2011

2011 "User Friendly" Hydro Product guide

Our hydro-electric turbines are built in two parts to make jet changes and maintenance as easy as possible. The bottom half containing the water box, nozzles and jets, piping and/or manifold is intended to be mounted down permanent. The top half rests on top of the bottom half and is sealed by a rubber sheet insulator. Four wing nuts hold it down. It takes about 2 minutes to change jet sizes. Our product is unique in its ease of maintenance and is greatly appreciated by people who have previously owned our competitors’ products.

The water box mounts over a 14” X 14” square hole. Water discharge is out the bottom. The water box is available in one thru four nozzle versions with or without valves and several different manifold or pipe options. Standard jet sizes are from .125" to .760” with best efficiencies falling between .250” and .620”. We are very open to the idea of building a machine the way you want it.

Our standard runner (pelton wheel) is made of a structural polymer known under the trade name DELRIN which resists wear from silt and sand. It wears at about 1/5^th the rate of bronze runners. Optional runners are made of 416 stainless and are also more efficient but they are more expensive.

The power head (top half) comes in about 250 different versions at present to best match your site potential. We are still building wound field units for those on a budget or for applications needing higher wattage out of a single turbine than is possible with the PM’s at present. The most popular units are of course the Permanent Magnet models with higher efficiency and almost no maintenance. Model 1032 and 1038 are built in such a manner that magnet strength adjustment is unnecessary except rarely. New this year are enhanced models 1000, 1200, 1400, 1800 which feature stronger magnets and thicker stators which can improve efficiencies and make larger outputs possible. The model 2000 should be available about mid-2011. We intend to have a PM capable of 4 KW at the end of the year.

We include a sundry parts kit and jet assortment on a complete turbine. On standard units we also include a spare runner to eliminate down time if the DELRIN runner breaks. Simply return the runner and we will repair it for free. Breakage is almost always caused by a rock, twig, or air in the pipeline which will not be present in a properly installed penstock. Warranty is 3 years and covers most everything reasonable, keeping in mind that most wound field units will need brush and bearing replacement before that.

An abbreviated listing by group of some of the power heads available:

Group 1: automotive sized wound field alternators, most with special components using rheostat control. Brush and bearing replacement is recommended yearly under continuous use. Available in 12, 24, and 48 volt DC.

Group 2: Similar to group 1 except truck size alternators using larger bearings. Available in 12, 24, and 48 volt DC. Brush and bearing replacement is recommended at two year intervals under continuous use. Several brushless versions are available.

Group 3: Our best performing class of wound field rheostat controlled alternators having excellent output characteristics. Up to 3300 watt potential at 48 volt. Available in 12, 24, 48, and 120 volt DC.

Model 1032 PM: An entry level permanent magnet alternator. These are single phase and have about the same efficiency as the large frame Ford alternators that have been used for years. Very low maintenance and easy to use and install. They perform best for 12 and 24 volt DC applications but can be used at 48 and 120 volt DC and also wild frequency 120 to 480 volt AC for long distance transmission using a step down transformer/rectifier unit sold separately. We have built a number of these for dedicated loads like base board heating units. 500-750 watt maximums are possible depending on voltage. Electrically isolated with outdoor PVC junction box for maximum safety.

Model 1038 PM: Our most popular permanent magnet alternator up until now. A 3-phase stator offering 20-30% more output than a comparable wound field unit. Available in 12 to 480 volts AC or DC. The AC models are wild frequency for use with a step down transformer/rectifier for long distance transmission to a battery based system. The step down unit is sold separately. They are MPPT controller compatible. Electrically isolated with outdoor PVC junction box. Magnet strength is adjustable but rarely needed and not usually supplied. Optional 6, 12, and 24 wire reconfigurable stators are also available for applications with highly variable flow rates. The 24 wire unit is intended for stocking dealers to cover about 90% of the applications from 10 amp to 66 amp for 12-120 volt systems. 900-1100 watt maximums are possible depending on voltage.

Model 1000 PM: This is an enhanced version of model 1038 featuring a stronger magnet rotor which can improve efficiencies in some of the lesser applications and increase maximum potential to almost 1200 watts. 12 wire reconfigurable stator.

Model 1200 PM: This is an enhanced version of model 1000 featuring a thicker stator which can improve outputs and efficiencies up to 1350 watts in some of the better applications. 12 wire reconfigurable stator.

Model 1400 PM: This is an enhanced version of model 1000 featuring the thickest stator possible which can improve outputs and efficiencies up to 1700 watts in the better applications. 12 wire reconfigurable stator.

Model 1800 PM: This is the next step up after model 1400. Physically larger alternator exhibiting some impressive efficiencies. 12 wire reconfigurable stator. Outputs in excess of 1800 watts are possible. Not appropriate for the smallest hydro sites.

Model 2000 PM: This will be similar to model 1800 except with an exotic magnet rotor for the highest possible outputs within that size constraint. This is still a project in the works. Best estimate is mid-2011.

Model 2500 PM: TBA

Model 4000 PM: TBA

Step down Transformer/Rectifier Units: For use with the high voltage wild frequency AC turbines which make long distance power transmission possible on relatively inexpensive wire. These are custom built and matched to the turbine to minimize efficiency losses. For use on 12, 24, 48, 120 volt DC battery based systems.

