Watermill-waterwheel

Do you make your own power ? be it Solar or Wind. Then this is a place for all home energy chat.
Wilfried
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:19 pm

Watermill-waterwheel

Postby Wilfried » Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:45 pm

Why only using solar or wind and not using water as a power supply ?
In the old days watermills where used to power millstones, why not let them power a generator (alternator) ?
Any thoughts ?? (Would make a nice charge point.)

Watery greetings for Belgium
Wilfried

NickJ
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:34 pm
Location: N Wales

Postby NickJ » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:32 pm

Water power is undoubtedly one of the best forms of renewable energy, usually constant and easily controllable....the only problem is of course the limited number of sites where it is viable. In the UK there are several thousand sites where small hydro has been used in the past and many others where it can be used but sadly this is a tiny fractio of the homes and businesses which use power.

I suppose the fact not many people discuss it here is that not many people are fortunate to have a suitable site...I know I wish I had :wink:

Wilfried
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:19 pm

Postby Wilfried » Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:54 pm

The domesday book (from 1086) records over some 6000 watermills...
http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/life.html
Figures for Germany says 25000 watermills ever existed.
So there must be some place out there somewhere...

On the web I've found some homebuild solutions
http://www.reuk.co.uk/Building-a-Waterwheel.htm
http://www.waterwheelfactory.com/
http://www.h2ouse.com/html/waterwheels.html
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DCUWtp_pTGs

Wilfried


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