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Almost bought a house in Wales, off beaten track, it had a darn good stream alongside it, i planned on installing a water driven generator till Dwy Cymru wanted a fee for "abstracting" water.... it would only have turned a paddle wheei
Now we all know how it felt to play in the band on the Titanic...
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  • Netexporter
    Netexporter Posts: 1,744 Forumite
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    The same applies in other parts of the UK. How much power were you expecting to generate?
  • Dustyevsky
    Dustyevsky Posts: 2,172 Forumite
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    Surely the cost, whether you agree with it or not, has to be balanced against the possible gains? It may be arguable that no real extraction would take place, but abandoning something because it offends your principles might be to your overall disadvantage and not particularly sensible.
    Having said that, the viability of a stream for power or water supply needs careful assessment. I'm not in Wales, but I have a very useful-looking stream at present. It won't look so promising in an average August!
    "Money will only make you more of what you already are." T. Harv Eker
  • Surely the cost, whether you agree with it or not, has to be balanced against the possible gains? It may be arguable that no real extraction would take place, but abandoning something because it offends your principles might be to your overall disadvantage and not particularly sensible.
    Having said that, the viability of a stream for power or water supply needs careful assessment. I'm not in Wales, but I have a very useful-looking stream at present. It won't look so promising in an average August!
    The mains supply was erratic,so that was one big plus point, it was either that or a diesel generator (not very eco) one would have hoped for some support for any eco ideas, as for continuity of supply (water) it was - some years - the wettest place in the uk, the locals had web feet....
    Now we all know how it felt to play in the band on the Titanic...
  • Electrician I used here in west Wales installed a generator in a stream on his farm and wasn't charged for it. Maybe he just never told them.
  • Netexporter
    Netexporter Posts: 1,744 Forumite
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    A 3 metre diameter overshot wheel will only produce about 1 to 1.5 kW of electricity.
  • A 3 metre diameter overshot wheel will only produce about 1 to 1.5 kW of electricity.
    the thinking is to charge a bank of batteries and feed into the domestic using an inverter 
    Now we all know how it felt to play in the band on the Titanic...
  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 15,190 Forumite
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    Almost bought a house in Wales, off beaten track,
    Was this recently? Is the house still on Zoopla / Rightmove?

    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Shell (now TT) BB / Lebara mobi. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 33MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
    Not exactly back from my break, but dipping in and out of the forum.
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  • QrizB said:
    Almost bought a house in Wales, off beaten track,
    Was this recently? Is the house still on Zoopla / Rightmove?

    no, a few years back, good chance the house is derelict now - as it wasnt great back then
    Now we all know how it felt to play in the band on the Titanic...
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 17,239 Forumite
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    A 3 metre diameter overshot wheel will only produce about 1 to 1.5 kW of electricity.
    The power output would surely be more dependent on the water flow rate & head.
    These guys are getting 3KW out of a small water powered turbine - https://cat.org.uk/info-resources/free-information-service/energy/micro-hydro/ - With sufficient funds, I would have thought a 5KW could be viable if there is a big enough flow.
    Even with a modest flow, 1-1.5KW chugging away 24/7 would outperform a solar array (certainly during the winter months). And I doubt you would need a 3m diameter wheel to get that sort of power.


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  • Netexporter
    Netexporter Posts: 1,744 Forumite
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    The power output would surely be more dependent on the water flow rate & head.

    The head is 3 metres on a 3 metre overshot. Can't be any more or less.

    These guys are getting 3KW out of a small water powered turbine - https://cat.org.uk/info-resources/free-information-service/energy/micro-hydro/ - With sufficient funds, I would have thought a 5KW could be viable if there is a big enough flow.

    You need a hell of a lot of head for a turbine. There's on on the edge of my village and the pipe goes miles up the hill. The cost of the actual turbine is minuscule compared to the other work.

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