Author Topic: Hola (Read 31508 times)

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **on:** November 02, 2009, 08:03:25 AM »

Como le va

How y'all are

joasis · « **Reply #1 on:** November 02, 2009, 09:30:13 AM »

Welcome to the club!

Kirk Allen · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2009, 03:19:43 PM »

Hey Harold, good to hear from you.

No time to talk. Back out to the stand to shoot ANOTHER buck

Shot a monster 250lb field dressed 8 point this morning!

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2009, 05:28:32 PM »

Hi Guys
Place looks a little on the slow side

Sounds like a good deer you got, Kirk.

No photos--didn't happen

Kirk Allen · « **Reply #4 on:** November 02, 2009, 06:06:33 PM »

Its hunting season, no time to cut wood

Pics coming!

Kirk Allen · « **Reply #5 on:** November 02, 2009, 09:46:19 PM »

Pictures never do it justice. He was a snug fit in the back of the truck

Field dressed the scale put him at 248lb. I was close with my 250 guess. Right now he is at the top of the charts for the county big buck contest, which is based on weight. Last year 242 was the winner.

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #6 on:** November 03, 2009, 07:40:03 AM »

That's a beauty. Been many years since I Bow hunted.

Looks like Buzz hasn't posted in a while

He and family doing OK

Kirk Allen · « **Reply #7 on:** November 03, 2009, 09:04:23 AM »

He has been pretty busy. Putting up food and ammo for the next great depresion!

Buzz Sawyer · « **Reply #8 on:** November 04, 2009, 09:28:16 PM »

Hey Harold como esta?
Real good to hear from ya! I always imagine you sitting on the back porch roasting marshmallows on the volcano...Ya this sight is slower than some, I was hopping you could do something about that.Whats the latest you ole water log dog? Findin any gold pay dirt down there? How bout an update?

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #9 on:** November 05, 2009, 11:33:14 AM »

Well Howdy
Just busy maintaining the trees we planted, cutting grass that gets 3' high within 2 months, sawing some logs, occasionally, and building furniture and cabinets for clients.

Preparing to get our hand dug pond lined, so it doesn't leak through the volcanic sand layers, so I can start pumping water ti fill the pond, so the runoff runs back down hill to the water generator system I am designing.

Down here, the Power Co. decided they needed extra money, so, they doubled the rates.

Nothing like pissing off the Gringo, EH

Occasionally head up to Florida for MORE STUFF, and see the family.

How's by you

Kirk Allen · « **Reply #10 on:** November 05, 2009, 02:37:48 PM »

Dont have to go to CR to find folks who double their rates. Stinking poloticians passed the cap and trade of committe last night and that will easily double our rates if the senate pass's it.

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #11 on:** November 05, 2009, 03:26:41 PM »

Difference here is, I do what I want. We checked with the proper offices for restrictions. NONE apply.

Y'all up there, need permits to fart and pay through the nose for "official" inspectors-inspections, which you already pay for in taxes.

Until y'all step up and throw the politicos OUT OF OFFICE, and take back the country, y'all can expect more and more restrictions.

Kirk Allen · « **Reply #12 on:** November 05, 2009, 08:23:07 PM »

By the grace of God we dont have ANY permit requirements here.

I agree 100%, we need to throw them ALL out of office. I am afraid its going to come to violance one day in my life time to take this country back.

Buzz Sawyer · « **Reply #13 on:** November 10, 2009, 03:37:22 PM »

Hey Harold,
I build one heck of a nice ram pump a while back that would work in similair conditions if you have a good fall in the vacinity.Actually it would be totally free. I am supposing you are storing energy in the pond for slow and continual power out put?

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #14 on:** November 10, 2009, 03:47:58 PM »

Exactly, Buzz.

Problem I have is, no head to speak of. Might get 7' of drop, at the stream.

I plan on 2 waterwheels, each running 2 piston pumps, to shove the water up 100' or so, to the pond. Pond is probably too small, but, shoveling is hard on this old man. Incline is around 35°. Once in the pond, it will overflow into a 4" pipe, that runs back down to the beginning of the stream. Re-use the water.

I bought a 24V -150 Amp Alternator, and will mod it to perm magnet and AC voltage, to the house. Searching for a voltage controller to hold the voltage at 125-130 AC. Cycles will be a problem, but, that will be dealt with later. I have carved out a Pelton set of spoons, and, need to make a good mold to pour Devcon Aluminum Epoxy for a bunch of spoons.

