Being an EE retired since 2011 I am impressed with your grasp of the mechanical and electrical specifications and skills needed to correctly design and build a one off generating system to a specified output. Great Job. Ray Stormont
Maybe you can answer me then. It appears to me that there is plenty of force from the water to turn a different gear ratio for a higher ratio towards the motor. Could this be done to change the 1500-1600 produced, into 1800ish? What fails in this scenario? I'm no sparky, I play with bricks, blocks, and stones!
I am also a retired EE about 10 years ago. I don't believe a gearbox could produce more output, as Kris has actually already shown by using more water. Because the resistance is too great and the wheel slows down so much that the water fills the buckets too quickly. The only thing you could do is make the buckets wider. But that means you're actually starting from scratch again.
@@slyknowledged The limitations most probably are in the water wheel and that cannot be changed by gearing. As Chris shows the buckets are filling up and peaking at 1500-1600 W. Changing the rpm with other gear ratios should not make much of a difference there, just risk increasing the splashing and losses.
Excelant points pre-loading the buckets would allow for slightly more water and cut down on splashing and could be easily returned to original if benifits were not proved as buckets are not changed just more completly filled.@@henkkalter3892
Thanks for explaining that this was fed from a leet, which was a minor diversion from a much larger river. That made a lot of sense and added good context to the project.
I really like how you can't stop smiling when you look at your creation. You are, and should be, very proud of what you've imagined, designed, and built. Awesome work.
The way I saw micro hydro turbines do their shutoff/deflector setups is they use a weighted flap retained by an electromagnet. When there is an emergency the power to the magnet gets cut and the deflector plate drops in place. Similar could be done here. No moving parts for the actuaction itself, as long as the eights are sized propperly. Anyway amazing job, the survey was really close aswell! Enjoyed watching this series.
We are all gradually going back to how our ancestors lived.. and that’s a good thing because there was no impact on the earth and people were happy just to be housed and warm xx amazing job you are so very clever xx
As a fabricator I am really impressed. As an insaller I am blown away. How many trips up and down the ladder an in and out of the river. I hope you made great money and I thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. This video is a master class in the challenges of invention. Congrats!!
@@unhippy1 One million eyes are lost per year, always wear safety glasses, don't take shortcuts when it comes to safety THAT's wtf it has to do with it. Unless you think it's cool to look like a pirate.
@@richspillman4191 I mean... it does look cool to be a pirate but it's also good to avoid eye injuries anyway you can still wear an eyepatch without bodily harm anyway
Very impressed Kris. Watched this series from the beginning, trials, and Tribulations; and your problem-solving. Your client also deserves credit for working with you and having the faith to persevere.
Was literally just watching an older video thinking to myself "Man I hope Kris uploads today." Thanks for the great content over all these years Kris, and I hope for many more! Merry Christmas to you and yours.
From an EE point of view I have found this series fascinating. I have to add that I am far from an expert in generator systems, so I have been learning along with you.
Great job will last for years ..theres lots of haters and negitive people ..if we listened to them we would never move forward ..keep educating son ..your a positive force ..mike Scotland
A 2.2Kw asynchronous motor can provide 2.6Kw used as a generator. (5.87A*3*230V*cos fi 0.64= 2592W) In the old days here in Denmark we made wind turbines with asynchronous motors as generators. When the speed of the motor reached above synchronous rpm, a contactor connected directly to the mains. In the event of a mains failure, the motor loses magnetisation and runs freely. Nicely done project. Comment from a Danish electrical technician. 👍
Congrats Kris - this is and incredible project. I am truly amazed at your skills and I love to see the obvious joy on your face as you see this working. Thanks for sharing this with us!
I absolutely love this project and I'm so jealous of the owner. I invested in a load of solar panels and batteries this year which will save me a fortune over the course of the year even though they are pretty useless this time of year - I have over 9KW peak but they produce next to nothing in this grimy-greyness. To supplement them, I've been watching your wind turbine videos, and I'm experimenting with the motors from an old "hover board" but really I'd much rather have a water wheel for the consistency and sheer power you can get from one. Overall, the peak values that solar can produce do not compare to having something generating 24x7. The wheel you've built is the best I've seen on TH-cam by far.
Exactly this for me. When i was looking at a house ti buy i was wanting to have water like this. But where we are we get lots of wind so im probably gonna go that route for power gen to augment the solar. Cuzz i dont wana rely on sunnt days though we tend to get a lot of those around here too
I love to see someone that understands the whole process and can actually build a system from scratch. As someone that has been heating a 4000 sq ft home for 21 years using WVO that costs me zero I really love the quality of the hydro system posted. Keep rocking. Philip from the emerald isle.
Love the safety squints at the start. Would some kind of cowl/hood around the area the flow meets the wheel to catch the splashing help keep more water bearing down on the wheel?
Great to hear someone who understands how these generation technologies work. For many ”experts” out there, they are just a money making opportunity-especially the solar/storage companies!
I'm impressed by your ability to teach yourself advanced skills. Then to design and build things is divergent as your shop with its wonderful roof your own wind power your own barn your home. Your credit to people who focus on learning and delivering May you have a wonderful Christmas
As a mechanical tech i can say BRAVO !, its a hell of alot of work and keep in mind that this is a functionnal prototype, it was a high risk of complications project, absolutly beautiful !
