I love our system which is documented in the earlier videos on my channel. Its joy to live with hydro power. Highly recommend it if you can find a suitable site.
you have set me on a path I feel like I cannot diverge. When I look at my next home, my list of needs has increased to "water source at elevation". Thank you for ALL of your videos and your ability to share information.
@@concretecat It was a no brainer for me, especially after being on other nearby rural property, off grid for 28 years, solar and wind only, that was dry as a bone. When I met with the farmer selling the 40 acre place I have now, he informed me the easement road to the property below mine wasn't the property line, but continued further over to the north, meaning the creek was part of the deal! I hemmed and hawed, trying to get him lower on the price, but he had me! I have a permit for what is called "non-consumptive use" and when the system was in, I invited the rancher below who actually has the full water rights to the creek, up to look it over. Standing at my power station, seeing the amp gauge at 34 at 26 VDC (884 watts, but I lose a bit as it gets inverted and into the grid) and then looking downhill to his sprinkler system operating as normal, we both laughed and shook hands a clear example of a win/win.
In Poland and EU countries, investments in micro-hydroelectric power plants are prohibited. Too many eco-crazies. It's a pity we have to follow the example of the USA.
I would like to know what legal hoops you had to jump through to damn off a natural waterway. Where we are I don't think the envernmental agency would ever concider it. What dose your neighbour say considering the creek is mostly on his property. Water wights can be a scary thing to mess with.
If that stream has fish in it this project, just wrecked the streams habitat for all fish . This wouldn't get away with this is the Pacific NW - Alaska and Idaho where salmon & Steelhead migrate
I would hope they got all the proper permits for this. good luck diverting a stream like that in alaska.... you would spend the rest of your life paying off the fines. not to mention the adjacent property owner , more serious legal problems if they don't like it, even if it was permitted.
Thank you for this detailed and informative video. I have seen several of your videos and am always impressed. Someday we might proceed with such a system here at Waiotemarama Falls Lodge, Opononi, Northland, New Zealand. Cheers, mate.
I love NZ. I visited several times shooting commercials back when I was active as a cinematographer. I hope this info will be helpful should you ever decide to develop a system. Thanks for watching!
Very informative, not much micro hydro about all this anyway, it will be a very efficient system! thanks, and greetings from geothermal and hydro electric Iceland
The system is rated about 6kw and that would put it in the "Micro" category. At least I think so. Iceland sets an example of how renewables can and should be done. Thx for Watching!
Very interesting. First time I have seen that weir construction method - no temporary diversion and dewatering - it looks effective. That is a confidently executed scheme, I am sure it will do what it should, good work.
I will be doing an update soon. But until then, the system just keeps cranking away. Some hurdles to jump. I was in hospital and rehab for 13 months, so thats why the videos stopped. Thanks for watching
It isn’t my property or project so I can only say it’s likely over $100k. Of course with Hydro you are paying for all future electricity up front and if its fully off grid like this system, you need to compare that initial cost to bringing in grid power and living with monthly fees. The 12” penstock and diversion dam along with installation labor and equipment rental was the lion’s share of the cost. Thx for watching!
That is an awesome project! I am just getting interested in the world of Hydros, so please tell me why there was a Z-shaped pipe forcing the water upwards at the end. Doesn't that drop the speed of the water making the turbine slower?
Good Question! The purpose of the Z pipe is to enable the position of the turbine above the height of the creek running beside it. This is to protect from the high water levels in Springtime melt off conditions from damaging the turbine. The available pressure level for the water in the system is measured to the height of the water in the draft tube below the turbine. See part 2 for detail about this @2:28-2:37 ruclips.net/video/8oE7hULefA4/видео.html. So, there is very little loss if any with the use of the Z Tube. Thanks for watching!
Check it out…en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_hydro?wprov=sfti1 Micro is 5 -100kW. Lower than that is Pico-hydro which most RUclipsrs misname their projects. I don’t know what you’re talking about with ships motors.
I have 147' of fall, in 1/4 mile, using a 3" delivery line, and am permitted for a max of 95 GPM non consumptive use, that works out to about 850 watts with my Harris hydro pelton wheel, 17 years in operation now, grid tied. I have a stainless collection box, a HydroScreen (made by a guy name of Bob Weir, how cool is that) that was simply placed under the county culvert at the top of my property, with a telescoping 8" tube with in a tube to give high water adjustments, so not one bit of disturbance to the stream. My water resources board here in Idaho made it real clear (pun intended) they did NOT want to see any construction work that involved heavy equipment and/or silt going into the stream.
Isn’t hydro great!? Lucky you. Our system (elsewhere on this channel) runs 7.2kW in winter and 4.5kW every other season. Now in operation since 1996. I considered a HydroScreen from Bob but took a different approach. This system’s dam is very altering of the stream, but I guess Utah was OK with it. Congrats on being a HydroHead! It’s a great way to live if you can access the resource. Thanks for watching and sharing.
The system is located in Utah. It is on private property. I don’t own the property and was only documenting the system. I don’t know what the rules are regarding water rights in Utah as I live in Colorado. Thanks for watching.😉
100% of the water is returned to the stream, so the only change is in the area between the inlet and the outlet. I would expect that as long as flow is maintained in this section there should be no objection.
People of course need to obtain water rights to execute a system like this. It's a non-consumptive water right and might or might not be allowed in MN. I don't know how water rights are adjudicated there. Thanks for watching nonetheless
🤔0:30 was such long pen-stock run necessary? i get point they share same trench with power-lines to the house. but trench would be more shallow and therefore cheaper if it was only for power-lines. since you seem to have rather potent river there, would it be possible instead, to get same (or better) yield, but from damn created at the turbine, but with bigger catchment (screen) of water? 🤔
The maximum potential power is achieved through a combination both flow and head (vertical fall where 2.31ft = 1psi). The length of the penstock was required to harness the 30+ feet of head across the property. I'm not sure what other potential units were considered (possibly a turbulent unit www.turbulent.be) but there may have been higher costs with that. 30+ feet of head (30-36 = ~13-15.6 psi of static pressure) is a very low head and the turbulent unit might have been a viable choice but for cost. There also may have been issues with permitting a sizable dam big enough to handle high springtime flows. Or its possible the designer had more experience with this type of design or it was just his preferred method. I don't think the burial of power lines had any impact of the choices made.
Wow you are all restarted or something. It’s called asking your neighbors and doing an environmental survey. Assuming a bunch of shit you heard from pop culture 🤦🏻♂️
Man I love this! This is your previous build 2.0 on mega Steroids!! Can't wait to watch the whole project unfold. Give that finger to the electric grid. Awesome stuff.
This first segment was put together with visuals provided to me by the installation crew. So I wasn’t there to see exactly how the pipes are set up. The drain valve is connected to above ground access via the vertical pipe the worker is holding at 5:19. The drain pipe feeds back to the turbine outlet box. In part 2 (ruclips.net/video/8oE7hULefA4/видео.html) at 7:54 you can see that vertical access pipe next to the butterfly valve control. Thanks for asking.
