Cost of Runners

[Lynn Martin]

After searching the net for Pelton runners, the cheapest I could find was a plastic 4 inch version for $113 (and other places had it for $150).

Does this seem expensive for a piece of plastic with no arbor?  Is it that difficult to manufacture?

And I noticed that the Harris Pelton Systems are $1000 and up.

Does anyone know why this is?  

Man, seems like I could melt some plastic spoons together.

Lynn

[Nando]

Lynn;

Why don't you post the places that sell those Pelton Runners, many may use the information for their own work.

Yo may look, as well, at www.h-hydro.com for Turgo buckets and/or finished Turgo Turbine Kits.

He sells plastic and stainless steel buckets or cups or spoons as any may call them.

Another one is in New Zealand; http://www.ecoinnovation.co.nz , Michael Lawley is the owner and manufacturer.

One of the problems is the definition of the buckets, that are dependent on the site head and water volume.

Nando

[Lynn Martin]

Here are several links for Pelton/Turgo equipment:

http://www.ecovantageenergy.com/catalog/items/item319.htm

http://www.nooutage.com/harris-r.htm

http://www.ecovantageenergy.com/catalog/cat30.htm

http://www.fords-mtm.com/hydro/harris.htm

http://www.altersystems.com/catalog/harris-pelton-hd-hydro-turbine-1224v-nozzle-p-1266.html

(This place gives a -6% discount!!!!  $73.66 more than retail!!!)

http://www.thesustainablevillage.com/servlet/display/product/detail/27398

http://www.utilityfree.com/hydro/

http://www.advancepower.net/hydro.htm

http://njaes.rutgers.edu/envirostewards/Lecture%20Resource%20Pages/Energy%20resources/Small%20Hydro/
Micro%20Hydro%20Generators.htm

(This is the $113 Plastic Pelton)

I guess manufacturing a rare odd device costs a lot.

Lynn

[cyplesma]

I haven't messed with these so called spoons, but they sure do remind me of a pvc elbow. just cut the elbow in half so the inside is exposed and trim for the cup look. I'll post a pic of what I mean in a few minutes, test driving an old laptop at the moment don't like the paint program in Linux (not yet anyway).

[cyplesma]

Here's the pic.

Use the section that is purple, cut along the red line.

Depending on the size of the elbow and how big you want you cup/spoon you might be able to get two cups from each elbow.

Use the normal end of the elbow to mount to the wheel. I would also suggest schedule 80, although I've found schedule 80 pvc stuff hard to find.

[alancorey]

They do seem expensive, but I came to the conclusion that what you're paying for mostly is the balancing.  These things spin at 1000 RPM or more depending on the configuration.  If they aren't balanced right the vibration can destroy bearings and loosen up everything with threads, considering it's probably running 24/7.  As the RPMs go up, so does the efficiency of the generator, so you might save enough in magnets and wire to make up the difference.

Somewhere I read that you should never try to make and balance your own or you'd regret it.  That was from someone who'd done it.  I think I'd be inclined to use something of less than perfect shape that was already balanced, like a rotor from a pump.  I did collect 16 plastic soup spoons, but never used them.

  Alan

[alancorey]

Last fall before things froze up I was playing around with this as a rotor on a big hard drive motor.  I figured that since I couldn't balance it, I'd keep the mass to a minimum and hope it was insignificant.  This disk is about 2 inches in diameter, and I had it spinning up around 3000 RPM.  It's made out of aluminum flashing.  The weight didn't register on any scale I had access to.

I cut the disk and mounted it on the motor, then cut 12 radial slits with tin snips to sort of line up with the 6 screws on the motor.  Then I bent one set of corners up and the other down.  Water flies everywhere, but not much keeps on going staight ahead, so most of it gets slowed down.  The jet of water is about 1/8 inch diameter.

I suppose this could be scaled up by using heavier aluminum.  I didn't spend long making it as you can probably tell.  Aluminum probably isn't the best material for use in water but it's light, and my Grumman aluminum canoe is holding up OK.  The cooling fan on an alternator gave me the idea.

  Alan