Kris you are an absolute genius...great work great learning great prototype for future projects..keep up the excellent videos I'm enjoy your content your special camper. ignore the haters
Hi Kris. What a fantastic looking hydro wheel system 😊 It’s absolutely brilliant that you never give up until you’re 100% satisfied 👍🏻 Hopefully the customers will be satisfied with your design and work you’ve put in and you’ll get more commission out of it 👍🏻 Well done 👏🏻
I'm a mechanical engineer and a renewable energy advocate. and i must say that this is a great project. great job. it's fulfilling to see how you turn a small stream of river to generate that amount of power instead of just being left untapped.
Great job Kris, glad you were able to find a work around. It looks stunning in its setting. Shame about the mis info on the first genny. Onwards and upwards now and better armed. Well done. Stay well.
Isn't it the most awesome feeling to take an idea and make it manifest? It's why I adore making things. Especially things that take you and stretch you a bit beyond what you've done before. No other feeling like it.
excellent job Kris! Your tenacity anf knowledge saw you through and the end result is fantastic. Also the sound the wheel makes at steady state is dreamy :D
You have created a beautiful work of practical art. You have also demonstrated the sheer amount of intricate work and materials and planning needed for an open falling water system. It now seems obvious to me why those with the will to take on hydro usually choose a pressurized system with pelton wheels. It seems so much less intricate with modern materials. Perhaps at some point you could create a video comparing the scope of each option?
Congratulations on a major milestone Kris! How about a flow divider of some sort, controlled by your sensors, to maintain the wheel at the necessary speed/flow/load by directing more or less to the wheel. Think boat rudder and autopilot actuator. I think the splashing could be attributed to the "Pelton Effect" happening in the bucket, especially if the wheel is being electrically braked but the flow volume is high. There will be that sweet spot where the wheel speed and the flow match. Crack on Mate. Ex Heli Engineer, 30 years in Film. Enjoying following the progress. Thank you
Great work Kris. Dedication to the job and pride in your workmanship. Often a rarity these days. You can be rightly pleased with yourself especially in the knowledge you achieved it even in the face of adversity from those who don't care as much as you do.
Well done on getting those figures and getting in line with your model expectations. I imagine with all the variables that isn't easy to do on a first project like this.
Well done Chris. And by that I don't mean just for the product you have made, but your documentation of all the big and little problems you encountered along the way; which for us, the viewers, is real gold. I'm an electrical engineer approaching 60 with lots of experience, but I think I need more than two hands to count the wisdom I thought I should have had, which you put out in your videos over the years. I wish TH-cam had a button to force your content into young viewers feeds. Cheers.
Loved this series, congratulations on an amazing achievement. I like to think I have an engineering mind, but to put your skill into action like this is something to behold
Absolutely love this beautiful job. U continue to amaze me with your skills - can’t wait to see you back on the barn- hope you get the shingles on this winter- the rest can wait until spring- I know financially you wanted to wrap up the water wheel project.
Really enjoyed watching this project Chris well done 👍 I've worked on a few off grid and grid tied solar and wind turbine jobs with my uncle who also watches the channel. Nothing beats a good hydro system for consistent output 24/7. We've never done hydro but it always comes up in conversation. I would love to learn more about how you wire the 3 phase 8 pole induction motor to turn it into a generator. Looking forward to the next installment 👍👍
Congratulations Kris, an ambitious project very well executed, when I started watching your channel I thought what a talented carpenter/cabinet maker, turns out you are also quiet the accomplished engineer.
Thank you very much Kris, I've learned so much watching your work. Question please, can you discuss with us, the maintains requirements that goes with have a system like this. I love your work, and how your mind thinks. Thank you for sharing all you do.
Kris, fantastic, just thinking back to the days of you building the roundhouse. I come to your site to go off grid myself, it takes to me another place. I understand that there will all ways be faceless warriors who know best, I just wish they would recognise the story you have told over the last number of years, the huge following you have. Congratulations Kris, Merry Christmas to you, the cat and Dot.🎉
Here's a thought: since the water picks up speed down the ramp it tends to load into the bucket at a high velocity. I wonder if it's possible to SLOW the water just before it falls into the wheel buckets (to reduce splash)? A mini dam who's 6 inch depth would absorb some water turbulence prior to dumping down into the bucket (or even a couple 1/4" bumps near the end of the ramp). Especially since your power is from water weight and not water velocity. Just a thought! Great project.
That's really cool well done! Perhaps to improve the laminar flow of the water, perhaps fill the trough with pvc pipes- if it works with straws, I'm assuming it could work with pipes- it may help with the splashing- that or fins at the end, if it works on propellers, I could see it working with water- who knows, could get an extra few watts out of the system
Fantastic job, Kris, and a very engaging video as always. I doubt you'll see this comment as there are so many, but my only criticism of your system is your use of an AC-to-DC power supply to power a low-voltage contactor for the load dump. I (an EE) would've used a contactor with a coil that could be powered directly from the mains, eliminating the AC-to-DC power supply and increasing the reliability. Sorry if I've misunderstood your system but I think that's how it works.
Love this video series, brilliant work and so jealous of this facility! Cannot believe the people complaining about creating 100% green power by temporarily redirecting some water.... you'd think they'd prefer your client used a diesel generator maybe! 😂
Yes that should work, but that enclosed funnel needs a hinged "roof" so it can get pushed up if there are any larger objects in the water which doesn't fit into the buckets, for example sticks or an empty bottle or maybe even a soccer ball. If the enclosure is completely fixed such objects would jam between the enclosure and the wheel. With a hinged top plate, it can swing up and let the objects pass through.
the screens Kris uses on is micro projects could improve water flow but then thy need to empty quickly How could that work . Secody exist hols parps like in life boat's
Just great! Happy to see your success, and I like your working relationship with John. He seems like such a knowledgeable guy, who is just sharing what he learned!