I point you to the part 2 video about this system. Around 4:25 in that video is contact info for the turbine mfg. They should be able to help you. Hope this helps. Thx for watching 🙏🏼
🤔 5:17 so you are losing some of the potential-energy because of last 2 bends and climb. do you know how much are the losses? and was it the only way to do it? did they have to bury pipes so deep because of worry about surface frost? 🤔
You are correct in pointing out the losses from the 2-45 degree bends in the Z pipe. Any fittings or bends will increase pipe friction in the penstock. I will have to look up what the specific loss would be. It probably varies depending on the volume of flow. My guess is that it isn’t a big factor. I imagine they could have designed a subterranean structure for the turbine to keep from raising the pipe, but the danger in doing so would be potential flooding from being lowered towards the creek elevation at high water. Burying the penstock protects it from damage from vehicles, falling trees, or others. The freezing isn’t so much an issue as fast moving water tends not to form ice although the burial does provide safety in that regard. With the high cost of installation of the penstock any form of protection is advisable. Thanks for watching and your good questions.
The pressure at the turbine would be reduced by the loss of head from elevating the pipe out of the ground. This would be offset somewhat by the draft tube below the unit on the exit part of the Francis turbine. 45° and 90° fittings add what is considered "minor" friction losses in the penstock. As a follow up, here is a link to software for calculating pressure losses due to fittings in pipe. www.aft.com/products/fathom. Very geeky and likely not necessary. When installing my own system I ordered lots of fittings to turn the direction of pipe. I was grateful that my contractor simply flexed the pipe in broad turns in the trench to round bends. I'm sure it saved in friction losses rather than using fittings. I can tell you find the series of interest. Thanks again for watching
The best i have to offer is to view all of the videos I have posted to my channel. There are several micro hydro systems documented there. I first started by showing the two systems I owned and then went on to show two other systems which I was allowed to document. I hope you will learn something from watching all the video. That was my goal in putting them together. Thanks for watching!
It isn’t MY system as I only documented the project and don’t own it. Our system in the earliest videos on my channel is located at 8600 ft in Colorado and is a similar elevation. Our temps at night get down to -10° frequently in Winter and we've never had it freeze up. Moving water seems to not freeze particularly if the penstock is buried. Thanks for watching
The Z pipe reduces the scientific energy of the flow, but if the slope of the pressure pipe had been corrected so that this change was not so abrupt, it would even reduce the water hammer generated. I would like to understand why it was executed this way. Regards
The draft tube on the bottom of the turbine is what actually keeps the working pressure at the lowest point of the penstock as it provides a couple of feet of "downward pull" or negative pressure on the water as it exits the turbine. At least thats what I was taught. The Z pipe only has 2-45° bends and this will create minimal friction on the water. Its a choice the designer made and ultimately I think a good one. Leaving the penstock above ground in a sloping manner might create other problems in a heavy winter freezing environment. Water hammer generally is a problem resulting from too abruptly changing the speed of the water by overly rapid changes to control valves. Thanks for watching!
Part 2 about this system ruclips.net/video/8oE7hULefA4/видео.html at 4:24 shows a placard on the turbine and indicates a rated design capacity of 6.6 kW along with other design characteristics and contact info for the mfr. I don’t own this system so I don’t have data as to how the system output varies depending on seasonal changes of flow. It may be capturing this much year round, but that is an enormous amount of power (158 kWh per day) which in winter could be used to heat the house. In summer, I would guess it is too much power to put to good use. If the system was tied to the grid, they could feed it there. This site is off grid however. If it were grid tied, they could effectively use the grid as their battery bank. Thanks for watching.
It isn’t MY system as I only documented the project and don’t own it. I believe the owner eventually plans to build other structures and the large amount of power will be used to power all of them on this off grid property. Thx for watching
Interesting. I thought the dam was a pretty solid design/idea. Time will tell. I will visit the site and see how stable it is. The designer also incorporated an anode-cathode system on the dam to reduce corrosion. Thx for watching!
@@easternwoods4378 Hi Ernie, You are most likely correct in that assessment. I'm working now on Part 2 and the heightened water flow which I filmed in early June was easily handled by the design. There wasn't any way to film the Anode/Cathode system which was all submerged, so I won't be putting any of that in the video. There was one viewer that felt the dam design would greatly impede the migration of fish, but not being the designer or owner myself, I have no way to change or comment on that. Hope you are well. Cheers
@@mrhydroheadevery stream has a large amount of highly abrasive silt and gravel material flowing down with the water, which is constantly grinding down the protective coating and thus exposing the steel to corrosion. Not to mention the lack of a proper foundation.
These may indeed be weaknesses of the system. Only time will tell. I've only visited the site once, so I don't know if these are issues yet. I know the owner intended to construct a silo type structure over the turbine and that may prolong the life of the system on any foundation issue. I was aware of the runner erosion issue on my pelton system (documented elsewhere on my channel) and thats why I chose to divert waters into a meadow where any silt or sand could settle. Thanks for watching and the incisive comment.@@ilijasulc2247
First let me say that this is not "my" system, but one that I am documenting. There may have been a limit how much water could be diverted through the system so as to not damage seasonal capacity for fish habitat. The output design is more than adequate for the owner's needs. The expected output is 3-6KW which is 72-144 kWh/day. Thats a LOT of power and the design has battery storage as well. I didn't design or install the system, but was permitted to make a video about it. The penstock is designed for a flow of 3 cfs and the 12" pipe can handle this flow without excessive pipe friction. The 11 meters of head is what can be contained within the property boundaries. The Turbine is indeed a Francis design made in China by HS Dynamic Energy Co. www.hs-dynamics.com It has designed capacity for 6.6KW at 784RPM with suitable flow of 2.9cfs and suitable head of 33 feet. In June I was able to visit the site and will be posting another video which has more detail on this system before long. I hope this answers your questions. Thanks for watching!
@@mrhydrohead thanks this indeed answers my questions very well. I'm currently looking at designing and implementing a similar system so I really appreciate your response.
No idea what you are referring to. I didn't shoot all the footage in this video and it was shared with me by the contractor. Hence I wasn't present for the activities in this video.
I expect they will get between 3-6kw steady generation. It will be hooked up to a battery/inverter system and may store 72-144kWh per day. I've not been to see it yet and the next video will have more on that. Thanks for watching!
Yes Americans are spoiled with the access and utilization to electricity. It isn’t MY system as I only documented the project and don’t own it. I believe the owner eventually plans to build other structures and the large amount of power will be used to power all of them on this off grid property. Thx for watching
i am very excited about the potential of this type of systems, for me the life cycl impact of the hydroelectric dam is much less than the other types of green energy, purely because of how long the dam can operate relative to the impact period. a big issue with the consideration in envirmental impact assessment is the period of time and the impact of all the materials used to make it from the mining to the forging. Dams have a big impact in lowlands but in highlands it is not as wide spread. smaller dams in rivers seems to have a low impact, if there is some issue of cutting off species this can be mitigated. this has been done with trout i beleive. so this has some potential as animals and ecosystems can addapte but not if we keep changing things at rates that are faster than the evolution of the landscape or the species there already. so like solar panels are great but the panels are deterioting fast. how long is the dam lasting, maybe it fine to use some steel but probably better to use local materials. to reduce the initial impact, most of the impacts are proxied by the thermodynamic cost so that is somehting to consdire with the moving of material and the life cycle, persisten chemicals hazards etc not considered. fund and subsidees or cheep oil makes some material seem more cost effective in the short term but in the 150 year scale they end up being much more expensive.
When you look at the bigger picture, it seems all technologies have unexpected impacts. But trying to anticipate all impacts IS the proper approach. Thanks for watching!
