A rogue site named ‘self-sufficiency-network.com’ paid for a terrible, long, avoid-the-point-forever YouTube ad describing a generator you can build for free electricity.
Patent Search
A quick search found this patent from 2012, which is a likely contributor to this Amway-quality sales pitch:
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20120286572A1/en
Published in 2012, it’s patent should have expired by 2019. This is perfect timing for anyone wanting to develop a new business. Scan expired patents and come up with a scam idea.
“A self-sufficient generator system includes one or more battery banks recharged by alternators driven by a motor. A main battery bank provides power to a load while other battery banks power the motor.”
Abstract from patent
I didn’t finish the video ad, but I picked up enough from the endless sales pitch to patch together the final product:
They are selling plans to build a self-sufficient generator for nearly $500.
The system in the patent mentioned above appears to be a type of perpetual motion machine. Such machines are considered unfeasible due to the laws of physics, specifically the first and second laws of thermodynamics.
First Law of Thermodynamics
The first law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of energy conservation, states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only converted from one form to another. In the case of the described system, the mechanical energy from the motor is converted into electrical energy by the alternators. There will inevitably be energy lost in this process due to factors such as resistance, friction, and heat dissipation.
Second Law of Thermodynamics
The second law of thermodynamics introduces the concept of entropy and states that energy transfer or transformation will always move from a state of order to disorder, or more simply, energy systems have a tendency to increase their entropy. This law shows us that no process involving energy transfer can be 100% efficient.
So in the described patent, even though one motor is driving three alternators, each of which is charging a battery bank, the system will not be 100% efficient. Energy will be lost in the process of converting mechanical energy to electrical energy (in the alternators) and then back to chemical energy (in the batteries). This lost energy means that the system will eventually run down unless energy is added from an external source.
Efficiency
In order for a system like the one described to work indefinitely, one part would have to be at or over 100% efficient, which is not possible according to the current understanding of physics, particularly the laws of thermodynamics.
Here’s why: If the system were 100% efficient, it would mean that all the energy put into the system (from the battery bank powering the motor) is converted into useful work without any losses. The batteries would actually never need to be charged. In this ideal scenario, the energy produced by the three alternators could, in theory, recharge the battery banks, allowing the system to continue operating. However, this is a theoretical scenario because no real-world process can be 100% efficient due to factors such as friction, electrical resistance, and thermal losses.
If the system were over 100% efficient, it would mean that it is producing more energy than is put into it. This is what’s known as a perpetual motion machine of the first kind. Such machines would violate the first law of thermodynamics (the conservation of energy), which states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed.
In the real world, efficiency for such systems is typically much less than 100% due to the energy losses I mentioned earlier. For example, the efficiency of an electric motor might be around 80-90%, and the efficiency of an alternator might be around 50-60%. These efficiencies multiply in a system, so if you had a motor and an alternator together, the overall efficiency might be 40-50% (0.8 * 0.6 = 0.48, for example).
It’s also worth noting that a patent being granted for a device does not validate its functionality or feasibility. The patent office assesses applications based on novelty, non-obviousness, and usefulness, but it does not test whether the invention actually works as described. Therefore, the existence of a patent for this system does not prove that it works as a self-sufficient generator.
Without more details on the specific design of the system, however, it’s hard to give a more definitive analysis. But, based on the laws of physics, it’s highly unlikely that such a system could operate indefinitely without an external power source.
Moral of the Story
If you think you have an idea for a perpetual motion machine, run it by a Theoretical Physicist before spending tens of thousands on a patent.
Get the Patent
If you can get the self-sufficient generator to work, let me know. There is a way, but it would have to charge or replace the batteries and the alternators in the system. It is likely based on heavily charged Particles, such as those that are “radioactive.” They are able to hold much more Gravitation which is Potential Energy. The capacitance stored in our atmosphere could help some, as well as any nearby quartz mines.
A more interesting patent might be a more highly efficient alternator.