Great work Kris after the disappointment of that crappy motor - great to see you so excited again with this amazing project. Have an amazing Krismas!! 🎅🏻
I love this project, and the previous enclosed hydro project. Think of all the historic buildings in the UK that used waterwheels but fell in disrepair because they were no longer economically viable could be running, contributre towards the maintenance of the building and potentially push power to the grid. And currently local councils are about to sell a bunch of historic windmills which used to turn a few tons of mill stone but could easily run a generator completely unseen. Also consider the water going through the wheel is being aerated, which will help improve the quality of the water in the river itself.
Been looking forward to this. Bit surprised to see you welding without your visor on, but glad to see the good old safety squint in use. Loved the stack of crates of carling in your friend's otherwise super high tech workshop :-)😂
To prevent overspeed Please consider installing a second emergency backup heater. A small price to pay for a primary heater failure. And and automatic emergency diverting system. Fantastic engineering Kris!
Great job Kris, so glad to see another video of yours. You have dine an amazing job, and your dedication to get it right is a credit to you. You are never going to please everyone, so just do what you think id right for you. Jay
I'm in absolute amazement of everything you have built, but this, my friend, is a build that we've absolutely been waiting for you to upload!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing! 14:05, had to go to your previous content to see the change in the wooden water diverting canal, quite subtle but great craftsmanship!
I would put a few DANGER signs up to keep any kids away. If I was a kid in the area, I would want to check that out. One false move and that wheel would chew you up...
Congratulations! I've been thinking about the amount of splashing you have. It might be useful in future designs to extend the bottom of the buckets upward/outward a bit because you loose most water over that edge. Another point of interest might be the shoot. As there is a bend quite close to the end, you might be able to create some less turbulent flow by putting some parallel thin metal slats in the section between the bend and the end, so as to guide the flow to become parallel (or laminar). I hope your next video will be out soon and show us the progress you made on the barn. I guess you may have fitted a roof on top of it by now.
Kris, for all that you have done in the past, are doing in the present, and will evidently achieve in the future, I take my hat off to you sir. From a bloke who worked on lifts to where you are now, and happy, what a difference. Well done.
A great project well executed, well done Kris. I did wonder if you have tried lining the buckets with something like astroturf to calm the water down? Like they do on HGV's to cut down spray.
And it's a thing of beauty as well as purpose, and has a wonderful sound. Brilliant, really enjoyed seeing this fantastic project to the finish, great to see you working through the problems to this wonderful piece pf engineering that will be turning for many years ahead. I think you need a plate on it with the date of construction and your name for future generations to see.
Well done. The shape of the buckets can greatly affect the amount of splash as well as the actual torque at the wheel axle you get from any specific diameter wheel. Just something to look into for any future builds. Cupped buckets are far more powerful. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
With a water wheel, it is the mass of the water pulled by gravity that produces the torque that is converted to electrical energy. The straight sides of the buckets maximize the volume, and hence the mass of water in each bucket. Cupping the buckets would reduce the volume in each bucket, reducing the mass, torque, and subsequent energy produced. Cupping is more appropriate for turbine generators where the driving force comes from the directed water jet, as with Kris' home system. The one thing I could suggest, for a water wheel is to increase the number of buckets, each one then with a smaller volume. This might help with splashing at the higher flow rates, but could also make it worse. Testing would be needed. I'm speaking of a future project, of course. This one is excellent, and I see no need to change anything. Well done, Kris.
@@randybass8842 I built my 8 foot x 2 foot steel water wheel 35 years ago and though it is no longer running I did learn a lot from building it. You cannot add or lessen volume in a fixed space by cupping or not cupping the buckets, you can only direct water flow inside the bucket itself by cupping, exactly as you would observe in a pelton wheel. The key to cupping the buckets is to keep as much water as possible in each bucket over the course of its downward rotation between 12 and 6 o'clock. Cupping actually allows for the inflow of water to occur at 11 o'clock instead of at 12:30 o'clock, adding more volume of water being held while slowing the wheel and reducing splashing. This is what my water wheel looks like with some technical information. th-cam.com/video/dLC3ZWf7WG0/w-d-xo.html
@EdOfTheNorth , perhaps I misunderstood your definition of cupping. I was thinking of a rounded bottom, like a cup. Are you referring to a curvature from the top outer rim to the bottom of the bucket? I'm not a water wheel expert, and was speaking from a background in physics.
Fantastic work. As a mechanic and vehicle restorer i can appreciate the work youve put into this project. We spend a lot of time in the lake district and would love to see this in person. Having made our motorhome off grid with solar ive gained a real interest in renewable energy. I just need a property with a river 😅😅 Keep up the good work i look forward to watching more of your videos
Very impressive Kris must admit even though I only get intermitent high flow on the ditches on my farm since watching you I'm concidering a small hydro system to mix with solar and wind One thing that crossed my mind watching the splash loss on full flow do you think a curved shield fixed to the frame round the top third of the wheel just after the shoot would force it back in and improve the peak output by keeping the buckets full Would be an easy and fairly cheap experiment
I think diversionary hydro will be an important component in electricity generation globally going forward, its really wonderful to see just how well it can scale down, its probably the only consistent source that can do so safely, and with minimal impact on ecosystems.
