AWESOME WATER POWER 500w Hydro Electric Off Grid System
This 4 nozzle micro hydro system is making 500 plus watts of power for an of grid cabin in the woods. First up is the intake. A stainless steel Coanda screen pulls over 200 gallons per minute to reduce the debris that enters the system. Next is a 4" penstock to carry the water from the source to the pma or permanent magnet alternator. This PMA has four nozzles that sweep around the unit on all sides. The water jets made by these nozzles push the spoons or cups on the pelton wheel. Wild 3 phase AC power is sent to the house. A rectifier converts the wild ac to direct current. This is used by the charge controller to store in the battery and finally be used in the house from an 8kw off grid inverter.
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1 MILLION VIEW MICRO HYDRO video kzhead.info/sun/mZprn52LhamjeI0/bejne.html
The first link in the description doesn’t appear to work.
I checked this morning and it was working. Looks like it's got some server error.
@@LandtoHouse I would like to try and get something like this to work on my pool return lines! If i could produce 110/30a or close it would reduce the money I spend running the pool pump.
That's a great micro hydro video! If you're interested in alternative power solutions, you might want to check out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. It offers a massive capacity, powerful output, and fast recharging. Plus, it's waterproof and has comprehensive protection features. It could be a valuable addition to your outdoor gear or home backup power system. Happy camping!
That's a really interesting video! If you're into off-grid systems, you should definitely check out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. It's a versatile powerhouse that can keep your devices and appliances running for extended periods. With its massive capacity, powerful output, and waterproof technology, it's perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and RV lovers. Plus, it has a smart app control feature for easy management. Check it out!
PVC is made for interior and under ground piping. It is susceptible to UV degradation. It would be advisable to paint it when left outside.
Yeah, just an exterior grade latex should suffice, there’s plenty of paints that block 100% of UV radiation.
uPVC is available, and is UV stable. However, I would still paint it a colour more appropriate to be less obtrusive in the environment.
So in 20 years it becomes brittle, big deal!
@@boblatkey7160 Won't take that long but okay suit yourself. It's a brilliant system Thank you Sir
Thanks for that, I guess! I just used white PVC couplers, fully exposed to the sun, for connecting my risers to my impact sprinkler heads, anyone know if the grey PVC fittings are any better in UV?
My father passed last year and I'm trying to patch up his homestead. One of the tricky bits has been making sense of the hydro generator system. So this video is incredibly helpful :)
An estimated cost would have been nice.
Awesome system, excellent coverage!
the battery array was really cool , its like a server rack , with all the 'process' nodes connected to one 'head' that feeds data out really clever , great video
Superb explanation! You can really understand how this system works. Kudos!
Very good explanation of plumbing and electricity systems, good all around video. Thankyou for your thoroughness
Thats an amazing creek. Everywhere i go world wide, lakes are dry. Make good use of that water.
Brilliant....I'm just looking into this process....you explained that very well...thankyou
I really like the design of the 3" ring pipe with T's to the straight-in 2" ball valves and jets.
Yes it is working well for them! 500w is great for an off grid system.
Why do you like this? Its the most ignorant design, with massive efficiency loss. This entire system is virtually trash. These hydro generator designs were better on the platform a decade ago, and now everyone acts like theyre an expert, but the reality is they dont know anything but the basic asss concept. Do your research cause this entire design is a waste of time and energy...
Yeah, having jets from four directions probably helps the bearings last longer too.
Wow that's a nice hydroelectric setup
Hi Seth I’m happy to see you back with your innovative hydro turbine system demonstration
Great presentation, thank you. Great one...how i wish i can have such setup like this.....
Very well explained. Thanks.
Great one...how i wish i can have such setup like this....
Great video! Easy to understand.
Nice system thanks for sharing the video
That intake system looks just like a miniature version of what was on this dam ran by Georgia Power that I grew up swimming at.
Great presentation, thank you
Very informative thank you
Impressive system
so well done.
Awesome video, and great information... Especially for a newb like me trying to learn about these types of setups.... I love WNC and wish I had a place in the woods I could setup like that..
Thank you for watching. It's nice to know that my videos are helpful for educational purposes. This system really was designed nicely and working well.
@@LandtoHouse I'm not expert at electricity but that's a lot work for a mere 500watts so I have to ask : is it making 500 watts per hour, or per minute or oer second (instantly) because if it's per hour, it can power only a fridge, ceiling fan and a tv at max so not really worth it. But if it's at least per minute or per second it will be actually worth it.
