# micro electric generation from flowing artesian well



## torchlake (Jan 10, 2019)

I have inherited a northern Michigan cottage with an artesian well which for the last 80 years has been discharging roughly 10 gpm at enough psi to provide ample pressure for a shower, two sinks and toilets with no pump or pressure tank and virtually no seasonal flow variation. All this water simply bypasses the house when it is not in use and flows into a large lake 24/7/365. 

My question. Is there any affordable way for an interested but entirely electrically and mechanically incompetent oldster to consider using this water flow to generate electricity? The cottage is hooked to the grid. The artesian well which produces all this water is located 200 ft from and 30 ft above the cottage and the water is piped underground to the cottage and then to the lake where it discharges in a continuous stream that I guestimate would shoot at least 10' into the air if confined and ejected thru a standard garden hose. What is needed is a commercially available small system which could be installed by a licensed electrician much as solar panels and their attendant equipment are now installed. A quick online search seems to me to show that nothing remotely similar now exists for artesian water of this sort, presumably due to its uniqueness, but all of this is entirely new to me and my "research" thus far has been minimal.

Any thoughts?


----------



## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

torchlake said:


> I have inherited a northern Michigan cottage with an artesian well which for the last 80 years has been discharging roughly 10 gpm at enough psi to provide ample pressure for a shower, two sinks and toilets with no pump or pressure tank and virtually no seasonal flow variation. All this water simply bypasses the house when it is not in use and flows into a large lake 24/7/365.
> 
> My question. Is there any affordable way for an interested but entirely electrically and mechanically incompetent oldster to consider using this water flow to generate electricity? The cottage is hooked to the grid. The artesian well which produces all this water is located 200 ft from and 30 ft above the cottage and the water is piped underground to the cottage and then to the lake where it discharges in a continuous stream that I guestimate would shoot at least 10' into the air if confined and ejected thru a standard garden hose. What is needed is a commercially available small system which could be installed by a licensed electrician much as solar panels and their attendant equipment are now installed. A quick online search seems to me to show that nothing remotely similar now exists for artesian water of this sort, presumably due to its uniqueness, but all of this is entirely new to me and my "research" thus far has been minimal.
> 
> Any thoughts?



Like this?
https://www.backwoodssolar.com/products/microhydro-power

You might want to start here first before you buy anything.
https://www.homepower.com/articles/...n-installation/microhydro-systems-advice-pros


----------



## markt1 (Dec 15, 2013)

I really really envy your situation. You have the ultimate source of potential home power.


----------



## Offgrid48 (Jul 28, 2016)

I agree, that's an ideal solution. Just need to create a holding tank and create some head for the water drop to drive the micro turbine. May only require a few feet of drop and a couple of gallons per minute to drive the micro turbine. I sure with I had that resource.


----------



## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Guess I'm a little different than most. Considering you have grid power and anything you build most likely would not be approved to hook to the grid and by your post sounds more like you want a play toy than actually produce power I'd build a overshot/breechshot water wheel on a stand alone system if I did anything at all.

Most likely something like a small shed with a 4 to 5 foot wheel beside it. The shed would house the batteries and pullies to power a generator. Could all be done artistically so it looks more like a water feature in the yard than a power station. Use it to power a few dc yard lights or anything else needed outside.

https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Hydro/hydro.htm has a few examples of water wheels towards the bottom of the page.

WWW


----------



## Meinecke (Jun 30, 2017)

Always fun to play around with but real grid replacement?
Not without a good power management and battery/storage
http://www.goodshomedesign.com/how-to-build-a-5-gallon-bucket-hydroelectric-generator/


----------



## red1 (Jun 19, 2007)

All kinds of contraptions out there...What a good deal for you...


----------



## weaselfire (Feb 7, 2018)

Google "pelton wheel generator."

Jeff


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I wonder how those open air versions perform in Winter.
Much of Michigan has an 18-32" frost depth.
We can get by with less than 6" here.


----------



## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

If I figured it correctly this site has about a 750 watt output potential 24/7
Not exactly hover dam but the possibility of a net zero power bill.


----------



## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

AmericanStand said:


> If I figured it correctly this site has about a 750 watt output potential 24/7
> Not exactly hover dam but the possibility of a net zero power bill.


That's about 18 KW a day. What's your daily power consumption now?


----------



## CKelly78z (Jul 16, 2017)

I would like to have this problem.


----------



## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

It’s the eternal shock of how much a tiny spring can produce.


----------

