Solar Cell Hell we need water wheels for the downspouts here in the Norhwest!

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I see lots of you talking about solar this and that. I'm jealous of your sun share. Won't one of you design a water wheel insert to my downspout so I can use a bike generator or something to recharge batteries in this incessant rain? Come on guys there's money to be made here.

-- Ann Fisher (zyax55b@prodigy.com), December 27, 1998

Answers

Ann, no kidding! Hydro power. We're flooded with it ;)

Ashton & Leska, drowning tonight in Cascadia

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), December 27, 1998.


As a multiple patentee, with 30+ years inventing, your wish is my command!

Please check me out at -

http://www.pdqnet.net/pjarnett

All I need are facts - all the facts you can provide regarding your specific situation. Then I can provide solutions. Contact links provided on the website.

Thanks,

Perry Arnett

-- Perry Arnett (pjarnett@pdqnet.net), December 27, 1998.


Anne and Leska......Here comes the rain....CCR 1969.

Par for the course here in Oregon (Northwest) I would like to capture some of that wind out there!

-- Rocky H (rharp1@webtv.net), December 27, 1998.


first year Physics will allow you to calculate roughly how much energy is available from water falling down the rainspout.

It is pitifully small, maybe enough for a lightbulb and a radio

-- Joe O (jowczar@comp.uark.edu), December 28, 1998.


On the other hand rain usually brings wind, and wind means windmills which can generate quite a lot of usable power. Lots of plans for windmills and wind generators - old Mother Earth News had a lot of them.

-- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), December 28, 1998.


Just remembered something - I once designed a system for storing energy from a large windmill without using batteries. You put a large wind powered pump at the top of a hill, with a BIG storage tank. (Of course you can use the water in your house too.) Run a (large) pipe from the tank to the bottom of the hill - get the longest drop possible. This is the 'fall'. At the bottom you put a water turbine and a generator house. I remember the math worked out pretty well for a 30 foot drop - but would have to do it all again as it was lost long ago - unless someone else would like to do it? Any takers? BTW - I think I assumed a 3kw generator or about a 5 hp turbine - maybe.

-- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), December 28, 1998.

Paul D. - Was your wind system something like the following:??

http://home1.gte.net/bowjonin/indx.htm

-- Laurane (familyties@rttinc.com), December 28, 1998.


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