@@karaabdelkader1273 500 watts per sec. = 500 W*h in hour or 12KW*h in day(24 hour)
Looks great. Thanks for sharing
Fantastic detail in explanation. Thank you sir.
Nice clear explanation of a working proven system ia rare here, thanks
awesome.... thanks for teach us these technologies
500 Watts constant delivery is impressive. it's enough for passiv consumers like fridges and can serve a computer. With battery together, it should be enough to run a whole household.
Very nice system, thanks for sharing.
Thank you for watching! This install was so well designed.
You mentioned that a dip in the pipe would cause a partial air-lock and that's true but in practice the air trapped in the high point will eventually dissolve in the water and be carried out of the system.
That is a top quality system. I bet that battery cost a bit. But pays itself off. Well done🎉
I have friends who were quoted $85k for a mains supply. They were able to completely off-grid for less than half that cost, and have never had a power cut, unlike many of their ‘near’ neighbours on-grid.
Well I would say it's absolutely sloppy electrical workmanship.
People will be using 2nd hand EV batteries for this set up in the near future.
that battery isnt necessary for hydro setups. i wonder if they have solar as well because 12kw a day from hydro isn't enough unless they're extremely minimalist and efficient. if you have sufficient hydro power you can get by just fine with a much smaller battery because water flows at night too. solar needs huge batteries because of no power generation at night. similar option if you have a reservoir that doesn't have enough flow for all day you can use solar and open the water valve at night too to save on battery costs but that doesn't work with streams
@@boblatkey7160 What told you that, the soda can bolted to the wall?
ottimo lavoro, veramente bravo
Having a piece of land with a lot of height difference and a creek has a lot of added value because you can get a lot of electricity, and its constant. Pretty good! I would surely add solar panels too, and build an indoor greenhouse if I had that much free power. 500 watts all day long can probably run all appliances of the house you run each day while they are not on all day long. Greetings, Jeff
You can always build a mini-dam (just a tub to catch the water, really) to balance out the lack of a height difference - I reckon it's better to build it either way, because creeks don't have a constant flow of water year-round and you'd wanna account for that fluctuation.
@@YamiKisara Not how that works, you can't artificially add height difference, the energy comes from the change in height of the water from the source to the drain. This takes advantage of all of the 50ft of head using that pipe, which is superior to a dam. In terms of a small scale energy storage solution (since 500W isn't enough for most appliances, but averaged over the day and night ought to be more than enough) would be a battery, since a dam for energy storage simply isn't reactive enough to fluctuate to power, say, a toaster or something.
@@asdfasdf-dd9lk They can still use a reactive turbine for the larger creek/reservoirs with less head; Pretty sure it goes as low as 5 foot but the reactive turbines need a higher volume flow rate than the pelton turbine used in this video
500 constant watts over the course of a year at 14 cents a kwh is about $600 worth of free power a year
@@mattcintosh2 14 cents? In Britain I pay around 45 cents per Kw hour. plus standing charges.
Good job 👍
Awesome system, wish i lived near a atream, ld do the same. Nucely sized system
❤ excellent explanation
WOW such a small compact system that produces 3 phase a/c electricity is just AWESOME!
For this family way way back in the woods 500w is really doing them good.
It's likely not usable as 3 phase. Probably too high a frequency. This is the reason for the rectification, and subsequent inverter. If it was 60 Hz there'd be no need for that intermediate step. The point is, no 3 phase motors allowed.
@ruprectmonkeyboy1856 good observation. Yes the 3phaze would have its own phase position and not be able to connect (align position) with the grid phase position. But You could use it "dirty" to run many things. Like heating element, an old resistance light bulb is fun because you can sometimes see the HZ hertz cycle of the generator. 40hz to 60hz depending on the speed. You would need/want an AC capacitor and regulator transphormer to run anything with a computer in it. The capacitor should reduce any power surges and the regulators wa a a a w taped in before the rectifier will give you that clean power wave. 120v without the losses that a
@@scottadams3544 those small alternators don't typically run at 50-60 Hz. A PM alternator like that can't speed regulate electrically by increasing the torque load, so it's gonna spin at whatever speed it wants to, and create AC at whatever frequency it wants to. That's not usable in any other way than they way they're doing it, other than in a heater or incandescent load as you mention.
Your car's alternator is also this.
Former colleague of mine has a place in Oregon with a year-round stream. There's about a 300 foot change in elevation across his property. Not sure how much power he's making, but he's running his house and wood shop on a Pelton turbine. He's using firehose instead of pipes to feed his system, apparently hose that's considered too worn for the firetruck was available at a very reasonable price.
