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[SBB]

Was wondering if anyone here had information or experience with using water (a stream) to generate electricity?
The stream/creek has a lot of flow and a lot of drop.
I just thought it would be interesting to convert the power of the water flowing downhill to make power.
How practical is it to do that?
Any link to practical applications would be helpful.
I know, a crazy question to ask on a MC forum but, the members here have a lot of experience and maybe someone knows of a system.

SBB

[martys]

Hi Chip,    We have a company in town up here that specialize in generating Hydro Power I do believe that they do many projects in the USA and might be able to help you with your project.  The web site for this company is BARBER HYMAC HYDRO INC. I'm sure there is probably companies in your area that do this as well but its the best I can do for you from way up here in the Great White North. 

P.S.  If you do contact this company tell them Marty Smits gave you their info, I know the family that owns it.

Marty

[CVOThunder]

Home Power magazine has some good articles it seems. I didn't check them all out but a 3 year subscription allows you to download digital copies back to 1987. They cover all forms of power like hydro, wind, solar PV, and solar hot water. I'm considering the hot water since my house uses hydronic tubes and a natural gas boiler. But ROI is rather iffie since the annual utilies for the past 3 years breaks down to $4 a day averaged. Of course that's just one person so when I get home those costs will go up. But considering it's a 3850sq ft home in Idaho I'm very impressed with the costs. The power company told her that they need to come check the power meter cuz the monthly electric bill used to be $400 a month. She told them there is no longer a family living here, just one person. Guess they had every light, tv and stereo on in the house. TMI and a bit of a h/j.

I better get back to packin'. Leaving Iraq and heading for Afghanistan real soon. Cheers and hope you find some good info.

[DaBigNuttedMan]

went hiking in johnson cyn in the sierra nevada mountains once and near the bottom on the west side coming down I noticed a pipe with an intake of water in a swim hole size resivoir of a creek, that pipe ran down the hill about a 1/4 mile parallel to the creek to a generator [obviously creating head pressure], in a three sided building with a protective metal grate on one wall we saw a water powered generator really spining fast making power and returning the water to the creek that it paralled. made me realize it's not exactly a paddle wheel on some thing like a mill house. it needed that pipe full of head not just a small water fall.

[SBB]

Thanks guys.
Any links to a home system would be great!

SBB

[mrmagloo]

I have no idea of your specific situation, but I believe I read somewhere about some fellow who tried to do something like this on a stream going through his very own property (both sides) and got into some big trouble with the feds. Something about all navigable waterways being public, and the definition of navigable is pretty extreme. Even if the river, stream or creek dries up for most of the year, and can only handle as little as a canoe during short periods of the year, it's still considered navigable and as a result, the beds and banks are public, and any disruption of the flow by ajointing private owners without approval and permit risks serious fines plus restoration costs. The Army Corps of Engineers I think got involved with that case, and gosh the guy pretty much lost his life savings.

The bottom line was, you need to get approval from the appropriate authorities before messing with building anything effecting waterways, even if it's a tiny creek. It's not worth the risk of making an innocent mistake.

[cvobiker]

Was wondering if anyone here had information or experience with using water (a stream) to generate electricity?
The stream/creek has a lot of flow and a lot of drop.
I just thought it would be interesting to convert the power of the water flowing downhill to make power.
How practical is it to do that?
Any link to practical applications would be helpful.
I know, a crazy question to ask on a MC forum but, the members here have a lot of experience and maybe someone knows of a system.

SBB

Interesting question, I Google hydro home power and got this article off the bat.   I think you will enjoy it www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=235000&dfpPParams=ind_182,aid_235000&dfpLayout=article