Typically, car generators are designed to run at a speed about 5000 rpm. This is easy in a car, but the step-up ratio from a waterwheel is some 5000/50 = 100. Usually, a ratio of 6:1 per step is optimum, so 6 x 6 x 6 = 216. then perhaps a ratio of two is needed. That's a lot of mechanism!
If a turbine is used, the speed is higher to begin with, and direct drive is possible. That requires head pressure to spin the turbine so fast. Clearly, site information is needed to test the possibility of success. Frank -----Original Message----- From: Charlie [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 1:05 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [microhydro] cheap hydro battery charging.. I am a volunteer teacher in a rural village in Nepal. No electricity. Solar is used a fair bit to charge 12V car batteries for lighting. Works well. But it is cloudy a lot of the time... and we would like to run a laptop in the school.. a good sunny day gives us about 2-3 hours on the laptop. I have this idea that i could hook up a car generator to a water source and charge a car battery that way... 24 hours a day if necessary. Someone must have been down this track before.. any comments, ideas, pitfalls, plans etc would be welcome. I am not an auto electrician but can put two wires together... as can everyone in Nepal! Thanks Charlie Does your company feature in the microhydro business directory at http://microhydropower.net/directory ? If not, please register free of charge and be exposed to the microhydro community world wide! NOTE: The advertisements in this email are added by Yahoogroups who provides us with free email group services. The microhydro-group does not endorse products or support the advertisements in any way. More information on micro hydropower at http://microhydropower.net To unsubscribe: send empty message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Yahoo! Groups Links a.. To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/microhydro/ b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> What would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater? Donate or volunteer in the arts today at Network for Good! http://us.click.yahoo.com/TzSHvD/SOnJAA/79vVAA/FGYolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Does your company feature in the microhydro business directory at http://microhydropower.net/directory ? If not, please register free of charge and be exposed to the microhydro community world wide! NOTE: The advertisements in this email are added by Yahoogroups who provides us with free email group services. The microhydro-group does not endorse products or support the advertisements in any way. More information on micro hydropower at http://microhydropower.net To unsubscribe: send empty message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/microhydro/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