Definitely interested in that battery and inverter system
I think more experimentation needs to be done on the impulse wheel. I feel there is more energy available than you are getting. Perhaps a jet turban inside the pipe with thru shaft to the outside thru a 45 degree bend to generator. Or, a turgo runner, instead of a pelton. The problem with pelton is that it relies on head pressure, but resist the flow. Water has to slow down to get the job done. It’s like getting lots of amps, but slow volts. Very nice set up!
Amazing ❤❤
Thanks!
What brand micro hydro turbine was the homeowner using? Great looking system and very informational video!
Probably not Whirlpool, it doesn't look like a repurpurposed washing machine 😂
I wondered if it was a Kris Harbor thing.
Can you be able to run the three phase from the turbine output ac current straight to the breaker and out to the house to use instead of the DC conversion and battery and all that.
First vid I’ve seen of you. Good content! Subbed.
Thanks for watching. This channel has a wide variety of content.
Good Vid Mate. Cheers.
Wow I thank you ,I I followed you on Ram pump but this my favorite micro giriid I hope you to buid one in Genbu Nigeria and in my apple farm by God grace in the future
This is so joyous to watch! Hehe. Having a private hydroelectric dam was a bit of a childhood dream of mine, during an obsessive phase with dams (and all kinds of civil engineering). We'd drive past farms with quite large dams on family holidays, and visit the real things, which naturally got me thinking, "you could scale that down ... ". So glad it's something people actually do. But I have a point of personal confusion. It generates 3-phase AC ... which is rectified to DC ... to charge batteries ... which discharge DC ... which will then require alternation to 110/240VAC. It seems almost impossible to build more losses into a system. Hehe. Surely the creek flow isn't so intermittent as to allow _require_ batteries (though, they'd be useful in a backup role). Having a transformer for direct conversion to 110/240VAC (and even a 3-phase outlet for any high current requirements) would have to be the ideal setup, right? Even mechanical storage using a flywheel UPS kinda deal seems to make more sense to me. But I have a total of zero training, and even less knowledge in this field, so please forgive the naivety of my questions/comments.
You'd be limited to 500 watts of power (ie/ my 1 computer draws 500) without battery and no power during any maintenance. Flywheel? Nope, steer clear of more mechanical storage. That lifepo4 stack would likely run the place for 1 month without water (but I forget how many kw).
@@jonclement Ahh, thanks for that explanation, I've got it now. The battery storage essentially permits an increase in the available power. To someone like me, who doesn't know anything about it, it just seems like so many lossy steps. But now I get the reason(s). Now I'm curious to find out the maximum power anyone's ever generated at the turbine in a similar(ish) micro hydro setup. Doubt it's more than 1kW.
The alternating current coming out is an uncontrolled frequency which most electrical devices couldn't handle. Conversion to DC and battery gives a several good results.
great video!
That's sweet
well done :)
Would it be asking too much to find out what the system cost not so much the PVC end of it but from where it comes into the house to the panel thank you very interesting impressive
Im making a self contained waterwheel generator using a large water storage container for cattle with solar and 2 battery packs to alternate every other evening. Im using 12 volt bilge pumps to move the water over the wheel that'll be spinning 2 alternators. One alternator for main batteries and home inverter. The second will be charging the backup battery for the water wheel as well as topping off current use pack. Couple this with four 450 watt panels to run during peak light and couple the wheel to a ten speed gearing system and I can use a 12 volt gear reduction motor for back up and efficiency. I can control the speed of the wheel/ alternators. Once started, the system should run continuously.
Good for you , a great life .
Thank you. Filming hydro is fun.
What’s the cost of this system? Excellent video!
Thanks for an excellent video. I'm sure it's all been well thought out by people way more knowledgeable than me, but I have a question regarding the "battery full" scenario: If the turbine goes into near free-spin, and switches to high volt and low current as you said, then there's next to no load on the system. With commercial power stations that's a "no-no." Important and expensive things break in spectacular fashion. I'm sure the box is "smart," but wouldn't it be better to have a servo operated valve to shut down the water flow just to be sure?
Kris Harbour has a great channel all about this. He is in Whales and he builds his own, and does exactly what you said. He has servos set up that can increase/decrease water pressure and flow to the turbine, and if all hell breaks lose, it can even just dump all the water from a gate valve later. Pretty impressive stuff really.
@@80aj Hi, I follow Kris -- great channel. It's nice to see how different folk go about their Hydro set-up.