Very impressive work, Kris, both the design and the fabrication! 😃 Your restraint in keeping from "turning the air blue" over the Chineseium lies 👿 is also quite impressive. I am curious to know how much the generator frequency varies between minimum water flow and full flow, because changes in the frequency may affect the ideal sizing of the 3 capacitors that help turn the motor into a generator. To optimize the microfarads of those caps, it might be useful to insert a 3-phase Variac between the caps and the motor. Then you can, in effect, smoothly vary the capacitance to find the _ideal sweet spot_ of efficiency. Then, based on the Variac results the exact right size of caps can be installed for an efficiency compromise, or _one or more sets_ of extra caps can be selected to vary the effective capacitance in steps, through one or more sets of relays. 🤔 I am also curious about airflow to the fan of the _motor acting as generator,_ since the new cover seems to be very close-fitting over that cooling fan end. Shall we assume that the cover is solid there, with only a tiny gap to let air reach the fan? Or is the cover open there, causing a risk of some water splashing onto the fan of the motor? (I can see that water will not reach the interior of the motor, since the type you chose is TEFC: Totally Enclosed, Fan Cooled) @Kris Harbour Natural Building
Ive been planning my future dream home in a journal at the moment and was looking for a bunch of different ways to sustaibably power my home so I can live off the land, and this little series is PERFECT! it's inspiring and given me the desire for hydroponics on my property❤️❤️
hello, I love the amazing work you have done. Thank you for sharing it with us. I would be very curious how much more power the wheel would produce with a piece of rubber containing the splashing.
Always a pleasure watching you turn theory into practice. I'm looking at the conduit that connects the wheel to the controllers and can't help but wonder what is above it? Any concerning "widow makers" which could fall on that as it is in quite a precarious position to withstand any such occurrence.
Hi Kris, I studied this at the CAT Center in Wales during my master’s degree and really enjoyed learning about hydro. I started with small systems in Wales and eventually worked on some of the largest gigawatt-scale studies globally. This larger scale is definitely more engaging and interesting. I’m impressed with your work and perseverance. I’m sure next time will be easier for you, and you’ll likely see some profit.
Love this Kris! Just an idea, if you're going to install a speed monitor and an actuator, why not have a sleuce controller that can cadjust the flow based on either the wheel speed, or the wattage it's producing? You could then remotely tweak the system in terms of the flow etc to always keep it in the sweetspot. Not sure how you would design it, but i'm sure you'd be able to. Always look forward to your videos, never disappointed!
Hi, I was going to say the same thing. If you go to the trouble to design an overspeed shutdown, why not go the rest of the way and make it realtime adjusting speed controller.
Better a wider wheel. There is plenty room for double size. With double capacity, all the flow could be used without splashing. Obviously with the same size of the feed. Or maybe only 50 percent wider. The guard will be useless. till water fall back, the bucket is gone down. The key word is capacity.
Hats off to the project you've done. It is really impressive how you handle everything from blacksmithing to software programming. The videos is well made and has a perfect combination of knowledge and is also relaxing to watch. Thanks for sharing it.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Being an EE retired since 2011 I am impressed with your grasp of the mechanical and electrical specifications and skills needed to correctly design and build a one off generating system to a specified output. Great Job. Ray Stormont
Maybe you can answer me then. It appears to me that there is plenty of force from the water to turn a different gear ratio for a higher ratio towards the motor. Could this be done to change the 1500-1600 produced, into 1800ish? What fails in this scenario? I'm no sparky, I play with bricks, blocks, and stones!
I am also a retired EE about 10 years ago.
I don't believe a gearbox could produce more output, as Kris has actually already shown by using more water. Because the resistance is too great and the wheel slows down so much that the water fills the buckets too quickly. The only thing you could do is make the buckets wider. But that means you're actually starting from scratch again.
@@slyknowledged The limitations most probably are in the water wheel and that cannot be changed by gearing. As Chris shows the buckets are filling up and peaking at 1500-1600 W. Changing the rpm with other gear ratios should not make much of a difference there, just risk increasing the splashing and losses.
@@slyknowledged or give it a higher resistive load with more capacitor
Excelant points pre-loading the buckets would allow for slightly more water and cut down on splashing and could be easily returned to original if benifits were not proved as buckets are not changed just more completly filled.@@henkkalter3892
My 5yr old son and I watch all your videos… then we go outside, build something… He even says ‘well pleased with that’ when we are done… 😂❤
I would love to have access to water like that. You’ve done a top notch job on this system.
But would you be OK with the rain that's required for that water?
I’m in Oregon. I live with the rain. It’s not like where Kris lives though. 😊
@@flowerstoneI think rainfall levels in Oregon are higher than in West Wales.
@@MaritimeFox I just don’t have a creek close by.
@@MaritimeFox West Wales? I thought this was Lake District.
Thanks for explaining that this was fed from a leet, which was a minor diversion from a much larger river. That made a lot of sense and added good context to the project.
I really like how you can't stop smiling when you look at your creation. You are, and should be, very proud of what you've imagined, designed, and built.
Awesome work.
Would be possible to add Archimedes' screw for that spillway? for extra generation ?
The way I saw micro hydro turbines do their shutoff/deflector setups is they use a weighted flap retained by an electromagnet. When there is an emergency the power to the magnet gets cut and the deflector plate drops in place. Similar could be done here. No moving parts for the actuaction itself, as long as the eights are sized propperly. Anyway amazing job, the survey was really close aswell! Enjoyed watching this series.
