Pelton wheel project

[norbie454]

Pelton wheel project to generate power from a stream. The elevation from the small rock dam to the camp is about 60 vertical feet. Should be enough to spin this baby pretty fast, hope to make enough power to run 6 60 watt light bulbs. I am planing to have 2 water jets at 90' apart. More photos to follow as I progress along.

 

[Deerlope]

Have you done you homework to see the that Pelton is big enough diameter wise. Sometimes it is better to have an alt that is wound for low speeds.

 

[Craig Clayton]

Are you going to be make 120VAC?
What is the volume of the stream?
Is the stream on private or public land because there can be enviromental issues, ie you might upset the mosquito pond down stream.

Craig Clayton

 

[rjmack]

who made the paddle?

 

[Deerlope]

A pelton wheel will not tolerate a lot of dirt and debris. It will pug the intake and nozzles. If you have 60 feet of fall and open wheel might be a better choice. I also have a stream that flows 40 cu ft a sec but no amount of fall. I did some very extensive research a few ago and I do have a weir in and a 25" dia penstock. As of yet I still have not come up with a way to protect the wires when ice chunks as big as a car come down thru there in the spring.

 

[Donman]

This thread reminds me of an idea I heard of years ago where a fella had a stream on his property that had a good amount of fall but no place for any kind of dam to capture any amount of head. His solution was to lay 2 side by side 6 inch pvc or plastic pipes of some kind in the creek bed until he had the desired amount of fall. At the bottom he raised the end of the pipes with elbows into a short sluice box that supplied the water over a water wheel.

 

[norbie454]

Oh my sounds like you have ICE BERGS, I am building this for my cousin he tells me that it will be pulled for the winters. He bought the wheel online he said he paid about $150 for it and the Alternator is new from NAPA. He is planning to place a few rocks to collect a small pool so the water will cover the pipe. The normal flow of water will go over the rocks so the stream flow will not be restricted. It is about a 60 foot drop at 100 feet pretty steep. No fish going up this stream close to the top of a mountain spring fed and rain water run off. Will post photos as I progress, have to purchase metal to complete the project.

 

[Deerlope]

Oh my sounds like you have ICE BERGS, I am building this for my cousin he tells me that it will be pulled for the winters. He bought the wheel online he said he paid about $150 for it and the Alternator is new from NAPA. He is planning to place a few rocks to collect a small pool so the water will cover the pipe. The normal flow of water will go over the rocks so the stream flow will not be restricted. It is about a 60 foot drop at 100 feet pretty steep. No fish going up this stream close to the top of a mountain spring fed and rain water run off. Will post photos as I progress, have to purchase metal to complete the project.

Please keep us informed, you have a very interesting project going. I am certainly interested in it.

 

[oughtsix]

As of yet I still have not come up with a way to protect the wires when ice chunks as big as a car come down thru there in the spring.

So are you thinking hydraulic..., pneumatic... or ballistic for the ice chunk disposal?

 

[norbie454]

I had the time to make the nozzles today they are threaded to take the 3/8 NPT. The photos were hard to take to show the inside but the ID is tapered at 7 degrees down to .345 at the outlet. I used 1" treaded rod. I plan to have 2 nozzles directed as close to the wheel as I can without touching it. I will post more photos as I progress. I wish I was retired so I would have more time to play with this stuff. You know how it is? enjoy