Part 2 about this project has a placard @ 4:25 with ratings and mfr contact info. 6.6kw on this unit and part 2 has additional info on the system regulation and battery storage. Thx for watching 🙏🏼
Where do you purchase this stuff? What type of materials do I need. Who do I source out for this? I live in British Columbia Canada and have a property identical to this I want to setup like this.
Let me say you should watch Part 2 on this system (ruclips.net/video/8oE7hULefA4/видео.html). In there @4:25 is a placard on the turbine with contact info for that particular device. I would strongly advise that every micro hydro site is unique in how much power potential there is and what the best approach to harnessing it might be. It is important to have a good knowledge of your energy needs, budget, equipment options, legal restrictions and time horizon for your intended system. Not having a good overview can result in very expensive mistakes and frustration. There are a lot of systems in BC and very able designer/installers in the province. My first system was designed with the help of a BC engineer who is now in Costa Rica. I think it would be best to locate someone locally who can give you guidance before assuming a system like this would be your best choice. You are paying for all future power up front, so none of this is inexpensive.@@samanthagallagher7584
This is a system which I don’t own and merely documented. I guess that the cost would be more than $100k although I don’t know the specifics. However I do know that utility power is far far away and the cost of bringing it to the property would be much greater than harnessing the power of the water and you would then be presented monthly bills as well. Thx 🙏 for watching
Perhaps, but for the amount of power provided you would need an enormous array of panels to equal the output of this system. No intermittency from day/night or cloud cover as well. And when it snows, would you want to clear the panels? Each person needs to make choices as to what is best. Thanks for watching
I spent 13 months in hospital and recovery, so no videos for a while. This is the second video examining others’ systems. First in the new series is here: ruclips.net/video/Bh8ngja_qNk/видео.html Thanks for watching!
@@mrhydrohead Sorry to hear that, I hope you are better now.RUclips didn't notify my of your response for some reason. I will be watching all of those videos. Cheers.
The system I own on my property and documented on this channel has been running since 1996 and I expect it will continue to provide power for the next several decades. I am not the owner of this Francis Turbine system. I merely documented this particular system. Even if I did provide cost figures, it would not be of much benefit as each system is unique to the chosen site and costs can vary widely depending on numerous factors. First there is the potential power available at the particular site which dictates if the desired use of that power is practical. Who will design the system? What will be the best equipment and materials available to meet the unique requirements of the most beneficial and practical design? Then there are expenses involved in acquiring water rights which are likely different in each state or country depending on a pro se (self applied) application or hiring lawyer to work on them. Who will do the labor to install the system? Is it your own sweat equity, friends that can help, or hired labor and at what rate? How much time will it take to install? What materials can be accessed? Reused or new pipe, copper or aluminum wire? How long a length of wire? What building(s) will house the equipment? What transformers, batteries, load regulators, power shunts, or utility net metering are available and/or appropriate to the particular site? All of theses factors can add to the costs and it would be naive of me to present a one size fits all price. One must be clear that installing a system is creating an asset which would likely provide power for a lifetime. Can it be financed over time and does that cost make economic sense when compared to running utility lines to an off grid property? Will a local utility be willing to purchase excess power and at what rate? Undertaking a project of this size is not for the faint of heart. It IS a large commitment both financially and in effort and time. You pay for all future power up front. Thanks for watching
Why destroy good spawning habitat for trouts and insects and other wildlife with dam? you are contributing to the loss of biome which is huge problem world wide. So many moving parts which need maintenance over time. Why wind or solar power was not not good enough that u needed to destroy this nice stream?
First let me say that this is not "my" system, but one that I am documenting. I didn't design or install the system, but was permitted to make a video about it. There likely was a limit how much water would be diverted through the system so as to not damage seasonal capacity for fish habitat. This is something that is regulated by the governing water commission and I assure you that the fish habitat was taken into account with the water right for non consumptive diversion. The consistency of micro hydro far surpasses solar and wind is not really a viable source at this site. Maintenance of the system is minimal. Your tone is offensive and this system hasn't "destroyed" the ecosystem. Nonetheless, thank you for watching.
@@mrhydrohead i wouldn't be offensive if i wouldn't see any problems with this dam. Okay lets talk about issues with this setup. Its looking like its late fall when this is installed, there has been some snowfall and the weather is most likely above freezing when filmed. Usually fall is rainy so im assuming we are on high flow rates on this stream when filmed. Also salmonoids migrate in fall so its not right time to go dig in streams and rivers. Looking at 3:36 Flow over the screen is barely suitable for fish and the biggest problem is that theres no pool under the screen, only rocks and shallow whitewater so fish wouldn't have any space to gather up speed to jump or swim over the screen so this system is totally blocking migrating fish to go upstream. Also if there was a pool, only the biggest and strongest fishes would have the ability to jump or swim over that screen. I highly doupt that habitat was taken into account when doing this because end result would been really different.
@@mrhydrohead im watching stuff like reversed washing kmachines and this (as preperation on move in near future) ruclips.net/video/L16s6aUJ0ns/видео.html ... 1 1/4 inch pipes, 3 inch maybe 4 and then seeing urs with 12 inch pipes. urs just another level. enjoyed and learned. Thanks! (If u wudnt mind telling, what were the costs of your build?)
Sorry for the slow reply. Pipe sizing is best dictated by the site itself as how long and how much flow will dictate how much pressure is lost to pipe friction. The Dif between 1.25 and 4" is massive. I am not the owner of this system. I merely documented this particular system. I believe it was over $100k although I don't have access to the real numbers. This system had no sweat equity from the owners. Even if I could provide cost figures, it would not be of much benefit as each system is unique to the chosen site and costs can vary widely depending on numerous factors. First there is the potential power available at the particular site which dictates if the desired use of that power is practical. Who will design the system? What will be the best equipment and materials available to meet the unique requirements of the most beneficial and practical design? Then there are expenses involved in acquiring water rights which are likely different in each state or country depending on a pro se (self applied) application or hiring lawyer to work on them. Who will do the labor to install the system? Is it your own sweat equity, friends that can help, or hired labor and at what rate? How much time will it take to install? What materials can be accessed? Reused or new pipe, copper or aluminum wire? How long a length of wire? What building(s) will house the equipment? What transformers, batteries, load regulators, power shunts, or utility net metering are available and/or appropriate to the particular site? All of theses factors can add to the costs and it would be naive of me to present a one size fits all price. One must be clear that installing a system is creating an asset which would likely provide power for a lifetime. Can it be financed over time and does that cost make economic sense when compared to running utility lines to an off grid property? Will a local utility be willing to purchase excess power and at what rate? Undertaking a project of this size is not for the faint of heart. It IS a large commitment both financially and in effort and time. My first system (1.5kw) which I own and documented on this channel cost ~$25k and was installed in the mid 90’s. Redesigning and moving the same equipment to a more reliable water source was also documented on my channel and took place between 2013-2015 and added another ~$55k but boosted the useable power by a factor of 5 to 7.5kw. WHEN a project occurs occurs is also a factor governing cost. Inflation impacts everything involved and the fact that I intend these videos to remain on the internet for years to come and provide some clear eyed guidance to people that are serious about their own intentions, this dictates that I not mislead them with cost estimates willynilly. Thanks for watching and for your comments. I hope you can gain a broader perspective from the whole channel and benefit from the heart felt intention with which it has freely been shared and provided.
It isn’t MY system as I only documented the project and don’t own it. With the costs of materials and labor I imagine it is in excess of $100k although I was not made privy to a budget. Thx for watching
It isn’t my property or project so I can only say it’s likely over $100k. The 12” penstock and diversion dam along with installation labor and equipment rental is the lion’s share of the cost. Thx for watching!
