We just found 5 bad cells on our 9 year old Telco batteries. We were told by the local guy that sells them second hand that they recommend using no more than about 20% of capacity each day even on hydro with constant replacement of power....as we use maybe 200 amp hours a day, that means instead of a 440 amp hour bank we'd need more like 1,000. And as they're pretty popular in Oz, it seems that would cost on the order of $1500 for a 12 volt system...not scrounging to say the least...in any case, with power hogs like us with microwaves and toasters and cappucino makers and the like, it's very nice to have enough storage to turn on the power saw and draw more than we make for a short time...
Jeffe On 11/4/04 6:19 AM, "Michael Lawley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > The good news about hydro is that you do not need a large battery bank like > wind and PV systems. > We install for most of our clients a battery bank of 8 x T105's at a cost of > $2000 NZ (1400 US). > Many clients scrounge ex Telecom batteries for a crate of beer. We use an ex > Telecom set ourselves that we were given and 10 years on we are still using > them. There are still in very good order. > > With hydro you do not cycle your batteries much, this ensures they have a very > long life. The batteries we are using at the moment are 23 years old and still > going strong. > > I would recommend a small Pelton turbine, on 15m head and 3 L/s you would > generate over 200 Watts. With 5 kWhr per day at your disposal you will be able > to chainsaw away for some time. All you will need is a large inverter and C40 > regulator and you are in business. > > The flexibility that being able to plug in normal power tools gives is much > greater than compressed air. If you need compressed air just run a compressor > off your inverter - we do in our workshop. So long as you have a 3-3.5 kW > inverter with a good surge ability starting a 2.5 HP compressor is not > problem. > Alternatively you can buy a smaller inverter and run a small compressor with a > large storage tank. > We run a lathe, compressor, welder, thicknesser, buzzer, dishwasher and > clothes dryer all off a 3.0 kW inverter that has a 7 kW surge ability. We only > generate about 300 Watts most of the time. > > > Regards > > > > Michael Lawley > Renewable Energy Engineer > EcoInnovation > 671 Kent Road > R.D.1 > New Plymouth > New Zealand > > Phone: (NZ) 06 752 2765 > Web site: www.ecoinn.co.nz > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > . ----- Original Message ----- > From: Forrest Robinson > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 5:38 AM > Subject: [microhydro] Storing energy as compressed air > > > > I have a unique piece of land that has a 100 year old cistern on top of > a waterfall. At some point I will re-establish the pipe and use the > ~50' of head for power generation via a pelton wheel at the bottom. I > am in no rush for power in the form of electricity since there is no > dwelling on the property and I cann't justify replacing batteries every > couple years. > > However, we often camp on land and do heavy crafts (chain saw rustic > furniture etc). It occurs to me that I can put a flow over wheel > adjacent to the cistern and use it to drive an air compressor. I can > bury some tanks in the ground for compressed air storage. > > From a control standpoint I suspect the wheel would stall once the > stored pressure reaches a limit or I can put an pressure relief valve > that dumps air into the water once it gets up to ~120psi. The fish > wouldn't mind additional airation of the water! > > The compressed air would drive all sorts of air tools. It would > probably be quite slow to recover a depleted tank, but that doesn't > matter. I can always add tanks, or go fishing. > > I'm thinking I can find an old-fashioned (oil type) compressor that > normally would have a 1-3 hp electric motor for a drive. My flow over > water wheel will be about 5' diameter with ~50 gpm flow so the hp I can > deliver to the compressor will be a small fraction of what the > compressor is capable of, however I will run it slower but with the > same torque. The torque seems to be just a matter of pully diameters. > > I question if air compressors are in-efficient if run slowly. > > If you have experience with this I'd love to get some feedback. > > Forrest Robinson > > > > > > > Does your company feature in the microhydro business directory at > http://microhydropower.net/directory ? If not, please register free of charge > and be exposed to the microhydro community world wide! > > NOTE: The advertisements in this email are added by Yahoogroups who provides > us with free email group services. The microhydro-group does not endorse > products or support the advertisements in any way. > > More information on micro hydropower at http://microhydropower.net > > To unsubscribe: send empty message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > > Get unlimited calls to > > U.S./Canada > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Yahoo! Groups Links > > a.. 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