I have all the fixins for a nice Ram, but, not enough head. Waterwheels will work just fine. Don't need but 4-5 feet of head to run a 4" pipe to each wheel, from a weir, so rain runoff doesn't take out the wheels.

Got to figure a way to get all the concrete and blocks and gravel down to the site, so I can get with it, soon as the dry season gets here, Feb-May or so.

Stevem · « **Reply #15 on:** November 13, 2009, 11:57:05 AM »

You might consider using auto alternators, they're cheap and can convert the AC to 100+ amps/12 volt DC internally to charge batteries. Then convert the DC back to the AC with a commercial converter unit (Old computer UPS's might work too with very few mods). Gets away from the frequency problem.

For low head applications my understanding is turbines are really good.

See this: http://www.absak.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/33_89_91/products_id/12
Not advocating purchase but might be a better path than a Pelton wheel.

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #16 on:** November 13, 2009, 12:56:24 PM »

Howdy Steve.

You must be a mind reader. Your first paragraph is EXACTLY what I am doing. UPS's are heavy to transport on a plane, and they charge an extra $100.00, PER BAG. Freakin thieves.

I only get 40 meters of run and 6-7 ' of head, so, Pelton is the way to go. I'm modding a 24V 150 Amp Alternator, once I get it here from Florida. Push the juice 200 feet to the shop as AC, and rectify it as needed.

Stevem · « **Reply #17 on:** November 13, 2009, 01:07:55 PM »

$110 !!!!!!!!!!!! Wow.

You are dumping the batteries first? and you can leave the case to reduce volume, Electronically there really isn't much in the UPS's.

Just saying

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #18 on:** November 13, 2009, 04:41:27 PM »

I'm basing on info provided on Ebay, describing weight, without batteries. A 1400 KVA (1000) watts, weighs 60 pounds with case. Weight limit per bag on Spirit Air, to CR is 50 pounds. I brought a room size dehumidifier down here, in April, and it weighed 46 pounds. I fought the accuracy of THEIR scales, against MY scale, and they simply said, take something out of the bag, leave the bag, or pay the $100.00 extra. It's 2 pounds over the limit.

It's the only decent fare flying out of Florida to San Jose, CR. It's all run by Negroes with attitudes. I've had other issues, and they just swell up and show their misaligned authority over the rest of us. I've seen Big mamas try to lift bags off the floor, and needed help, but, THEY got the regular rate

Don't get me wound up.

Stevem · « **Reply #19 on:** November 14, 2009, 04:29:16 PM »

Harold,

Check this out from APC. 26 lbs shipping wt.

http://www.apc.com/products/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BR1500&total_watts=200

Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner" · « **Reply #20 on:** November 14, 2009, 09:38:45 PM »

Harold, how much juice are you trying to produce? I will do some checking with a friend of mine that has developed a low flow system for the islanders in the South Pacific for electicity. Give me a couple days please to touch base with him. He is kind of hard to get in touch with, at times.

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #21 on:** November 15, 2009, 12:53:24 PM »

Frank, I want to use 120V straight, and use batteries for a dump load, when we are not using much juice. I figure I can get 20 amps at 120V.

Been a long time since I messed with splitting loads and such. Electronic world caught up and passed me by.

I can get 1 gallon of flow every 2½ seconds, right now, with occasional rain. This water is mainly from a spring, with runoff topping it off. That's 24 GPM, and AT the stream, I have 6-7 feet of head or drop.

If I go up the hill with water powered pumps, I can get runoff from the pond, to fill a 4" pipe for 100' drop, to the stream. Then, re-use that water again, so I increase the GPM, wearing the water out.

That's where I have to start calculating the amount I can actually get, hence the 24 V 150 Amp Alternator, that I am going to convert to Permanent Magnet Rotor. NO need to excite the rotor, and have juice pushed down TO the Alt.

I would be very interested to hear what your friend has to say.

Thanks for the offer to help, Frank. Very much appreciated.

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #22 on:** November 15, 2009, 12:56:09 PM »

Steve, thanks for that link and advice.

Buzz Sawyer · « **Reply #23 on:** November 23, 2009, 03:13:01 PM »

So Harold, you have a 200 foot run to the shop, have you calculated your volt drop yet? What I am getting at is due to transmittion loss your initial generated voltage at the wheel needs to be appropriate to the step down method at the shop, right?!?! clear as mudd?