ROI is just one way to look at it. My own personal Pelton turbine system which I own and the majority of this channel documents is another way of judging it. I am 7 miles from the grid and in 1996 when I decided to originally install my system on spring fed water, the cost per mile to run power lines to me was $20k/mile or $140k and then I would have had monthly utility bills. The cost to put that initial system in was around $25k and I got domestic gravity pressured spring water and a pond to raise fish for that investment. When my springs decreased in output in 2013 I decided to move my equipment to a creek source on my property and the estimate to run power lines in had risen to around $250-300k. The cost to move the system to a new penstock and powerhouse with a new transmission line added about $55k to the original cost, but I got a 5 fold increase in my power capacity and still had my spring fed water source and pond. This made living in my home in Winter at 8600ft in the Colorado mountains possible as nearly all heating is accomplished with Electric and Passive Solar design. So, it wasn't just a question of ROI in my case. It was a no brainer to initially put the system in and the upgrade has proven to be a good investment in the value of the property which is fully off grid. Some people suggest that solar would have been a better choice. However, the cost of solar in 1996 was much higher then vs. today and the consistency of hydro being produced at the reliable level 24/7/365 makes it a joy to live with. No batteries and minimal maintenance has been required. To date my equipment has generated about 477.5 megawatts since 1996 and that is with its being dialed way back in non Winter seasons when demand isn't as necessary. I've never done a calculation on ROI as I accepted the cost benefits to being wired to the grid both in 1996 and 2013. I also accepted that all future power costs would be paid up front as an investment. And, I plan to get an electric vehicle which I will be able to charge with the system as well. All in all its a different approach to valuation in the property vs. ROI and an investment in the present and future worth of self reliance. Thanks for watching and your input.
Yes you must acquire water rights to use the water. I don’t own this system which is in Utah, but my system which is documented on the channel in Colorado required attaining non consumptive water rights via water court. Every state is different to my knowledge. Thx 🙏🏻 for watching
@@wartrailers9398 Most likely. Irrigation rights are considered consumptive. It all depends on the state and how they manage water rights. Involving a lawyer who works on water rights might be the best person to ask about specifics.
@@mrhydrohead We get it up to 36", straight pieces 40 ft long, fusion weld it together. The 12" is 3/8" thick, very abrasion resistant . I've run it for miles above ground for temporay water bypass systems.
Interesting, thank you for making me aware of that. Of course I am not the owner or designer of the system and was granted permission to document the project. I don’t think the installer owns a HDPE welder either. I would guess that HDPE has less pipe friction too. Thanks agin for sharing
The head (fall) of this or any system is dependent on the specific geography of the site. The placement of intake and outlet are selected to optimize the head. Unfortunately what you suggest isn’t possible due to the lay of the land and the water’s course through it. Hope this makes sense. Thx 🙏 for watching!
@@RealSlavGod Exactly. This system is an example of low head/high flow and is potentially producing up to 6kw or 144kWh per day which is 4+ times what a typical American house uses on average
@@mrhydrohead Correct me if im wrongt but you know what would've been easier? Turbulent hydro. The one that uses the flow and spin of water rather than height difference. Way less material needed for that
I asked about silt when I visited the site last month. Silt runs straight thru the turbine with minimal impact. The shut off valve is shown around 3:13 in the video. Thx for watching
@@michaellalanae7228 Apparently not a problem as I’ve been told. You may possibly have a point but only time will tell. The water was very clear in the spring runoff that I saw.
This project is contained entirely within the owners property boundaries. It isn't my property, I was just granted permission to film and share the project. Thx for watching!
Excellent!! Is this system meant to augment or replace the existing system? I know you had many issues with flooding and stabilizing the original pipe system, but either way, glad to see it! This one is built to last.
This is a whole separate system design on someone else's property. This video shows how low head/High flow can also be harnessed. Our system continues to provide more power than we can use. An update on our system will be forthcoming. Thanks for watching!
One of my dreams to have a micro hydro power plant. Cheers
I love our system which is documented in the earlier videos on my channel. Its joy to live with hydro power. Highly recommend it if you can find a suitable site.
Golly, mine too !!
you have set me on a path I feel like I cannot diverge. When I look at my next home, my list of needs has increased to "water source at elevation". Thank you for ALL of your videos and your ability to share information.
This video shows how low head/High flow can also be harnessed. More vids to come. Having your own power source is a joy. Thanks for watching!
Exactly
Haha dude yes same here
@@concretecat It was a no brainer for me, especially after being on other nearby rural property, off grid for 28 years, solar and wind only, that was dry as a bone. When I met with the farmer selling the 40 acre place I have now, he informed me the easement road to the property below mine wasn't the property line, but continued further over to the north, meaning the creek was part of the deal! I hemmed and hawed, trying to get him lower on the price, but he had me! I have a permit for what is called "non-consumptive use" and when the system was in, I invited the rancher below who actually has the full water rights to the creek, up to look it over. Standing at my power station, seeing the amp gauge at 34 at 26 VDC (884 watts, but I lose a bit as it gets inverted and into the grid) and then looking downhill to his sprinkler system operating as normal, we both laughed and shook hands a clear example of a win/win.
In Poland and EU countries, investments in micro-hydroelectric power plants are prohibited. Too many eco-crazies. It's a pity we have to follow the example of the USA.
I would like to know what legal hoops you had to jump through to damn off a natural waterway. Where we are I don't think the envernmental agency would ever concider it. What dose your neighbour say considering the creek is mostly on his property. Water wights can be a scary thing to mess with.
Bingo!!!!
If that stream has fish in it this project, just wrecked the streams habitat for all fish .
This wouldn't get away with this is the Pacific NW - Alaska and Idaho where salmon & Steelhead migrate
I would hope they got all the proper permits for this.
good luck diverting a stream like that in alaska....
you would spend the rest of your life paying off the fines.
not to mention the adjacent property owner , more serious legal problems if they don't like it,
even if it was permitted.
Great to see you back mate, hope you are recovering well. Cheers.
Looks like you can get out about again !!! All the best
Thank you for this detailed and informative video. I have seen several of your videos and am always impressed. Someday we might proceed with such a system here at Waiotemarama Falls Lodge, Opononi, Northland, New Zealand. Cheers, mate.
I love NZ. I visited several times shooting commercials back when I was active as a cinematographer. I hope this info will be helpful should you ever decide to develop a system. Thanks for watching!
Fellow Kiwi here, (living in Aussie)
I have a few hydro projects on the go if you're interested in some help :)
Very informative, not much micro hydro about all this anyway, it will be a very efficient system! thanks, and greetings from geothermal and hydro electric Iceland
The system is rated about 6kw and that would put it in the "Micro" category. At least I think so. Iceland sets an example of how renewables can and should be done. Thx for Watching!
Very interesting. First time I have seen that weir construction method - no temporary diversion and dewatering - it looks effective. That is a confidently executed scheme, I am sure it will do what it should, good work.
Very impressive system well-built!
Thank you for uploading this, do you have an update on your micro hydro system and how that is fairing.
Aj 🇬🇧
I will be doing an update soon. But until then, the system just keeps cranking away. Some hurdles to jump. I was in hospital and rehab for 13 months, so thats why the videos stopped. Thanks for watching
Oke sukses selalu semangat mantap mampir
1230 feet! That 1/5 of a mile.