Would Y pieces not be more efficient than the T pieces where the water exits the system and hits the generator? Great job on this system in any case well done!! I see a lot of questions on cost but with the way energy prices are always going I would say it would soon pay for itself.
I think the generator prefers pressure over volume. So it's likely less turbulent then it seems
Brilliant
Does anyone know whether this is more or less expensive than the 500 watt equivalent of solar panels? I’m assuming it is, and I love that it works at night and cloudy days too.
I assume this would cost more yes. But as you said it has its benefits, but requires a significant resource whereas sun is plentiful. But really, since solar only harvests part of the day, you’d need a 1000W system and batteries to get a similar result.
We're you getting some kind of Venturi effect where the air was being pulled in?
excellent
So I guess you are picking up approximately 12 Kwh of energy per day or ~360 Kwh per month. Not bad for free!
Not exactly free… what was the upfront installation cost and any ongoing maintenance?
@@darrenthumbsup2881probably 100 times cheaper than however youd get it from a utility company
12KWh is a little light, so I think I'd run this in combination with some solar panels and get a hybrid charge controller. The consistent power output is nice though. I did some very rough math, and it seems the hydro setup would be about 2x the cost of a solar setup with similar daily output.
They also installed a few solar panels. Very wooded valley with little sun and big trees.
In min 2 you say that you place some rocks prior to the intake to”slow the water down” I am not sure what you mean by that because if you don’t change the gradient or the profile area of the intake, the water speed remains unchanged. Perhaps the rocks provide a more laminar flow into the intake area
Very nice Only thing seems like you go through all that The pvc usually last better in the ground or somewhere out of the elements it will get weak and limbs could fall on it , also all that wood even if it is pressure treat isn’t all that Had some pressure treated porch boards it did better than none treated but still it decayed , mainly where the weather got it But I’m thinking probably would have not lasted that long if it was on the ground in the weather
Micro-Hydro and ICF. So Jelly
How much money will it cost to install a system much similar to the system you talked about ?
What about freezing in winter or will that be to much to put it 4 FT in the ground? alternate solar power can be set up for winter months. well done, just thought that the penelton could have a larger diameter.
the way that system owner kept the generator module is like a super sports car's engine bay!
I guessing the temperature doesn't get below freezing where you set up this system.
I just need to be a home owner now with a free running creek in the backyard
Yes that does help.
Very interesting❤
My 15 year old coanada box has no air slits, I could put some in easy enough with a skinny wheel cutoff wheel in my grinder. I was under the impression the screen itself was the air intake. I pull mine once a season, usually late summer, and pressure wash off the backside, to get the crud that build up on it. Not sure if it's lichen or similar but it is not quite maintenance free, very close though. Quick and easy to do, takes 15 minutes.
Likely alge or just bacterial growth, no such thing as a completely maintenance free system anyways.
Forgive my ignorance as KZhead randomly recommended this to me, but is this permitted in any way? Most states are protective of the rivers, creeks, and streams that run within them, and for very good reason. Here in Pennsylvania, a friend of my grandfather was looking into replacing the dam on their property and was told that they may only repair or remove it as the state does not allow the construction of new dams without a special permit. Granted this hydro system has far less of an impact than that dam did, but again: states are protective of their waterways.
In this state, we have permission to use a percentage of the Creek as long as it returns to the Creek. Farmers also have rights to use a percentage for irrigation. Dams are another story.
@@LandtoHouse I see, I assumed that the little concrete weir at the start counted as a dam/obstruction.
Nice video. I just don’t like those rubber connectors out in weather. They might not last.
great video. decentralized energy and living off grid is true freedom. buy what about a cost analysis? what are they paying per kwh? how long will this last. 20 years? 50? 100? thanks!
I wish I had a creek at my land :(
How’d you get the EPA to OK this?
My hydro system is putting out 832 watts into the grid as I type this. Gravity is a beautiful thing! True story: they person I bought my Coanada screen from 16 years ago was named.....Bob Weir. No, not the Grateful Dead Weir, but another one "a low dam built across a river to raise the level of water upstream or regulate its flow." Kind of the description of a C screen.
What's your setup like and do you have a channel showing your setup?
@@oloyeadeniran8894 Not yet...
what do you want the batteries for?
I was hoping to see what he powered with it and how practical it was…
ACDC - THUNDERSTRUCKED
Very clear presentation, thank you. No mention though of the costs. Why not? Also, is the house entirely off the grid, or is this system just for backup? At a constant 500 watts it would generate about 360 kwh/month (which is a bit light for me) and @30¢/kwh would save $108/mo in utility charges. How long does it take a $1,300/yr saving to pay off the investment?