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #24 on:** November 23, 2009, 03:50:01 PM »

Buzz
There are charts for line losses over distance. First, I have to get the Alternator modded, and spin it up, to see what the output is, no-load. I will push the AC up the hill to the shop. Doesn't really matter a lot, what the voltage reads, if I go strictly for DC Battery charging. Just hook up a sufficient amperage Bridge rectifier, and the Battery bank will control the voltage.

I WOULD like to figure a way to use the AC directly into the house. Today, I snagged a used UPS that will run straight off batteries, without AC supplied. Got to get up to Florida and pick up the Alt and that UPS, along with miscellaneous other bits and pieces.

I am confident that #4 cu will be sufficient for that distance. Neighbors past me are running 120-240 over 600 feet using #4 Al.

They also tap off the Breaker box, and run another 150' down to the milk barn, and run lights and a chopper for green chop, directly to the cows.

Buzz Sawyer · « **Reply #25 on:** November 24, 2009, 10:45:06 AM »

Yea I imagine they are getting about ONE volt at the end on the line

Reason I was wondering was that I had a battle getting large enough line to prevent volt drop over a 400 foot run....can get expensive when ya wanna carry 200 amps!!!
I understand what your doin, any ac voltage will do if it is at least able to be rectified into 12vdc

You could possibly get some odd voltage handling light bulbs in your house or something that runs an element like a toaster oven to use in the house off of the straight a/c?

?

caryr · « **Reply #26 on:** November 24, 2009, 11:47:34 AM »

Quote from: Buzz Sawyer on November 24, 2009, 10:45:06 AM

Reason I was wondering was that I had a battle getting large enough line to prevent volt drop over a 400 foot run....can get expensive when ya wanna carry 200 amps!!!

Harold has the correct wire size 20 A using 4 ga Cu can go a bit over 200 ft with a 2% voltage drop at 120V. At 240 you could drop to 6 ga Cu and go up to 25 A for the same distance and drop. I don't think I would try to send a continuous 200 A 400 ft unless I had access to higher voltages. Even stepping up to 480 V, which is easy and can still be done with normal wiring, would require on heck of a wire(s)!

Harold, I have some hydro links that I will try to scrounge up for you later.

Cary

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #27 on:** November 24, 2009, 01:00:12 PM »

Worked as a Power Co. Lineman for 12 years. Got a pretty good idea on wire capacity limits.

In VietNam, I had a request to put the NCO Club on 24 hour power. It was 687 feet (Paced off), from the 60KW generator, to the club. I did some serious cypherin, and figured we MIGHT get by with a huge cable. Put the word out, and scored 650' of 500 MCM copper, sheathed. Ran it, by pulling with the jeep, and hooked it up. Voltage ran consistant at 111 volts.

Man, did I impress the Brass. They thought I was KING of Power.

The neighbors figure, if the motor runs, that's good enough. Never mind they stick the grass in in short spurts, and it sounds like perpetual farting. Thuut, thuut, thuut.

Sometimes, the motor even gets running so slow, I can't hear the noise from the knives cutting the air

No problem for me, EH

ANY water power info would be greatly appreciated, Caryr

I am planning a 24V system, because the Alternator is 24V. Just figure to rectify at the power house, rather than down by the creek, with all the extremely wet conditions.

Scored a UPC yesterday, that has a trigger switch, so it can be started on battery, rather than needing Grid current. Just have to pay shipping, + I will throw in a little extra, even though the unit was free. NOW, I can take a peek, and see how to rig up this self starter-activator. Then, I can run straight off the Alternator, from 65 v to 150V, and the UPS will put out 120V 60 cycles.

I learned about cycles from taking over the Generator shop, in VietNam, and that is the only part I am having trouble figuring.

According to what I can find on the 'net, Alternators put out in the hundreds of cycles, say 400, for example. NOW, how to get that changed to 60 cycles

Hoping the UPS will do that, without releasing the "Magic Smoke".