Other Operational Formats: MPPT controllers have become rather popular due to their ability to maximize a turbines peak efficiency or sweet spot. If this is your plan, we will need to build the hydro with an open circuit voltage limit within the range of the controller. If using the OUTBACK FM controllers we will build a hydro with an OCV between 105 and 130 volts DC at your site specifications. The controller will operate the turbine at a higher voltage saving wire costs and efficiency losses. There is also a general gain in turbine efficiency as voltage is increased so these devices have definite value but keep in mind, they are fairly sophisticated expensive electronic devices easily damaged by voltage transients such as lightning anywhere in the area. 12 and 24 volt applications receive the most value from this format. 48 volt applications less so due to the voltage window being a little too narrow on the 150 volt controllers. The 250 volt Midnight Classic is due to come out soon which should change the map on that issue. There are many other MPPT controllers available. Many will work for hydro applications however the majority expressly disallow their product for hydro or wind use, so you will be on your own over any warranty issues.

A battery-less grid-tie inverter is another operational format. The hydro has a similar power curve to a photoelectric panel although the voltage window is wider. Many inverters have voltage windows that are applicable to our PM models. It is also possible to connect the turbine to a matched fixed resistive load without batteries. All these options are site specific. Accurate data is critical to build it properly.

Diversion Controls and Load Units:

The most common method of voltage control for a hydro or wind based generating system is with a voltage sensing diversion controller. When the battery and loads are satisfied, any surplus energy must be diverted to a diversion load . Heating elements make the most reliable loads but other types of loads such as lighting can also be used. Some inverters and other charge controllers have auxiliary relays that can be used to turn other types of loads like pumps on and off as needed. We carry water heating elements in 12, 24, and 48 volt. If using a conventional electric water heater, the existing thermostat will not hold up for 48 volt or higher DC operation. Modification to the water heater may be necessary. Air heating units are the more reliable device. We make air heating units that are for continuous use at 100% duty cycle in a 50 C ambient without a fan. They are superior to everything we have seen on the market. We took this approach due to the number of failed units and near fires we have seen from other brands. That said, the air diversion load must be mounted as specified on a fire proof wall or other suitable support with suitable fire proofing as needed. The unit must be kept free of any combustible materials or falling debris. In short, the same as you would treat a plug in floor heater. For battery based systems, the National Electric Code requires a back-up diversion. There are several ways to satisfy this requirement:

1. Grid-tie battery based inverter…..the inverter sells power to the grid as the primary diversion. If the inverter fails or the grid goes down in a power outage, a back-up diversion controller will dump to a heating element or ? preferably a DC device not powered from or interacting with the inverter.

2. Off-grid inverter….. Primary diversion done by voltage sensing relay or a diversion controller and a diversion load. Secondary diversion is best done with another diversion controller and a DC air heating load.

3. Off-grid, using an MPPT type controller in hydro format will also need a back- up controller which can be powered from an aux relay in the inverter but I prefer the more reliable or foolproof method of a diversion controller with the air heating load.

Sizing: It is good practice to never run anything over about 70% capacity for maximum life and reliability. That’s experience talking…30 amps or so of load on a 40-45 amp controller or relay and 45 amps or so on a 60 amp controller. The diversion load should also be sized at something larger than the hydro potential. The load wattage should be at least 125% of the hydro potential if using a 100% duty cycle load and much larger than that if using something else such as lighting which can lose a bulb that may go unnoticed.

Options: Motorized gate valves can be used as a primary or back-up and also used in a water management format. An example would be a pond with minimal inflow and a level sensor. When the pond drops the gate valve shuts off and opens up again when the level sensor returns.

No-No’s: open circuit controllers which over rev the hydro, or shorting controllers which generate excessive heat in the stator windings and rectifier.

Listed Equipment: Currently no one manufactures listed home scale hydro components except the controller. We are no exception due to the limited and highly specialized market. It is economically impossible for any of us to do that without raising the price so significantly that no one could afford to buy one. We have taken great effort however at making our diversion loads and permanent magnet power heads in a listable, safe and code compliant manner.

Site Evaluation and Installation Guides: How to figure head, volume, pipe loss, wire sizes and power potential from a prospective site, and a how to install it guide, for home scale hydro as it relates to our products based on 32 years of experience.

Special Stuff: Occasionally we get requests for building engine driven battery chargers and bicycle type human power battery chargers. Information on request.

Hydro Repair: We can service most of the competitions products and we make some upgraded components for the Harris and ES&D hydro’s including replacement PM alternators ( our design ) for both that use a cooling fan and a much better bearing design.

Do-It-Yourself Parts: Pelton runners in DELRIN or stainless, hubs, nozzles, jets, intake filters, pond liner material, alternators and control panels, etc…

Balance of System Components: We stock a great deal of OUTBACK Power Systems Inverters and related components as well as some Midnight, Magnum, and Morningstar. We can build and preprogram an entire power assembly to make it as “plug-n-play” as possible. We also sell Batteries, PV modules and racking, Charge controllers, Sunfrost and Sundanzer refrigerators and freezers, SunMar composting toilets, and many other items primarily for the off-grid or remote living folks.