for someone like me (who's eaten his share of Whataburgers) is more like 150 watts"- six hair dryers? at minimum we are talking 6,000 watts. Not a chance.. ::Modern Mechanix
Now perhaps if we had an entire gym generating power:
Hong Kong Gym Harvests People- Power
Ask the EcoGeek: Muscle Power
Notions of Expenditure
The article always talks about plural racers. With 6 guys @ 500 watts each, that's 3000 watts. Hair dryers were invented in Germany in the 1920's and I can't find anything on what hair dryers used to use, but it looks like the Conair SB1 Soft Bonnet Hair Dryer uses 400 watts. It's not the 1600 - 1900 watts most hand-held dryers use, but the photo shows a bonnet style anyway.
I'm guessing that in 1945, a gentle stream of warm air applied directly to the hair to set it was enough of an advancement to be counted as a "hair dryer".
My vote is: possible.
Anne I believe you are mistaken, '6-day bicycle racers' refers to cyclist who took part in track racing events which that take place over 6 days, not 6 individuals.
The base assumption here is that there is a resistance heater in this hair dryer. Running 6 fans at 30-50 watts would be quite feasible. However the lack of cyclist cooling would reduce that by half, then the trousers and long shirt by 1/2 again. The photos certainly don't show more than one rider. I think "riders" refers to series, not parallel.
My bet is 10 watt fans and 30 minute shifts.
I have often wondered about what the output would be if you bracketed an auto alterator up to a rear bicycle wheel, and even multiples or alternators. What is the optimum rpm? Is there a lot of drag from the alternator at rpm? What would be the optimum # of 12 volt deep cycle batteries tp power a fridge for a while or a microwave or watch a decent sized TV hooked up to an inverter. A small space heater for the winter?
Something to think about when there is snow and ice out and I'm jonesin' for a ride.
vsk
Ed Begley makes toast with a bicycle, looks like it takes a lot of effort to make toast. Maybe they just have all those people for the photo, and really the bike only runs one hairdryer. Seems more likely.