RTG instead of usual e-bike batteries?

[Synthman]

Radioisotope thermoelectric generator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That would solve all the problems with range, charging time, and battery life.

However would you like to ride a bike with a nuclear reaction going on between your legs (or under the seat in my case), or store the RTG in your house? It would also need to be well protected against crashes etc.

 

[RoadieRoger]

That should clear a path for you among other road users .Just have a sign front and rear saying `Nuclear Powered`. Although other road users would be alerted by your `glow`.

 

[Biged]

Tad on the large side i'm thinking

 

[flecc]

or store the RTG in your house?

I did have a Home Office licence to have radioactive isotopes in my home between 1973 and 1995, in my case it was Polonium 210 which you may recall was the substance used to kill Alexander Litvinenko.

It did mean I had to have random annual visits from both Special Branch and the fire brigade, plus a single clearance from the Inspector of Factories. Although the Home Office were happy to licence me, the UKAEA wouldn't supply, so I had to source the isotopes from the USA where the AEA was more relaxed. Cheap enough though at £35 a piece including post and packing, and the licence was free until the 1990s.

 

[Synthman]

Interesting. What did you need the isotopes for? Most of us have a small amount of Americium 241 in our homes, in smoke detectors. I think it can also be used in the RTG as well.

It would probably be on the large side, but that would be the same as carrying loads of battery packs!

 

[Biged]

Some things were easy to obtain at one time, try getting mercury for a barometer now

 

[Synthman]

Or real lead for soldering.

 

[flecc]

Interesting. What did you need the isotopes for?

Anti-static use. At the time this alpha emitter was used in high speed newsprint presses to avoid paper snarl-ups and the wreckage they cause, but now safer beta emitters are used for that purpose.

The anti-static effectiveness is far greater than any electrical or chemical means and I used them to shield my LPs from airborn contaminants, eliminating the "snap,crackle and pop" that usually plagued LPs. Wouldn't have mattered with Phil Spectre's "Wall of Sound" recordings, but I'm speaking of classical.

 

[Biged]

Or real lead for soldering.

You can get rolls of lead solder at plumbers merchants, contains a small amount of tin to lower the melting point. If you want pure lead, as used for lead burning, just scrape some lead sheet perfectly clean and cut into strips.
Lead solder is much easier to work with than the 'green' potable water rubbish and is perfectly legal to use on things like central heating systems, that's why it is still available. (ex-plumber)