Inventor Claims Unlimited Power From Electro-Magnetic Modules
[Original headline: Cape power project - is it wired or weird?]
It is either one of the greatest inventions of all time or a swindle of breathtaking proportions.
A group of Somerset West businessmen claim they have invented an electro-magnetic power source that could radically change the way people generate electricity across the world.
And while they say it is not a perpetual motion machine, it comes close to it.
They are raising large sums of money from members of the public on the strength of it.
But electrical engineers consulted by Weekend Argus expressed scepticism over the "invention" which purports to use electro-magnetic fields to generate electricity.
The businessmen say they have already concluded an agreement with an American electricity supplier in Nevada who will import their revolutionary mini electro-magnetic power modules to supply electricity.
They claim the extreme precision needed to manufacture the units makes them uneconomical to sell locally. The units will be exported to the United States.
But while the businessmen say they already have a manufacturing contract with an American company, they are also seeking local people to invest a minimum of R200 000 each to fund the construction of a factory to build the mini power plants.
A member of the elite Scorpions investigative unit this week contacted Weekend Argus because they are concerned about the project.
Said an investigator: "We are not questioning the validity of the claims that these people are making, but our information is that they are trying to raise money and we just want to make sure that potential investors are protected."
When Weekend Argus approached Gridcon Power SA Pty, the company behind the scheme, they said their invention was unique and above board, but they were concerned that premature publicity could have a negative impact on their plan to list the company on the stock exchange.
However, they later agreed to Weekend Argus inspecting their "invention" and laboratory.
So, how does it work?
According to inventor Bill Cronje, who says he has already registered four provisional patents, the existence of electro-magnetic fields around appliances such as TVs, computers, air conditioners, hairdriers and other electric motor-driven devices, plays a crucial role in the success of the electro-magnetic power source.
Because of the "sensitivity" of the technology and their fear of industrial espionage, the businessmen said they were hesitant to give specific details of the exact and intricate workings of the invention.
They took Weekend Argus to an impressive-looking laboratory in Somerset West, where various brightly coloured devices with high voltage signs painted on them stood at neatly spaced intervals.
Lots of coils of bright electrical wire, shiny magnets and other impressive scientific-looking devices were placed all around the modern "lab".
Big photographs of the various stages of development of the project hung on the walls and a kettle, a TV, an air conditioner and a video player stood nearby.
These devices would later be plugged in to show how the electro-magnetic field generator worked.
In-house legal adviser Ludi Strydom said: "We have ploughed a lot of money into this project. We have been at it since 1996."
He said the main funder of the project, Frank Taylor, was a very private person who greatly admired aviation pioneer and reclusive eccentric Howard Hughes.
Strydom said that, like Hughes, Taylor did not want publicity.
Taylor is a former crop sprayer who lives in a mansion in Somerset West.
In the "lab", Cronje turned off the Eskom power at the mains.
He pointed out that the electro-magnetic module had no other power source. They lifted it off the ground: "Look, there are no hidden wires," said Cronje and partners.
Then they switched on the shiny blue module. There was no sound, but a bank of 36 lights connected to the device immediately lit up.
Pointing to a gauge, Cronje said the fact that the power did not drop while the lights were on was a clear indication that the secret device, which was covered with black masking tape, was not a battery.
This tape was never removed and whatever it covered remains a mystery.
But Cronje said: "If it was a battery the gauge would clearly show how the power was dwindling while the lights remained on.
"We must keep in mind that there is some proprietary information which we cannot disclose at this stage. However, in simple terms, an electro-magnetic field is generated with sufficient energy to fuel a ceremalac cell through high voltage which in turn generates current at the end of each process.
"At the moment the static electro-magnetic generator can only supply low power for devices with high electro-magnetic fields such as computers, TVs, laptops and other similar devices.
"These devices in themselves feed the electro-magnetic field requirements of the module which then again turns it into current."
Cronje said that, by multi-stacking such static electro-magnetic modules, one would be able to
multiply the end result, supplying a substantial current to meet the required load.
"Theoretically one would be able to estimate how much of an electric magnetic field is being generated in a particular dwelling and would then be able to calculate how many electro-magnetic field modules would be needed to supply power to such a house or houses.
"But it must be remembered that there are limits to what we are capable of doing at this point."
He later showed Weekend Argus what he said was a portable module with three solid brass legs. He plugged it into a field and connected a fan which merrily started humming along at full speed.
"You just earth it by pushing it into the ground and switch it on," said Cronje.
Strydom said: "When the storm knocked out the power recently, we just plugged it in the lawn and made some coffee."
Cronje said the Weekend Argus had been shown intellectual and proprietary information in "an open inspection".
He said the visit to the "lab" by the newspaper had been sparked by a "report from a disgruntled potential investor who offered R500 000 in hard cash and was turned away by the company". Weekend Argus has not had any dealings with this "disgruntled investor".
So does it really work? Only an expert will be able to tell - and only after the black masking tape covering the "invention" has been removed. Strydom said the company would in due course give a full explanation of how it intended raising money to fund the project.
• Story originally published by:
Cape Argus via Independent / South Africa | Willem Steenkamp - Aug 2.02
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