Small and hydroelectric don't usually go together. I've looked into it a little, mostly in the area of hydraulic rams and screw pumps to move water for livestock. It might be easier to get an answer if you define "small"

I've been reading about micro hydoelectric. However I'm no electrician so I'm not sure what the potential for this would be. Maybe backup to the power company or are we talking whole house potential?

Well, true enough, a lot would depend on the installation.

Anyhow, Oneshot's question. (and a bit of a loaded one at that) For some, that's enough power, and for others, not even close. It all depends on your situation. The easiest way to see what you'd need is take a look at your electric bill. It will tell you what you use (in kWh's) for the month. Dividing the total by 30 will roughly give you your daily kWh's.

Now mind you, a typical home isn't configured for efficient use of electricity. Grid electric is generally cheap enough that folks don't mind wasting it. (here in my area, wholesale rate contracts expire in 2007 and costs are anticipated to go up 300%. Then we'll see if folks are still so extravagant in their power usage) For off grid folks, design of their homes and regulation of power usage extremely lowers the amount of power used, and still live comfortably. Though, self generation costs more than grid power. (well, at least for now) I doubt you'd ever break even generating you're own power. Depending if you'd use a battery bank or grid tied system, the related costs or maintenance will probably always keep you on the negative side.

So what kind of money are we talking? Well, let's look at that 200 watt hydro generator example. Running continuous, it would generate 144 kWh a month. At say, $0.09/kWh, that's a whopping $12.96 of power for the month. Not much of a dent in that electric bill, eh? But many grid tied folks are happy just cutting their electric bill by 30, 50, 70%. The easiest way to cut your bill is simply to conserve electric.

But most folks aren't in it for the money. It's usually a case of either ethical reasons, (Green power!! Save the Earth!!) or because the cost of tying into the grid is prohibitively expensive.

So Oneshot, what kind of water you got there? What's you're climate like? And, how many kWh's you using a month?

Yea, I think we're thinking two different systems. Instead of a spillway design, I was thinking a buried piped system, which would receive it's water from a pool further upstream, and send it to a generator connected to a Pelton or Turgo impulse turbine which can be installed within a "powerhouse". This would allow for year round use, since the system is below the ice and other freeze factors.

With the exemption of the turbine wheel itself, the system can pretty much be homebuilt quite easily. The wheels themselve aren't all that pricey either. The biggest obsticle is having sufficient amount of water with head and flow. Most folks aren't so privledged. In your case, Basil, it sounds like you don't have sufficent head (or fall) to make power with, though river flow/tidal flow generators have been attempted with minimal results.

If there is still interest, this is a good place to start: http://www.homepower.com/education/comp_hydro.cfm

Oneshot,
depending upon your land and creek situation (laws) you can improve by use of a small dam or how the water is divereted.

Cost is relative to what you can build yourself and how much you must rely upon hired labor/expertise.

I know of small farmers that actually have pump-storage systems set up, which maximizes their yield of power from their water sources. They tend to use the grid for the off-peak hours to run the pumps. Some sell back to the utility company so the pump hours are a wash.

-A

One thing to consider is whether the stream is able to maintain constant flow even in dry years. We've been in a drought this year and a lot of local ponds and lakes are so low they aren't even releasing water at all.

This sounds promising.

Waterwheel invention promises cheap electricity.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=425665&in_page_id=1965

:twisted: Muuhahahah (evil laugh) :twisted:

:lol: Heh, I'm not trying to do it on purpose. I just like seeing all the new options in alternative power. Even if some of their claims are a little hard to swallow.

:D Don't feel bad Rod! I like the way you dissect the manufactures claims. I never had the feeling that you were putting down my posts. :)

Here's the patent to that last water wheel I posted.

http://v3.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=WO2006082403&F=0