I'm in absolute awe of everything you have achieved but this my friend, is an absolute masterpiece!
We are all gradually going back to how our ancestors lived.. and that’s a good thing because there was no impact on the earth and people were happy just to be housed and warm xx amazing job you are so very clever xx
As a fabricator I am really impressed. As an insaller I am blown away. How many trips up and down the ladder an in and out of the river. I hope you made great money and I thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. This video is a master class in the challenges of invention. Congrats!!
guess he doesn't need to remember leg day while on this job
Do you wear safety glasses?
@@richspillman4191 Wtf does that have to do with it?
@@unhippy1 One million eyes are lost per year, always wear safety glasses, don't take shortcuts when it comes to safety THAT's wtf it has to do with it. Unless you think it's cool to look like a pirate.
@@richspillman4191 I mean... it does look cool to be a pirate but it's also good to avoid eye injuries anyway
you can still wear an eyepatch without bodily harm anyway
Very impressed Kris. Watched this series from the beginning, trials, and Tribulations; and your problem-solving. Your client also deserves credit for working with you and having the faith to persevere.
Was literally just watching an older video thinking to myself "Man I hope Kris uploads today." Thanks for the great content over all these years Kris, and I hope for many more! Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Totally agree.
for me whenever it comes to Kris upload schedule I stop watching like 4 and 5 months i come back where I life at and I have so many videos to watch 😊
From an EE point of view I have found this series fascinating. I have to add that I am far from an expert in generator systems, so I have been learning along with you.
I enjoy these hands-on videos from Kris, great stuff!
Great job will last for years ..theres lots of haters and negitive people ..if we listened to them we would never move forward ..keep educating son ..your a positive force ..mike Scotland
Great video for a Friday. Amazing design, engineering, and fabrication. A great achievement!
A 2.2Kw asynchronous motor can provide 2.6Kw used as a generator. (5.87A*3*230V*cos fi 0.64= 2592W) In the old days here in Denmark we made wind turbines with asynchronous motors as generators. When the speed of the motor reached above synchronous rpm, a contactor connected directly to the mains. In the event of a mains failure, the motor loses magnetisation and runs freely. Nicely done project. Comment from a Danish electrical technician. 👍
Congrats Kris - this is and incredible project. I am truly amazed at your skills and I love to see the obvious joy on your face as you see this working. Thanks for sharing this with us!
Great job Kris. Enjoying your series. I would like to build something like this for my off grid place so I'm studying.
I absolutely love this project and I'm so jealous of the owner. I invested in a load of solar panels and batteries this year which will save me a fortune over the course of the year even though they are pretty useless this time of year - I have over 9KW peak but they produce next to nothing in this grimy-greyness.
To supplement them, I've been watching your wind turbine videos, and I'm experimenting with the motors from an old "hover board" but really I'd much rather have a water wheel for the consistency and sheer power you can get from one. Overall, the peak values that solar can produce do not compare to having something generating 24x7.
The wheel you've built is the best I've seen on TH-cam by far.
Exactly this for me. When i was looking at a house ti buy i was wanting to have water like this. But where we are we get lots of wind so im probably gonna go that route for power gen to augment the solar. Cuzz i dont wana rely on sunnt days though we tend to get a lot of those around here too
I love to see someone that understands the whole process and can actually build a system from scratch. As someone that has been heating a 4000 sq ft home for 21 years using WVO that costs me zero I really love the quality of the hydro system posted. Keep rocking. Philip from the emerald isle.
Love the safety squints at the start. Would some kind of cowl/hood around the area the flow meets the wheel to catch the splashing help keep more water bearing down on the wheel?
Great to hear someone who understands how these generation technologies work. For many ”experts” out there, they are just a money making opportunity-especially the solar/storage companies!
I'm impressed by your ability to teach yourself advanced skills. Then to design and build things is divergent as your shop with its wonderful roof your own wind power your own barn your home. Your credit to people who focus on learning and delivering May you have a wonderful Christmas
He will be welding blind if he keeps welding with no hood or safety glasses.
He DID utilise the safety-squint.
As a mechanical tech i can say BRAVO !, its a hell of alot of work and keep in mind that this is a functionnal prototype, it was a high risk of complications project, absolutly beautiful !
Kris you are an absolute genius...great work great learning great prototype for future projects..keep up the excellent videos I'm enjoy your content your special camper. ignore the haters
Great video!! Fantastic to watch an honest appraisal & in a way public can understand. Thanks heaps for calling them out. Cheers from Australia
Hi Kris. What a fantastic looking hydro wheel system 😊 It’s absolutely brilliant that you never give up until you’re 100% satisfied 👍🏻 Hopefully the customers will be satisfied with your design and work you’ve put in and you’ll get more commission out of it 👍🏻 Well done 👏🏻
_MAGNIFICENT!_
That slow flow-rate sounds like a well balanced locomotive chuffing along a flat track.
You can use water for power without destroying the enviroment, thanks for showing us that.
I'm a mechanical engineer and a renewable energy advocate. and i must say that this is a great project. great job. it's fulfilling to see how you turn a small stream of river to generate that amount of power instead of just being left untapped.
Great job Kris, glad you were able to find a work around. It looks stunning in its setting. Shame about the mis info on the first genny. Onwards and upwards now and better armed. Well done. Stay well.
Isn't it the most awesome feeling to take an idea and make it manifest? It's why I adore making things. Especially things that take you and stretch you a bit beyond what you've done before. No other feeling like it.
