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*OK it was the Water Board (but it's all 'the man' innit) reminding me they could install a water meter and actually charge us for what we use rather than what they guess we might use. As a family of four who deposit a never-ending mountain of sports kit into the washing machine I suspect this wouldn't be a good move so instead started wondering how much electricity you could generate from a domestic water supply where volume used was not an issue?
So supposing you had the time, space, budget and ability to rig something up, would you be better off having a smaller turbine constantly running or would it pay to have a larger one turned less frequently by a reservoir........or is there a better way?
picture me building a damn I said..............possibly
I've wondered the same. A small micro generator on the mains in so all water use generated power (yes I know it would kill the pressure and probably make other parts of the water grid less efficient). Or a turbine in the soil stack.
Unrealistic pipe dreams I think.
OTOH get the water meter fitted and pay your way đŸ˜›
This is a fun little website, a lot of old fashioned ingenuity spread around it's pages.
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/water-power/
midlifecrashes
Subscriber
This is a fun little website, a lot of old fashioned ingenuity spread around it’s pages.http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/water-power//blockquote >
Thanks for the link, bookmarked for later perusal!
Or a turbine in the soil stack.
A turdine?
It would be incredibly wasteful. Pouring fresh clean purified drinking water straight down the drain.
An interesting puzzle.
The power derived from a hydro turbine is govenerned by the folmula P=Rho*g*h*Q
where Rho = 1000 for tap water, g (gravity) = 9,.81
h(head) in scotland each home will be supplied with one bar ~ 10m head
q - flow rate = again each household is designed to be supplied with 500l/d or 0.005787 l/s
Therefore, assuming you obtain 100% effeciency of the turbine you could look to "harvest" 0.002kW or 2 Watts. About half that of a bicycle dynamo hub.
Did you open it and read it and see it said they were suckers?
It would be incredibly wasteful. Pouring fresh clean purified drinking water straight down the drain.
Well, we already use it to flush the bog, wash the dishes, wash the car/bike, water the lawn...
it took over 6 mins?
anyway, it used to be the case that they'd take the meter out at your request within a year if you decided you didn't want it. what's your water charge?
<div class="bbp-reply-author">molgrips
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<div class="bbp-reply-content">It would be incredibly wasteful. Pouring fresh clean purified drinking water straight down the drain.
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I suppose I should have added 'lack of morality' to my list of prerequisites
<div class="bbp-reply-author">atlaz
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<div class="bbp-reply-content">Did you open it and read it and see it said they were suckers?
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I did, but as I said, am keeping my options open as to whether to give / build a dam(n) or not
It was quite popular a few years ago. You could buy a "water motor", which connects to a tap, and powers a sewing machine etc. http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/POWER/watermotor/watermotor.htm
I suspect it is now illegal, it would count as wasting water, or causing undue consumption.
That's a Tricky one....
Or a turbine in the soil stack.
so the **** really does hit the fan?
It would be incredibly wasteful. Pouring fresh clean purified drinking water straight down the drain.
It doesn't leave the system, so it's not wasted.
is the the OP trying to become some kind of Public Enemy?
Don't believe his hype
Its probable Harder than you think
So what you're basically asking is What kind of Power We Got?
>reminding me they could install a water meter and actually charge us for what we use rather than what they guess we might use.
Have you done the Maths? We're unmetered and they charge us about 3-4x the going rate for a 2 person household, however our garden hose use probably means we break even, hence I've not bothered getting a meter installed.
Have always been astonished that some people get unmetered (mains) water. The cost factor is irrelevant, it simply encourages water wastage.
Water meters will be compulsory under my dictatorship.
I've never had a water meter, but there's freakin loads of water falling out the sky here.
Water meters will be compulsory under my dictatorship
We have a meter. I can't think of a single circumstance where anyone in the house has altered their behaviour in the knowledge they'll save some of my money.
If they did my heart would probably have a Massive Attack.
We have a meter.
Are you sure its a meter though? It could be a Timebomb.
Check which way the dial it turning - if you're lucky and its going up in value then it is indeed a water meter. If you're not so lucky then I'm afraid its Countdown to Armageddon.