It's not always about being "cheaper than grid power". Grid power might not have been an option at this location, or it might have been $30-50k to run if it were. I can say from experience that battery & inverter setup was probably in the neighborhood of $10-12k, with the hydro setup maybe another $5-10k. 500W or ~12 kWh a day is no joke - that's more power over the course of a year than I use in my single family home. Supplement with solar as needed (and a generator for emergency backup power) and you're gold.
Depends on whether there's mains power available at the site. If you're paying for a long power connection there's a large sunk cost for that. First customer pays, and the connection is not yours. 2nd person in can just tap into it, essentially for free, because it belongs to the utility company.
@@Justin-C Down here if we had hills and water to use, that 500Watts would be just a drop in the bucket. Because the A/C is running almost all the time. Average daily consumption is around 67kWh.
Normally these systems get installed because of a choice. Run electricity to home, paying for poles, etc or go with hydro, solar and wind. A well balanced system can provide total home energy and no taxes paid at all! That’s the most important part.
@@gravelydon7072 The consistent power is nice though. I could see using one of these in conjunction with a solar array.
All that work, time and money for the power of a couple of solar panels. I admire the diligence it took though.
This elderly couple lives so far back in the woods that solar was not much of an option. They live deep in a valley that only has about 4 hours of sun every day and lots of trees on top of that.
solar power only works less than half the time.... this is doing work 24/7
Solar is pathetic, works for 6 hours a day at most. It is only 17% efficient and cost for a 14KWH system (in 2024, will go up in coming years) with two battery panels is about $70K (Tesla just quoted the system for me - the 2 PowerWalls are $22K). This hydro system is 24X7X365 active and can be made to output much more, for a fraction of the cost of the solar system. I would opt for this solution anytime over solar.
Can't we get a cost estimate for the setup ? I guess if it is very remote it is irrelevant, but would be nice to know how much - especially the battery bank - costs
The batteries are $1400 a piece so this is a pretty expensive setup
@@davek2690yeah thats some change for those. Could dummy it up with lead acid or AGM batteries, but would need more and have a shorter life span.
COANDA FOREVER!
Nice.
Would it create more pressure and possibly more electricity if the pipe was 6inches from beginning to end?
Setups like this rely more on head/pressure than flow, so no - not really.
Nice
I note that there is no data between the Midnight charge controller and the batteries? This could result in an overcharge situation. (Though with cautious setting of the max charge voltage, this can be mitgated against, to some extent.) Also, it would be better to have a 3ph breaker on the AC input from the turbine, rather than a on the output DC. Allowing protection/isolation from a failed diode pack. (I won't comment on the beer can heatsink!) Interesting walk around though.
Can you please explain the beer can heat sink? Is it shown at a certain time?
@@sckirbyc1 12:12 (Might be Pepsi?) Enjoy!
Isn't the point of the charge controller to automatically know the max potential of the batteries and cut off before it gets there? That's how my (very, very cheap, 10a solar) charge controller works
@@alexevans2891 The charge controller can only (usually) sense battery charge state based on battery voltage. That is ok for lead acid. But unreliable for lithium. The BMS in the batts 'should' keep a record of the accumulated charge and then command the controller as required. My own system does rely on battery voltage, and me keeping a close eye on it. So I am just as guilty. But I wouldn't recomend it for a fit and forget installation.
@@gonzo_the_great1675 Got it! I didn't know that about lithium ion. Thanks for the info!
I am interested In that micro Hydro system..
how is this affected after a real heavy rain like we get in the ozarks
How much would all of this cost to install?
Awesome system what would this all cost to build with the same stuff please reply back.
What is the cost of something like this ?
Do a shot every time he says ‘homeowner’ 😂
Would be more interesting to know what heat, if they run ac! Mainly what use they are capable of utilizing!? Thanks, nice use of natural resources!
Anything less than 500 watts
@@mrwess1927 If I remember right the pressure was not very high! Running 24 hrs, will make a difference! Unlike solar hit and miss!
you can run a small house of of this np.
Very interesting. Guy here in nz uses old smart washing machine motors. Makes them in to generator, is getting 600 watts. But he is getting around 70psi out of stream with quite a large fall. Powered house for under $4000 nz. Marty T is his channel. Been running systems for 16 years
Thats true. Very nice channel Marty's ones. And its not just about eletricity or hydro. Plenty of subjects and knowledge.
Hes a very clever guy . Fixing all kinds of stuff
soda can behind the rectifier?