Outstanding job Kris, it’s a great feeling when you’re proud of what you’ve achieved.
Really pleased you got it sorted. I'd love to see the temps of the new motor at peak flow in the next video! 🔥
excellent job Kris! Your tenacity anf knowledge saw you through and the end result is fantastic. Also the sound the wheel makes at steady state is dreamy :D
Your videos are so therapeutic to watch. Both your craftsmanship and presenting style. This series has been my favourite i love watching water flow
You have created a beautiful work of practical art. You have also demonstrated the sheer amount of intricate work and materials and planning needed for an open falling water system. It now seems obvious to me why those with the will to take on hydro usually choose a pressurized system with pelton wheels. It seems so much less intricate with modern materials. Perhaps at some point you could create a video comparing the scope of each option?
Thanks for the run down of the problem, failure isn't always bad, extremely interesting video and saved me time. 5 stars brother...
Congratulations on a major milestone Kris!
How about a flow divider of some sort, controlled by your sensors, to maintain the wheel at the necessary speed/flow/load by directing more or less to the wheel. Think boat rudder and autopilot actuator.
I think the splashing could be attributed to the "Pelton Effect" happening in the bucket, especially if the wheel is being electrically braked but the flow volume is high. There will be that sweet spot where the wheel speed and the flow match. Crack on Mate. Ex Heli Engineer, 30 years in Film. Enjoying following the progress. Thank you
I gotta stop commenting before I watch the whole video, innit? Lol.
Great work Kris. Dedication to the job and pride in your workmanship. Often a rarity these days. You can be rightly pleased with yourself especially in the knowledge you achieved it even in the face of adversity from those who don't care as much as you do.
Well done on getting those figures and getting in line with your model expectations. I imagine with all the variables that isn't easy to do on a first project like this.
Well done Chris. And by that I don't mean just for the product you have made, but your documentation of all the big and little problems you encountered along the way; which for us, the viewers, is real gold. I'm an electrical engineer approaching 60 with lots of experience, but I think I need more than two hands to count the wisdom I thought I should have had, which you put out in your videos over the years. I wish TH-cam had a button to force your content into young viewers feeds.
Cheers.
Brilliant job, glad you got the issue sorted out and the plan worked out ok.
Kris, I’m absolutely delighted for you in your success and impressed by your array of skills. Learning loads from you, keep up the good work.
Excellent work and perseverance Kris! Can't wait to see more hydro projects you do
Loved this series, congratulations on an amazing achievement. I like to think I have an engineering mind, but to put your skill into action like this is something to behold
Absolutely love this beautiful job. U continue to amaze me with your skills - can’t wait to see you back on the barn- hope you get the shingles on this winter- the rest can wait until spring- I know financially you wanted to wrap up the water wheel project.
Really enjoyed watching this project Chris well done 👍 I've worked on a few off grid and grid tied solar and wind turbine jobs with my uncle who also watches the channel. Nothing beats a good hydro system for consistent output 24/7. We've never done hydro but it always comes up in conversation. I would love to learn more about how you wire the 3 phase 8 pole induction motor to turn it into a generator. Looking forward to the next installment 👍👍
I too wondered about that and how it could self start etc
Congratulations Kris, an ambitious project very well executed, when I started watching your channel I thought what a talented carpenter/cabinet maker, turns out you are also quiet the accomplished engineer.
Great job! You should be so proud. Your customer will have many years of trouble free power for sure!
Thank you very much Kris, I've learned so much watching your work. Question please, can you discuss with us, the maintains requirements that goes with have a system like this. I love your work, and how your mind thinks. Thank you for sharing all you do.
Kris, fantastic, just thinking back to the days of you building the roundhouse. I come to your site to go off grid myself, it takes to me another place. I understand that there will all ways be faceless warriors who know best, I just wish they would recognise the story you have told over the last number of years, the huge following you have. Congratulations Kris, Merry Christmas to you, the cat and Dot.🎉
Here's a thought: since the water picks up speed down the ramp it tends to load into the bucket at a high velocity. I wonder if it's possible to SLOW the water just before it falls into the wheel buckets (to reduce splash)? A mini dam who's 6 inch depth would absorb some water turbulence prior to dumping down into the bucket (or even a couple 1/4" bumps near the end of the ramp). Especially since your power is from water weight and not water velocity. Just a thought! Great project.
Some great points there but water inertia increases derived power
The splashes are caused by the buckets, In my system, i bring the water from the other side of the wheel bu I still have some 20% losses
Its crazy new viewers probably dont realize you also built the workshop you made the wheel in. Youre a wild man, brother.
Kris you never fail to amaze me, glad you managed to get the water mill working to everyone's satisfaction. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Thank you for a wonderful journey, you are a gifted man who does what he outlined.👏👏👏👏☘️🇮🇪
Can u indicate please the total cost of the whole project?
That's really cool well done!
Perhaps to improve the laminar flow of the water, perhaps fill the trough with pvc pipes- if it works with straws, I'm assuming it could work with pipes- it may help with the splashing- that or fins at the end, if it works on propellers, I could see it working with water- who knows, could get an extra few watts out of the system
Inspiring. No grid down with you lot. I'm moving next door.... when the appcolapse hits. Good on yer.