How many kilo watts is this system?
How much did this project cost and what is the power output?
How much would a system like this typically costs? How do I find properties with creeks!!! Its very hard to find good properties.
It isn’t my property or project so I can only say it’s likely over $100k. Of course with Hydro you are paying for all future electricity up front and if its fully off grid like this system, you need to compare that initial cost to bringing in grid power and living with monthly fees. The 12” penstock and diversion dam along with installation labor and equipment rental was the lion’s share of the cost. Thx for watching!
@@mrhydrohead Yes makes sense. Its a big job.
Can this system act as an pump storage hydropower?
What an amazing idea for off-the-grid power!! Love it!!
Don't call me FRANCIS!
That is an awesome project! I am just getting interested in the world of Hydros, so please tell me why there was a Z-shaped pipe forcing the water upwards at the end. Doesn't that drop the speed of the water making the turbine slower?
Good Question! The purpose of the Z pipe is to enable the position of the turbine above the height of the creek running beside it. This is to protect from the high water levels in Springtime melt off conditions from damaging the turbine. The available pressure level for the water in the system is measured to the height of the water in the draft tube below the turbine. See part 2 for detail about this @2:28-2:37 ruclips.net/video/8oE7hULefA4/видео.html.
So, there is very little loss if any with the use of the Z Tube. Thanks for watching!
This is anything BUT Micro! Using ships motors is not feasible for anyone but the extreme wealthy.
Check it out…en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_hydro?wprov=sfti1 Micro is 5 -100kW. Lower than that is Pico-hydro which most RUclipsrs misname their projects. I don’t know what you’re talking about with ships motors.
Environmentalist would have a field day with this.. Changing the water way is Illegal in my area. No fish ladder?
The project is done with all the proper permits. Thanks for watching.
I have 147' of fall, in 1/4 mile, using a 3" delivery line, and am permitted for a max of 95 GPM non consumptive use, that works out to about 850 watts with my Harris hydro pelton wheel, 17 years in operation now, grid tied. I have a stainless collection box, a HydroScreen (made by a guy name of Bob Weir, how cool is that) that was simply placed under the county culvert at the top of my property, with a telescoping 8" tube with in a tube to give high water adjustments, so not one bit of disturbance to the stream. My water resources board here in Idaho made it real clear (pun intended) they did NOT want to see any construction work that involved heavy equipment and/or silt going into the stream.
Isn’t hydro great!? Lucky you. Our system (elsewhere on this channel) runs 7.2kW in winter and 4.5kW every other season. Now in operation since 1996. I considered a HydroScreen from Bob but took a different approach. This system’s dam is very altering of the stream, but I guess Utah was OK with it. Congrats on being a HydroHead! It’s a great way to live if you can access the resource. Thanks for watching and sharing.
I LIVE IN NEW JERSEY THE STATE CONTROLS WATER RIGHTS FOR THE MOST PART. WHAT STATE IS THIS AND IS THIS PRIVATE PROPERTY?
The system is located in Utah. It is on private property. I don’t own the property and was only documenting the system. I don’t know what the rules are regarding water rights in Utah as I live in Colorado. Thanks for watching.😉
100% of the water is returned to the stream, so the only change is in the area between the inlet and the outlet. I would expect that as long as flow is maintained in this section there should be no objection.
MN DNR would shit themselves if I did this to a stream.
People of course need to obtain water rights to execute a system like this. It's a non-consumptive water right and might or might not be allowed in MN. I don't know how water rights are adjudicated there. Thanks for watching nonetheless
GOOD JOB! :) Regards Paul P.
Us the screen one if my friend Bob Weir's products ??
🤔0:30 was such long pen-stock run necessary?
i get point they share same trench with power-lines to the house. but trench would be more shallow and therefore cheaper if it was only for power-lines.
since you seem to have rather potent river there, would it be possible instead, to get same (or better) yield, but from damn created at the turbine, but with bigger catchment (screen) of water? 🤔
The maximum potential power is achieved through a combination both flow and head (vertical fall where 2.31ft = 1psi). The length of the penstock was required to harness the 30+ feet of head across the property. I'm not sure what other potential units were considered (possibly a turbulent unit www.turbulent.be) but there may have been higher costs with that. 30+ feet of head (30-36 = ~13-15.6 psi of static pressure) is a very low head and the turbulent unit might have been a viable choice but for cost. There also may have been issues with permitting a sizable dam big enough to handle high springtime flows. Or its possible the designer had more experience with this type of design or it was just his preferred method. I don't think the burial of power lines had any impact of the choices made.
I’m shocked that the government didn’t intervene. In most cases just throwing a rock in a stream is illegal.
Or cutting off the stream flow to the other property.
In the USSA the former land of the free I'm surprised they didn't Ruby Ridge him. Probably a city official or knew someone in high places.
Wow you are all restarted or something. It’s called asking your neighbors and doing an environmental survey. Assuming a bunch of shit you heard from pop culture 🤦🏻♂️
Man I love this! This is your previous build 2.0 on mega Steroids!! Can't wait to watch the whole project unfold. Give that finger to the electric grid. Awesome stuff.
5:10 you say drain-valve is import but have you made it accessible or it's just covered with soil?
This first segment was put together with visuals provided to me by the installation crew. So I wasn’t there to see exactly how the pipes are set up. The drain valve is connected to above ground access via the vertical pipe the worker is holding at 5:19. The drain pipe feeds back to the turbine outlet box. In part 2 (ruclips.net/video/8oE7hULefA4/видео.html) at 7:54 you can see that vertical access pipe next to the butterfly valve control. Thanks for asking.
Do you guys have a warehouse in Europe? how much would this cost plus airfreight to Romania?
I point you to the part 2 video about this system. Around 4:25 in that video is contact info for the turbine mfg. They should be able to help you. Hope this helps. Thx for watching 🙏🏼
AVP
it's cool abig ass turbine
Where I can buy this system ?
In part 2 about this system @ 4:25 is a placard with the mfr contact information. Thx for watching! 👍🏻
🤔 5:17 so you are losing some of the potential-energy because of last 2 bends and climb. do you know how much are the losses?
and was it the only way to do it?
did they have to bury pipes so deep because of worry about surface frost? 🤔
You are correct in pointing out the losses from the 2-45 degree bends in the Z pipe. Any fittings or bends will increase pipe friction in the penstock. I will have to look up what the specific loss would be. It probably varies depending on the volume of flow. My guess is that it isn’t a big factor. I imagine they could have designed a subterranean structure for the turbine to keep from raising the pipe, but the danger in doing so would be potential flooding from being lowered towards the creek elevation at high water.
Burying the penstock protects it from damage from vehicles, falling trees, or others. The freezing isn’t so much an issue as fast moving water tends not to form ice although the burial does provide safety in that regard. With the high cost of installation of the penstock any form of protection is advisable.
Thanks for watching and your good questions.
The pressure at the turbine would be reduced by the loss of head from elevating the pipe out of the ground. This would be offset somewhat by the draft tube below the unit on the exit part of the Francis turbine. 45° and 90° fittings add what is considered "minor" friction losses in the penstock. As a follow up, here is a link to software for calculating pressure losses due to fittings in pipe. www.aft.com/products/fathom. Very geeky and likely not necessary.
When installing my own system I ordered lots of fittings to turn the direction of pipe. I was grateful that my contractor simply flexed the pipe in broad turns in the trench to round bends. I'm sure it saved in friction losses rather than using fittings. I can tell you find the series of interest. Thanks again for watching
Very informative, I really enjoy your videos, thank you…
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching!
