Author Topic: Help! Where to start with hydropower?  (Read 1695 times)

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want2Boffthegrid

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Help! Where to start with hydropower?
« on: July 05, 2009, 10:26:45 PM »
Hello.


We have a small stream with a small waterfall in our backyard.  Is it possible to put one or two (or three) small waterwheels (is it called a turbine?) in the waterfall to generate electric for our home?  I'm not understanding what "head" is, or why the water has to flow through a pipe.  Can't it just flow over the waterwheels?  Would a picture of the stream help?  


I am also having trouble understanding how to calculate how much battery power we will need and/or how to calculate how much energy we consume.


Please excuse my ignorance.  I need an education because we


want2Boffthegrid  !!

« Last Edit: July 05, 2009, 10:26:45 PM by (unknown) »

bzrqmy

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Re: Help! Where to start with hydropower?
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2009, 04:54:20 PM »
You are in the right place.  All of us here have spent countless hours scouring the discussion board.  There is so much information here.  The best thing to do would be to spend a couple hours each night for a couple weeks reading what has happened in the past few years.  There have been some fantastic posts in the past few monthis in this area.  I have no stream, so hydro is out for me, but the concepts are similar to wind.  Afet your research, complile a list of questions and then post them.  It would be swell to see a picture of your site.


Good luck and  take it slow....

« Last Edit: July 05, 2009, 04:54:20 PM by bzrqmy »

GaryGary

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Re: Help! Where to start with hydropower?
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2009, 05:09:23 PM »
Hi,


You might want to get a copy of:

Microhydro - Clean Power from Water,

Scott Davis, New Society Publishers


It will take you through figuring out whether you have enough water power to be worth the effort, and what the best way to develop it is.


More basics stuff here:

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Hydro/hydro.htm


Gary

« Last Edit: July 05, 2009, 05:09:23 PM by GaryGary »

want2Boffthegrid

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Re: Help! Where to start with hydropower?
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2009, 05:44:16 PM »
Thanks for the advice!
« Last Edit: July 05, 2009, 05:44:16 PM by want2Boffthegrid »

spinningmagnets

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Re: Help! Where to start with hydropower?
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2009, 08:07:31 PM »
I'd say start a blank document, and copy/paste any info and links that interest you. There is so much info here, its very hard to find a certain link a month later. Can you estimate your flow speed, and volume per minute?


Better to copy more posts than you think you'd need and then delete a few later.


"Head" is how much altitude between the highest part of the water flow that can be contained, and the lowest spot where the water can be exhausted and still flow away from the exit.


If there was a waterfall coming off a 100' high cliff, and you contained the top into a dam and pond (which has a controlled overflow back onto its original path) and you ran a water pipe from the pond down 100' to the bottom...the pressure at the bottom of the pipe would be about 43-PSI. (~4.3-PSI per 10-ft)


Somewhere between 30' and 70' of head, there's enough pressure to make using a Pelton or a Turgo worthwhile. Somewhere around 100' and above, its useful to consider a centrifugal turbine.


Here's an interesting small-scale, low-head turbine:


http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2008/6/22/191210/965

« Last Edit: July 05, 2009, 08:07:31 PM by spinningmagnets »

hiker

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Re: Help! Where to start with hydropower?
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2009, 03:08:35 AM »
here you go--ive posted this a few times.......

   http://www.otherpower.com/scotthydro1.html
« Last Edit: July 06, 2009, 03:08:35 AM by hiker »
WILD in ALASKA

want2Boffthegrid

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Re: Help! Where to start with hydropower?
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2009, 08:53:37 AM »
hiker-

I have the utmost respect for you, and I have seen this online several times, however, this is out of my league!  Thanks for your help!

« Last Edit: July 06, 2009, 08:53:37 AM by want2Boffthegrid »

ghurd

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Re: Help! Where to start with hydropower?
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2009, 09:25:45 AM »
« Last Edit: July 06, 2009, 09:25:45 AM by ghurd »
www.ghurd.info<<<-----Information on my Controller