Fantastic job, Kris, and a very engaging video as always. I doubt you'll see this comment as there are so many, but my only criticism of your system is your use of an AC-to-DC power supply to power a low-voltage contactor for the load dump. I (an EE) would've used a contactor with a coil that could be powered directly from the mains, eliminating the AC-to-DC power supply and increasing the reliability. Sorry if I've misunderstood your system but I think that's how it works.
"First time ever making one" ... !? I've been watching this whole series thinking you were a master waterwheel fabricator. Well done! :-)
What an epic achievement! Thanks so much for taking us along with you and for clearly sharing your journey.
I'm really glad you got it working! I could see the stress in earlier videos. We all know that feeling. Great work!
Love this video series, brilliant work and so jealous of this facility! Cannot believe the people complaining about creating 100% green power by temporarily redirecting some water.... you'd think they'd prefer your client used a diesel generator maybe! 😂
I think the water wheel brings out the inner child in me, I love your excellent workmanship. thanks for the great videos.
Much respect to you. Thank you for documenting all this, have enjoyed all of the episodes.
Your happy, customer must be happy = result. Excellent, well done Chris, and so you should be proud.
The water chute to the wheel could be enclosed ,slightly above the water to funnel the water to the buckets more efficiently (less splashing).
Yes that should work, but that enclosed funnel needs a hinged "roof" so it can get pushed up if there are any larger objects in the water which doesn't fit into the buckets, for example sticks or an empty bottle or maybe even a soccer ball.
If the enclosure is completely fixed such objects would jam between the enclosure and the wheel. With a hinged top plate, it can swing up and let the objects pass through.
the screens Kris uses on is micro projects could improve water flow but then thy need to empty quickly How could that work . Secody exist hols parps like in life boat's
Just great! Happy to see your success, and I like your working relationship with John. He seems like such a knowledgeable guy, who is just sharing what he learned!
Great work Kris after the disappointment of that crappy motor - great to see you so excited again with this amazing project. Have an amazing Krismas!! 🎅🏻
I love this project, and the previous enclosed hydro project. Think of all the historic buildings in the UK that used waterwheels but fell in disrepair because they were no longer economically viable could be running, contributre towards the maintenance of the building and potentially push power to the grid. And currently local councils are about to sell a bunch of historic windmills which used to turn a few tons of mill stone but could easily run a generator completely unseen.
Also consider the water going through the wheel is being aerated, which will help improve the quality of the water in the river itself.
Been looking forward to this.
Bit surprised to see you welding without your visor on, but glad to see the good old safety squint in use.
Loved the stack of crates of carling in your friend's otherwise super high tech workshop :-)😂
To prevent overspeed Please consider installing a second emergency backup heater. A small price to pay for a primary heater failure. And and automatic emergency diverting system. Fantastic engineering Kris!
Great job Kris, so glad to see another video of yours. You have dine an amazing job, and your dedication to get it right is a credit to you. You are never going to please everyone, so just do what you think id right for you. Jay
I'm in absolute amazement of everything you have built, but this, my friend, is a build that we've absolutely been waiting for you to upload!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing! 14:05, had to go to your previous content to see the change in the wooden water diverting canal, quite subtle but great craftsmanship!
I would put a few DANGER signs up to keep any kids away. If I was a kid in the area, I would want to check that out. One false move and that wheel would chew you up...
You can easily make the water jet more laminar by installing 4 turning vanes in the elbow of the spillway. Congratulations! Great job!
Congratulations! I've been thinking about the amount of splashing you have. It might be useful in future designs to extend the bottom of the buckets upward/outward a bit because you loose most water over that edge. Another point of interest might be the shoot. As there is a bend quite close to the end, you might be able to create some less turbulent flow by putting some parallel thin metal slats in the section between the bend and the end, so as to guide the flow to become parallel (or laminar).
I hope your next video will be out soon and show us the progress you made on the barn. I guess you may have fitted a roof on top of it by now.
Kris, for all that you have done in the past, are doing in the present, and will evidently achieve in the future, I take my hat off to you sir. From a bloke who worked on lifts to where you are now, and happy, what a difference. Well done.
A great project well executed, well done Kris. I did wonder if you have tried lining the buckets with something like astroturf to calm the water down? Like they do on HGV's to cut down spray.
First time seeing someone on internet doing an off grid Induction generator. Very good!
And it's a thing of beauty as well as purpose, and has a wonderful sound. Brilliant, really enjoyed seeing this fantastic project to the finish, great to see you working through the problems to this wonderful piece pf engineering that will be turning for many years ahead. I think you need a plate on it with the date of construction and your name for future generations to see.
Fantastic project! I loved the commissioning stage - you learn so much from real world, real time data. Your next hydro wheel will be a doddle.
Well done. The shape of the buckets can greatly affect the amount of splash as well as the actual torque at the wheel axle you get from any specific diameter wheel. Just something to look into for any future builds. Cupped buckets are far more powerful. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
With a water wheel, it is the mass of the water pulled by gravity that produces the torque that is converted to electrical energy. The straight sides of the buckets maximize the volume, and hence the mass of water in each bucket. Cupping the buckets would reduce the volume in each bucket, reducing the mass, torque, and subsequent energy produced. Cupping is more appropriate for turbine generators where the driving force comes from the directed water jet, as with Kris' home system.
The one thing I could suggest, for a water wheel is to increase the number of buckets, each one then with a smaller volume. This might help with splashing at the higher flow rates, but could also make it worse. Testing would be needed. I'm speaking of a future project, of course. This one is excellent, and I see no need to change anything. Well done, Kris.