Pls I will like to learn from you master
The best i have to offer is to view all of the videos I have posted to my channel. There are several micro hydro systems documented there. I first started by showing the two systems I owned and then went on to show two other systems which I was allowed to document. I hope you will learn something from watching all the video. That was my goal in putting them together. Thanks for watching!
How cold is it where you live? Is there any chance of this system freezing?
It isn’t MY system as I only documented the project and don’t own it. Our system in the earliest videos on my channel is located at 8600 ft in Colorado and is a similar elevation. Our temps at night get down to -10° frequently in Winter and we've never had it freeze up. Moving water seems to not freeze particularly if the penstock is buried. Thanks for watching
British engineering.
So true! www.britannica.com/biography/James-Bicheno-Francis Thanks for watching!
The Z pipe reduces the scientific energy of the flow, but if the slope of the pressure pipe had been corrected so that this change was not so abrupt, it would even reduce the water hammer generated. I would like to understand why it was executed this way.
Regards
The draft tube on the bottom of the turbine is what actually keeps the working pressure at the lowest point of the penstock as it provides a couple of feet of "downward pull" or negative pressure on the water as it exits the turbine. At least thats what I was taught. The Z pipe only has 2-45° bends and this will create minimal friction on the water. Its a choice the designer made and ultimately I think a good one. Leaving the penstock above ground in a sloping manner might create other problems in a heavy winter freezing environment.
Water hammer generally is a problem resulting from too abruptly changing the speed of the water by overly rapid changes to control valves. Thanks for watching!
How much power is produced?
Part 2 about this system ruclips.net/video/8oE7hULefA4/видео.html at 4:24 shows a placard on the turbine and indicates a rated design capacity of 6.6 kW along with other design characteristics and contact info for the mfr. I don’t own this system so I don’t have data as to how the system output varies depending on seasonal changes of flow. It may be capturing this much year round, but that is an enormous amount of power (158 kWh per day) which in winter could be used to heat the house. In summer, I would guess it is too much power to put to good use. If the system was tied to the grid, they could feed it there. This site is off grid however. If it were grid tied, they could effectively use the grid as their battery bank.
Thanks for watching.
What an amazing video! Thanks
super cool
Thx for watching!
Was it a great or idea? Would it powermore than one house?
It isn’t MY system as I only documented the project and don’t own it. I believe the owner eventually plans to build other structures and the large amount of power will be used to power all of them on this off grid property. Thx for watching
Ur voice and music 👏🏻🙌🏻🤤😴
Thanks for watching
Nice! Overall the system looks great, but the dam seems to be the weak spot.
Interesting. I thought the dam was a pretty solid design/idea. Time will tell. I will visit the site and see how stable it is. The designer also incorporated an anode-cathode system on the dam to reduce corrosion. Thx for watching!
@@mrhydrohead OOOOO nice. Looks like it's about 3/4 steel plate. Will probably outlast all of us
@@easternwoods4378 Hi Ernie, You are most likely correct in that assessment. I'm working now on Part 2 and the heightened water flow which I filmed in early June was easily handled by the design. There wasn't any way to film the Anode/Cathode system which was all submerged, so I won't be putting any of that in the video. There was one viewer that felt the dam design would greatly impede the migration of fish, but not being the designer or owner myself, I have no way to change or comment on that. Hope you are well. Cheers
@@mrhydroheadevery stream has a large amount of highly abrasive silt and gravel material flowing down with the water, which is constantly grinding down the protective coating and thus exposing the steel to corrosion. Not to mention the lack of a proper foundation.
These may indeed be weaknesses of the system. Only time will tell. I've only visited the site once, so I don't know if these are issues yet. I know the owner intended to construct a silo type structure over the turbine and that may prolong the life of the system on any foundation issue.
I was aware of the runner erosion issue on my pelton system (documented elsewhere on my channel) and thats why I chose to divert waters into a meadow where any silt or sand could settle. Thanks for watching and the incisive comment.@@ilijasulc2247
Why are you using 12" penstoke with only 1350 gpm and 11 meters of head? Is that a Francis turbine you are using? What is your power potential Calc?
First let me say that this is not "my" system, but one that I am documenting. There may have been a limit how much water could be diverted through the system so as to not damage seasonal capacity for fish habitat. The output design is more than adequate for the owner's needs. The expected output is 3-6KW which is 72-144 kWh/day. Thats a LOT of power and the design has battery storage as well.
I didn't design or install the system, but was permitted to make a video about it. The penstock is designed for a flow of 3 cfs and the 12" pipe can handle this flow without excessive pipe friction.
The 11 meters of head is what can be contained within the property boundaries.
The Turbine is indeed a Francis design made in China by HS Dynamic Energy Co.
www.hs-dynamics.com It has designed capacity for 6.6KW at 784RPM with suitable flow of 2.9cfs and suitable head of 33 feet.
In June I was able to visit the site and will be posting another video which has more detail on this system before long.
I hope this answers your questions. Thanks for watching!
@@mrhydrohead thanks this indeed answers my questions very well. I'm currently looking at designing and implementing a similar system so I really appreciate your response.
@@sbsankey cool , stay tuned, more to come
looks to be a low head model? Not much of a fall ?
The head as shown around 0:44 in the video is about 36ft. Thanks for watching
Awesome! But the tape positioned so close to the pipe will make it useless.
Great point! I agree. This isn’t MY system as I only documented the project and don’t own it. Thanks for watching
who dented the digger?
No idea what you are referring to. I didn't shoot all the footage in this video and it was shared with me by the contractor. Hence I wasn't present for the activities in this video.
how many kwh are you expecting?
I expect they will get between 3-6kw steady generation. It will be hooked up to a battery/inverter system and may store 72-144kWh per day. I've not been to see it yet and the next video will have more on that. Thanks for watching!
Micro for Americans isn’t micro at all.
Yes Americans are spoiled with the access and utilization to electricity. It isn’t MY system as I only documented the project and don’t own it. I believe the owner eventually plans to build other structures and the large amount of power will be used to power all of them on this off grid property. Thx for watching
Wow,i like video 👍🤗
Thx for watching!
i am very excited about the potential of this type of systems, for me the life cycl impact of the hydroelectric dam is much less than the other types of green energy, purely because of how long the dam can operate relative to the impact period. a big issue with the consideration in envirmental impact assessment is the period of time and the impact of all the materials used to make it from the mining to the forging. Dams have a big impact in lowlands but in highlands it is not as wide spread. smaller dams in rivers seems to have a low impact, if there is some issue of cutting off species this can be mitigated. this has been done with trout i beleive. so this has some potential as animals and ecosystems can addapte but not if we keep changing things at rates that are faster than the evolution of the landscape or the species there already. so like solar panels are great but the panels are deterioting fast. how long is the dam lasting, maybe it fine to use some steel but probably better to use local materials. to reduce the initial impact, most of the impacts are proxied by the thermodynamic cost so that is somehting to consdire with the moving of material and the life cycle, persisten chemicals hazards etc not considered. fund and subsidees or cheep oil makes some material seem more cost effective in the short term but in the 150 year scale they end up being much more expensive.
When you look at the bigger picture, it seems all technologies have unexpected impacts. But trying to anticipate all impacts IS the proper approach. Thanks for watching!
