# Micro-hydro from a cistern



## SkizzlePig (May 14, 2006)

My wife and I are going to be building on some fairly remote terrain in Southern Oregon. Iâd like to provide our own power. Since itâs Oregon we wonât be able to depend on year-round quality solar power conditions. That said, we largely depend on micro-hydro.

As I understand (and I plan on doing more research, so no need to remind me that I need to do so), micro hydro depends most on two things; GPM and head.

Hereâs my question: Do you think itâs possible to create artificial head by running the water into a large cistern? The water would run into the top of the cistern and the micro-hydro feed would come out near the bottom. My understanding would be that this would create water pressure, basically artificial head.

Thoughts?


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## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

Typically (I'm in Minnesota, 4 foot deep frost.....) a cistern is burried deep in the ground, so wouldn't work here. 

If you have your cistern on top of a ridge, and have it full of water, and the micro hydro at the bottom outlet, you could count the height of the level of water as your head.

Two problems: A cistern isn't all that big, what 5000 gallons or so for a big one? I don't see a lot of power stored there.

As well, how do you get the water into the cistern? If you need to pump it, you know it will take more power to lift the water to the top of the cistern, that you can recover with the micro. You would be better off using that power more directly, if you can.

--->Paul


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## Explorer (Dec 2, 2003)

Farmer, they have a big alt energy fair every year in John Day, July I think. You might want to check into it.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

A few feet of head and a low flow won't give much power.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I don't see how a cistern added any head. If you stood a 2" pipe up to the same hieght as the cistern and filled it with water it would have the same head. 

A cistern may help to even out daily fluctuations in flow if needed. I doubt you could build one big enough to handle any more than daily fluctuations. That's what dams and resivors (sp?) are for.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Yes you can do what you mentioned.
Problem tho . . .
If you were to get say >5< watts out . . . .
Its still gonna take ya >25< watts to pump the water into the holding tank.

Not to good of a pay back.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Is your water a stream? If so,waterwheel.

BooBoo :gromit:


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Perhaps your site is like mine. I have several springs at 120' head. If they put out 4 gallons per minute, the Water Baby Micro Hydro unit will produce about 30 watts. I have one spring capped, and this time of year it puts out about 6 gpm, I have 6 springs up there. I plan on capping the other 3 on ther side of the holler where I get my drinking water. In the dry period it should produce, at least, 6 gpm. I hae a 500 gal cistern up there, but the cistern really isn't a part of the plan (other than to provide house water. If I go with solar in the summer and hydro in the winter, the one is enough by itself.
If you are talking about, say 20 foot of head, you need ALOT of flow.


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## SkizzlePig (May 14, 2006)

Thanks for your feedback ... I really appreciate it.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

vicker said:


> Perhaps your site is like mine. I have several springs at 120' head. If they put out 4 gallons per minute, the Water Baby Micro Hydro unit will produce about 30 watts. I have one spring capped, and this time of year it puts out about 6 gpm, I have 6 springs up there. I plan on capping the other 3 on ther side of the holler where I get my drinking water. In the dry period it should produce, at least, 6 gpm. I hae a 500 gal cistern up there, but the cistern really isn't a part of the plan (other than to provide house water. If I go with solar in the summer and hydro in the winter, the one is enough by itself.
> If you are talking about, say 20 foot of head, you need ALOT of flow.


More details please.....how much,when you got it,does it clog,etc...please? :gromit: 

BooBoo


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

No, I don't have it installed yet, just in the planning stages. It won't clog though, as once the spring is capped the entire system is enclosed. The Water Baby micro hydro generator will produce 25 watts with a 3gpm flow from 100 feet. This time of year I get 8-10gpm from the one spring. during a long drought, that can slow down to just a little over 1gpm. I have several springs that are at the same height. My plan is to cap a couple of the others to have at least 3 gpm in the dry months with a little left over to go in the cistern up there for my (gravity fed) house water.
My other options are to use a large cistern up there and only run the micro hydro in spurts , or to use a small solar system to supplement in the summer months when I use way less electricity anyway.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

mightybooboo said:


> More details please.....how much,when you got it,does it clog,etc...please? :gromit:
> 
> BooBoo


Thanks Vicker,got your PM and MUCH appreciated.

BooBoo :gromit:


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## redwall (Mar 10, 2007)

just two let you know i plan on doing the same thing. it is also the way people ran water wheels


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