Micro-Hydro electricity

[Christ]

Originally Posted by alohaspirit

dont laugh, i almost linked a beaver dam photo


legally "you" cant dam it

but if you go further up and "beaver dam" it

(maybe even using pieces from an actual beaver dam)


hey, might work

I'll consider this, but first I'll talk to the game commission about pooling the stream without diverting it, especially since the stream is technically a fresh water supply for the well my Father's house runs from.

My ultimate goal in building a home on my Father's property, especially so close to his house, is to keep myself as off-grid as possible, while helping him do the same. I'd honestly like to be able to live mostly without any expenditure (other than cars, food, etc.) beyond paying land taxes and helping my Father w/ Mortgage.

I'm hoping we can make a decent amount of electricity from micro-hydro. Every little bit helps, right?

[Bicycle Bob]

A dam can raise the water level close to your turbine, and provide a cushion for dry spells. However, it is nothing magic. If you figure out where an ideal dam would back the water up to, and just run a large-bore pipe from that elevation, you gain the same head-height, minus any dynamic loss from friction in the pipe. There are many on-line calculators for pressure loss in pipes.

[Christ]

gah... I'm still trying to figure out how to exclude my home from necessary permits and the Uniform Construction Code.

So far, the only way I find is to build it as a "seasonally occupied" or "recreational use" structure, which then can only be occupied as such, and not as a primary residence. From there, I can't find a way to convert it to a permanent residence.

It would just be a lot LOT cheaper/easier to not have to involve code inspections and such while building the place, other than electrical inspection, which is necessary for a grid hookup (which I will need for the time being.)

It's not that I don't intend to fully follow the UCC while doing everything I've laid out, it's just that I can't AFFORD to file all the paperwork and pay an architect to draw the planning and construction prints, when I'm not hiring a contractor for any part of the job.

GRRRRRAHHAHHAHHHHH!

[Bicycle Bob]

Most places, you have to bribe somebody. I knew a guy who had to hire an engineer to approve setting two pre-approved buildings at an angle to each other. The inspectors do not mind looking real stupid when their relatives need work.

[Christ]

I'm looking into who in the area handles this kind of work... I might actually know one of the code inspectors, and if it's who I think it is, or he's close enough to who I'm thinking of, a certain somebody owes me a few favors, and could probably "push" a little help my way, if that's what it takes.

[CoastRider]

I stepped outside the other day during a wonderful summer shower. Couldn't help but notice the water gushing out of the rain spouts... wouldn't be very benificial here, but in regions that get a lot of rain and esp large buildings could produce a good bit of power... maybe..?

[DonR]

Many summers ago, they built a very small hydro station on a river near me. They built a dam to do it, but they employed a similar method to what Bicycle Bob had described.

Make an Aqueduct (big pipe) that comes out level at a certain point. Use it to create your fall. Somewhere before the generator, they necked the pipe down to increase velocity of the water. I don't remember if it was on a horizontal or vertical pipe. Then run the little pipe into your generator.

You may be able to supplement water flow by storing rain water from gutters & allowing it to flow into the system.

A water tower would work as well. Have a shutoff valve at the bottom to allow it to collect water in times of excess. Then open it in time of need.

Don

[Christ]

I have to check on the creek, actually. It may be drying up/moving underground, which will not help this cause, at all. Stupid shale mountains.