What size of Francis turbine was used on this project? Please
Part 2 about this project has a placard @ 4:25 with ratings and mfr contact info. 6.6kw on this unit and part 2 has additional info on the system regulation and battery storage. Thx for watching 🙏🏼
Where do you purchase this stuff? What type of materials do I need. Who do I source out for this? I live in British Columbia Canada and have a property identical to this I want to setup like this.
Let me say you should watch Part 2 on this system (ruclips.net/video/8oE7hULefA4/видео.html). In there @4:25 is a placard on the turbine with contact info for that particular device. I would strongly advise that every micro hydro site is unique in how much power potential there is and what the best approach to harnessing it might be. It is important to have a good knowledge of your energy needs, budget, equipment options, legal restrictions and time horizon for your intended system. Not having a good overview can result in very expensive mistakes and frustration.
There are a lot of systems in BC and very able designer/installers in the province. My first system was designed with the help of a BC engineer who is now in Costa Rica. I think it would be best to locate someone locally who can give you guidance before assuming a system like this would be your best choice. You are paying for all future power up front, so none of this is inexpensive.@@samanthagallagher7584
Yaha nudi khahe
Awesome, what is the cost if i can ask?
This is a system which I don’t own and merely documented. I guess that the cost would be more than $100k although I don’t know the specifics. However I do know that utility power is far far away and the cost of bringing it to the property would be much greater than harnessing the power of the water and you would then be presented monthly bills as well. Thx 🙏 for watching
solar panels gotta be easier and cheaper
Perhaps, but for the amount of power provided you would need an enormous array of panels to equal the output of this system. No intermittency from day/night or cloud cover as well. And when it snows, would you want to clear the panels? Each person needs to make choices as to what is best. Thanks for watching
Hey you are back. Have been waiting for years.
I spent 13 months in hospital and recovery, so no videos for a while. This is the second video examining others’ systems. First in the new series is here: ruclips.net/video/Bh8ngja_qNk/видео.html Thanks for watching!
@@mrhydrohead Sorry to hear that, I hope you are better now.RUclips didn't notify my of your response for some reason. I will be watching all of those videos. Cheers.
Wow, such a clean job . Your video are inspiring to create. Instant subscribe
Thanks for watching
Amazing.
Thank you! Cheers!
How long will it last? How much does it cost to install this way.😅😅
The system I own on my property and documented on this channel has been running since 1996 and I expect it will continue to provide power for the next several decades. I am not the owner of this Francis Turbine system. I merely documented this particular system. Even if I did provide cost figures, it would not be of much benefit as each system is unique to the chosen site and costs can vary widely depending on numerous factors. First there is the potential power available at the particular site which dictates if the desired use of that power is practical. Who will design the system? What will be the best equipment and materials available to meet the unique requirements of the most beneficial and practical design? Then there are expenses involved in acquiring water rights which are likely different in each state or country depending on a pro se (self applied) application or hiring lawyer to work on them. Who will do the labor to install the system? Is it your own sweat equity, friends that can help, or hired labor and at what rate? How much time will it take to install? What materials can be accessed? Reused or new pipe, copper or aluminum wire? How long a length of wire? What building(s) will house the equipment? What transformers, batteries, load regulators, power shunts, or utility net metering are available and/or appropriate to the particular site? All of theses factors can add to the costs and it would be naive of me to present a one size fits all price.
One must be clear that installing a system is creating an asset which would likely provide power for a lifetime. Can it be financed over time and does that cost make economic sense when compared to running utility lines to an off grid property? Will a local utility be willing to purchase excess power and at what rate? Undertaking a project of this size is not for the faint of heart. It IS a large commitment both financially and in effort and time. You pay for all future power up front.
Thanks for watching
Nice job 👍
Thanks 👍
Thank you for the video uploaded...!!!
My pleasure. Thanks for watching
Great video! I would like to ask how much fall is there between intake and outlet.
Its in the video near the beginning. 36ft. Thx for watching!
awesome vid as always...thank you for sharing..
Thanks for watching!
Awesome, this is how to live with nature.
Thx 🙏 for watching
Why destroy good spawning habitat for trouts and insects and other wildlife with dam? you are contributing to the loss of biome which is huge problem world wide. So many moving parts which need maintenance over time. Why wind or solar power was not not good enough that u needed to destroy this nice stream?
First let me say that this is not "my" system, but one that I am documenting. I didn't design or install the system, but was permitted to make a video about it. There likely was a limit how much water would be diverted through the system so as to not damage seasonal capacity for fish habitat. This is something that is regulated by the governing water commission and I assure you that the fish habitat was taken into account with the water right for non consumptive diversion.
The consistency of micro hydro far surpasses solar and wind is not really a viable source at this site. Maintenance of the system is minimal.
Your tone is offensive and this system hasn't "destroyed" the ecosystem. Nonetheless, thank you for watching.
@@mrhydrohead i wouldn't be offensive if i wouldn't see any problems with this dam. Okay lets talk about issues with this setup. Its looking like its late fall when this is installed, there has been some snowfall and the weather is most likely above freezing when filmed. Usually fall is rainy so im assuming we are on high flow rates on this stream when filmed. Also salmonoids migrate in fall so its not right time to go dig in streams and rivers. Looking at 3:36 Flow over the screen is barely suitable for fish and the biggest problem is that theres no pool under the screen, only rocks and shallow whitewater so fish wouldn't have any space to gather up speed to jump or swim over the screen so this system is totally blocking migrating fish to go upstream. Also if there was a pool, only the biggest and strongest fishes would have the ability to jump or swim over that screen. I highly doupt that habitat was taken into account when doing this because end result would been really different.
you said Micro lol
Yes indeed it is. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_hydro
5-100kw is micro, below 5kw is pico. Thx for watching 🙏🏼
@@mrhydrohead im watching stuff like reversed washing kmachines and this (as preperation on move in near future) ruclips.net/video/L16s6aUJ0ns/видео.html ... 1 1/4 inch pipes, 3 inch maybe 4 and then seeing urs with 12 inch pipes. urs just another level. enjoyed and learned. Thanks! (If u wudnt mind telling, what were the costs of your build?)
Sorry for the slow reply. Pipe sizing is best dictated by the site itself as how long and how much flow will dictate how much pressure is lost to pipe friction. The Dif between 1.25 and 4" is massive. I am not the owner of this system. I merely documented this particular system. I believe it was over $100k although I don't have access to the real numbers. This system had no sweat equity from the owners. Even if I could provide cost figures, it would not be of much benefit as each system is unique to the chosen site and costs can vary widely depending on numerous factors. First there is the potential power available at the particular site which dictates if the desired use of that power is practical. Who will design the system? What will be the best equipment and materials available to meet the unique requirements of the most beneficial and practical design? Then there are expenses involved in acquiring water rights which are likely different in each state or country depending on a pro se (self applied) application or hiring lawyer to work on them. Who will do the labor to install the system? Is it your own sweat equity, friends that can help, or hired labor and at what rate? How much time will it take to install? What materials can be accessed? Reused or new pipe, copper or aluminum wire? How long a length of wire? What building(s) will house the equipment? What transformers, batteries, load regulators, power shunts, or utility net metering are available and/or appropriate to the particular site? All of theses factors can add to the costs and it would be naive of me to present a one size fits all price.
One must be clear that installing a system is creating an asset which would likely provide power for a lifetime. Can it be financed over time and does that cost make economic sense when compared to running utility lines to an off grid property? Will a local utility be willing to purchase excess power and at what rate? Undertaking a project of this size is not for the faint of heart. It IS a large commitment both financially and in effort and time.