@@randybass8842
I built my 8 foot x 2 foot steel water wheel 35 years ago and though it is no longer running I did learn a lot from building it.
You cannot add or lessen volume in a fixed space by cupping or not cupping the buckets, you can only direct water flow inside the bucket itself by cupping, exactly as you would observe in a pelton wheel.
The key to cupping the buckets is to keep as much water as possible in each bucket over the course of its downward rotation between 12 and 6 o'clock. Cupping actually allows for the inflow of water to occur at 11 o'clock instead of at 12:30 o'clock, adding more volume of water being held while slowing the wheel and reducing splashing.
This is what my water wheel looks like with some technical information.
th-cam.com/video/dLC3ZWf7WG0/w-d-xo.html
@EdOfTheNorth , perhaps I misunderstood your definition of cupping. I was thinking of a rounded bottom, like a cup. Are you referring to a curvature from the top outer rim to the bottom of the bucket? I'm not a water wheel expert, and was speaking from a background in physics.
Fantastic work. As a mechanic and vehicle restorer i can appreciate the work youve put into this project. We spend a lot of time in the lake district and would love to see this in person. Having made our motorhome off grid with solar ive gained a real interest in renewable energy. I just need a property with a river 😅😅
Keep up the good work i look forward to watching more of your videos
Very impressive as always
I hope you came out with few quid profit after all the messing the Chinese motor caused!
HI :) Good job !!! :) Nice hydroelectric !!! :) Beautiful !!!!!!!!!!! :)
Regards - Paul P.
Very impressive Kris must admit even though I only get intermitent high flow on the ditches on my farm since watching you I'm concidering a small hydro system to mix with solar and wind
One thing that crossed my mind watching the splash loss on full flow do you think a curved shield fixed to the frame round the top third of the wheel just after the shoot would force it back in and improve the peak output by keeping the buckets full
Would be an easy and fairly cheap experiment
I think diversionary hydro will be an important component in electricity generation globally going forward, its really wonderful to see just how well it can scale down, its probably the only consistent source that can do so safely, and with minimal impact on ecosystems.
Very impressive work, Kris, both the design and the fabrication! 😃 Your restraint in keeping from "turning the air blue" over the Chineseium lies 👿 is also quite impressive. I am curious to know how much the generator frequency varies between minimum water flow and full flow, because changes in the frequency may affect the ideal sizing of the 3 capacitors that help turn the motor into a generator.
To optimize the microfarads of those caps, it might be useful to insert a 3-phase Variac between the caps and the motor. Then you can, in effect, smoothly vary the capacitance to find the _ideal sweet spot_ of efficiency. Then, based on the Variac results the exact right size of caps can be installed for an efficiency compromise, or _one or more sets_ of extra caps can be selected to vary the effective capacitance in steps, through one or more sets of relays. 🤔
I am also curious about airflow to the fan of the _motor acting as generator,_ since the new cover seems to be very close-fitting over that cooling fan end. Shall we assume that the cover is solid there, with only a tiny gap to let air reach the fan? Or is the cover open there, causing a risk of some water splashing onto the fan of the motor? (I can see that water will not reach the interior of the motor, since the type you chose is TEFC: Totally Enclosed, Fan Cooled) @Kris Harbour Natural Building
Kris everything you build is amazing & love how you respect the environment.
Excellent work 🎉
Ive been planning my future dream home in a journal at the moment and was looking for a bunch of different ways to sustaibably power my home so I can live off the land, and this little series is PERFECT! it's inspiring and given me the desire for hydroponics on my property❤️❤️
hello, I love the amazing work you have done. Thank you for sharing it with us. I would be very curious how much more power the wheel would produce with a piece of rubber containing the splashing.
I wonder about a straw design to keep the water from splashing.
if I'll ever move out of the netherlands I'll make sure to have some water and height difference. This looks awesome
Always a pleasure watching you turn theory into practice. I'm looking at the conduit that connects the wheel to the controllers and can't help but wonder what is above it? Any concerning "widow makers" which could fall on that as it is in quite a precarious position to withstand any such occurrence.
Hi Kris, I studied this at the CAT Center in Wales during my master’s degree and really enjoyed learning about hydro. I started with small systems in Wales and eventually worked on some of the largest gigawatt-scale studies globally. This larger scale is definitely more engaging and interesting. I’m impressed with your work and perseverance. I’m sure next time will be easier for you, and you’ll likely see some profit.
Love this Kris!
Just an idea, if you're going to install a speed monitor and an actuator, why not have a sleuce controller that can cadjust the flow based on either the wheel speed, or the wattage it's producing?
You could then remotely tweak the system in terms of the flow etc to always keep it in the sweetspot.
Not sure how you would design it, but i'm sure you'd be able to.
Always look forward to your videos, never disappointed!
Hi, I was going to say the same thing. If you go to the trouble to design an overspeed shutdown, why not go the rest of the way and make it realtime adjusting speed controller.
Your happiness with this mill is contagious. I found myself with a big grin on my face for this video.
I wonder if a big guard along the front of the wheel would reduce the splashing (or kick it back into the buckets).
Better a wider wheel. There is plenty room for double size.
With double capacity, all the flow could be used without splashing.
Obviously with the same size of the feed. Or maybe only 50 percent wider.
The guard will be useless. till water fall back, the bucket is gone down.
The key word is capacity.
Hats off to the project you've done. It is really impressive how you handle everything from blacksmithing to software programming. The videos is well made and has a perfect combination of knowledge and is also relaxing to watch. Thanks for sharing it.