My first system (1.5kw) which I own and documented on this channel cost ~$25k and was installed in the mid 90’s. Redesigning and moving the same equipment to a more reliable water source was also documented on my channel and took place between 2013-2015 and added another ~$55k but boosted the useable power by a factor of 5 to 7.5kw. WHEN a project occurs occurs is also a factor governing cost. Inflation impacts everything involved and the fact that I intend these videos to remain on the internet for years to come and provide some clear eyed guidance to people that are serious about their own intentions, this dictates that I not mislead them with cost estimates willynilly.
Thanks for watching and for your comments. I hope you can gain a broader perspective from the whole channel and benefit from the heart felt intention with which it has freely been shared and provided.
How much did it cost you?
It isn’t MY system as I only documented the project and don’t own it. With the costs of materials and labor I imagine it is in excess of $100k although I was not made privy to a budget. Thx for watching
Thanks for sharing man. Great video!
You might enjoy Part 2. Thx for watching!
love seeing different types and size of micro-hydro
More to come. Thanks for watching!
😎👍
Thx for watching!
how was the total cost of the project?
It isn’t my property or project so I can only say it’s likely over $100k. The 12” penstock and diversion dam along with installation labor and equipment rental is the lion’s share of the cost. Thx for watching!
Return on investment must be better the 15% or its a loss
ROI is just one way to look at it. My own personal Pelton turbine system which I own and the majority of this channel documents is another way of judging it. I am 7 miles from the grid and in 1996 when I decided to originally install my system on spring fed water, the cost per mile to run power lines to me was $20k/mile or $140k and then I would have had monthly utility bills. The cost to put that initial system in was around $25k and I got domestic gravity pressured spring water and a pond to raise fish for that investment. When my springs decreased in output in 2013 I decided to move my equipment to a creek source on my property and the estimate to run power lines in had risen to around $250-300k. The cost to move the system to a new penstock and powerhouse with a new transmission line added about $55k to the original cost, but I got a 5 fold increase in my power capacity and still had my spring fed water source and pond. This made living in my home in Winter at 8600ft in the Colorado mountains possible as nearly all heating is accomplished with Electric and Passive Solar design.
So, it wasn't just a question of ROI in my case. It was a no brainer to initially put the system in and the upgrade has proven to be a good investment in the value of the property which is fully off grid. Some people suggest that solar would have been a better choice. However, the cost of solar in 1996 was much higher then vs. today and the consistency of hydro being produced at the reliable level 24/7/365 makes it a joy to live with. No batteries and minimal maintenance has been required. To date my equipment has generated about 477.5 megawatts since 1996 and that is with its being dialed way back in non Winter seasons when demand isn't as necessary. I've never done a calculation on ROI as I accepted the cost benefits to being wired to the grid both in 1996 and 2013. I also accepted that all future power costs would be paid up front as an investment. And, I plan to get an electric vehicle which I will be able to charge with the system as well. All in all its a different approach to valuation in the property vs. ROI and an investment in the present and future worth of self reliance.
Thanks for watching and your input.
hello do you need any permits to do this ?
Yes you must acquire water rights to use the water. I don’t own this system which is in Utah, but my system which is documented on the channel in Colorado required attaining non consumptive water rights via water court. Every state is different to my knowledge. Thx 🙏🏻 for watching
@@mrhydrohead understood, if i wanted also to use the water for crops would i need another permit?
@@wartrailers9398 Most likely. Irrigation rights are considered consumptive. It all depends on the state and how they manage water rights. Involving a lawyer who works on water rights might be the best person to ask about specifics.
@@mrhydrohead when i will move to the us and have the cash to buy some land I'll surely ask a lawyer
Why PVC? Could you use HDPE pipe?
I don’t think HDPE comes in 12”. If it did can you imagine trying to unroll it? Ouch. Thx for watching
@@mrhydrohead We get it up to 36", straight pieces 40 ft long, fusion weld it together. The 12" is 3/8" thick, very abrasion resistant . I've run it for miles above ground for temporay water bypass systems.
Interesting, thank you for making me aware of that. Of course I am not the owner or designer of the system and was granted permission to document the project. I don’t think the installer owns a HDPE welder either. I would guess that HDPE has less pipe friction too. Thanks agin for sharing
Might be a stupid question but why so much run? Why not just make it shorter with more drop?
The head (fall) of this or any system is dependent on the specific geography of the site. The placement of intake and outlet are selected to optimize the head. Unfortunately what you suggest isn’t possible due to the lay of the land and the water’s course through it. Hope this makes sense. Thx 🙏 for watching!
@MrHydrohead oh that makes sense. So the creek itself didn't have much drop that's why you had to run it down further?
@@RealSlavGod Exactly. This system is an example of low head/high flow and is potentially producing up to 6kw or 144kWh per day which is 4+ times what a typical American house uses on average
@@mrhydrohead Thats quite an impressive power output. Good on you! I really enjoyed the videos too.
@@mrhydrohead Correct me if im wrongt but you know what would've been easier? Turbulent hydro. The one that uses the flow and spin of water rather than height difference. Way less material needed for that
Great video!🙂
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching.
Super excited for this new series!
Working on an update just now. Thanks for watching
Big thanks
You're welcome!
What about a silt filter and shut off ?
I asked about silt when I visited the site last month. Silt runs straight thru the turbine with minimal impact. The shut off valve is shown around 3:13 in the video. Thx for watching
@@mrhydrohead if silt fills the hole the system fails and all your money is wasted that's the point I'm making
@@michaellalanae7228 Apparently not a problem as I’ve been told. You may possibly have a point but only time will tell. The water was very clear in the spring runoff that I saw.
@@mrhydrohead great to hear .I love the idea though .you also have to remember ice is also an enemy .
awesome mate well done
Thanks for watching!
Wow looks promising
I'm sure you probably saw part 2, but if you haven't I posted it Aug 2. Thanks for watching
Part 2 ???
It’s on my laptop being edited. It won’t be long until it posts. Thx for asking
Haven’t watched it all, but did you get the other properties permission to divert water flow?
This project is contained entirely within the owners property boundaries. It isn't my property, I was just granted permission to film and share the project. Thx for watching!
@@mrhydrohead I drink your milkshake.
@@JohnnyArtPavlou Lol! Hopefully its more nutritious than Kool-Aid. Thanks for watching!
Excellent!! Is this system meant to augment or replace the existing system? I know you had many issues with flooding and stabilizing the original pipe system, but either way, glad to see it! This one is built to last.
This is a whole separate system design on someone else's property. This video shows how low head/High flow can also be harnessed. Our system continues to provide more power than we can use. An update on our system will be forthcoming. Thanks for watching!
@@mrhydrohead Awesome!
@@TexasVeteranPatriot Heres a link the first alternate system on someone else's property:
ruclips.net/video/Bh8ngja_qNk/видео.html
Good work
Part 2 with more details coming soon. Thx for watching
hope to see more on this project looks great
Part 2 is on my laptop being edited. It won’t be long until it posts. Thx for watching
can't wait to see part 2!
It’s done, Just verifying the content with the designer for his approval and then I will post it.
@@mrhydrohead love your video's, they gave me a whole new look at hydro. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Where is part 2? I wana know bout that turbine lol
It’s on my laptop being edited. It won’t be long until it posts. Thx for asking
@@mrhydrohead well done 👍 well i guess good things take time.