Battery juice doesn't matter, as long as it is whatever the UPS is rated for. I can rig up 6 Volt Batteries, in quad packs, for 24 volts, charge them at 24 V, and tap off in 6 or 12 volt increments, for UPS's, RV type DC appliances and whatever. CFL lighting, I don't think matters to much about cycles

Still need more searching, OR, a friendly Electrical Engineer, that won't tell me i'm crazy. We already know that, EH

caryr · « **Reply #28 on:** November 24, 2009, 10:35:39 PM »

Hi Harold,

Here is one link http://www.hydro-turbines.com/index.html. Yes, he is trying to sell you stuff, but the foundation material is fairly good and it looks like good equipment. Here's another one from Europe http://www.esha.be/. Look in the publications section. Some of this may be applicable to you, but much of it is small in the MW range not the kW that most of us consider small. For some fun reading grab the two part "Guide on How to Develop a Small Hydropower Plant". Basic engineering and math may be required

.

If you are connecting the batteries in series to charge with 24V you can not also then try to tap them in parallel to drive the 12V UPS input. You could tap for two UPSs, but then you have no easy way to lock them to the same frequency so you'd end up with smoke in one or both units. Probably better to find a heavy duty UPS that uses a 24 V battery stack. I'm guessing they do, but they may just stick to 12 V.

I didn't read exactly how you plan to implement this, but here is what I would do it from what I understand.

1. Use an efficient in stream mechanical system to pump water up to the holding pond. This runs 24/7/365 unless the pond is full.

2. Use the pond as your storage system, not batteries, but make sure the pond is strong! If possible I would try to store at least a days worth of energy in the pond.

3. Depending on demand draw water from the pond to charge the battery that drives the UPS. You could build a fancy control system based off the voltage level in the battery, the current draw and charging current that continuously adjust the water flow to charge the batter, but something as simple as the voltage is too low start charging (slowly open the valve), the charging current has dropped off and the voltage is high (slowly close the valve).

4. To drive 20 A at 120 V you are going to need something more than the average UPS. Thought to get things working and to see if it is going to work as expected cheap is a great way to go. The battery is there to provide the surge current and to keep the voltage available during low current needs. The alternator driven by water is there to provide the average current. Since you don't have a grid to feed into you may as well only use the water as needed.

As a side note. If you don't have to turn a normal incandescent light on and off they will last almost forever when they are always on, so if you want a night light don;t bother turning it off if you have the spare current to drive it.

Cary

Buzz Sawyer · « **Reply #29 on:** November 25, 2009, 06:02:52 PM »

In VietNam, I had a request to put the NCO Club on 24 hour power.Man, did I impress the Brass. They thought I was KING of Power.

Harold ...didnt you tell me something about the secret location of underground (PUSHED in mud) power grid you built? I remember it was a secret power you held over the brass??? Or was it the babboon who liked choclate you got the upper hand on....Spanky was his name???

About cycles...it is the gauge of the wire and the numer of turns that decide voltage and cycles as I recall ........
I studied up to build a 120 volt alternator....high cycles like in a car alternator are good for welding and also keep batteries healthier, BUT as you know only motors with brushes or universal rating can run on high cycle...like drills, circular saws, vacumes etc.Jeeez I have some info on ALLL this let me take a peek and get back to ya

One nice thing about modern alternators from car/truck, is that they kick in at an idle speed and give amps....(Many are well over 150amp!) also if you remove the rectifier it will put out 120 volts for better transmition (less drop) well I doubt any of this will help ya.....

caryr · « **Reply #30 on:** November 25, 2009, 06:33:31 PM »

Harold,

Make sure you check the basics on this before you start buying too much equipment. 24 GPM and only 6-7 ft of drop is not going to give you very much power.

Cary

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #31 on:** November 26, 2009, 05:48:17 PM »

Buzz, yer memory is golden.

I plan to rectify at the batteries. Push the AC from the Alternator TO the battery area.

Caryr, I have built one waterwheel. Put ½ cuts of 4" PVC with end caps, to make wide shallow buckets, 17 buckets in all, 22" dia. motorcycle wheel. That will run 2 piston pumps, to shove water up the hill. IF this works as all my cypherin indicates, I will put a second one in. PLENTY of water to power the 2 wheels.

Pond is calculated to hold 7000 gallons of water, and, I extended it, so figure 8500. A 4" PVC draln-overflow pipe will channel the water back downhill, to the Pelton Alternator. IF I run the water spill from the Alternator, back into the stream, I get to use that same water, in increased amount, over and over, ad-infinitum.

The 24 gallon, 6-7 feet drop, will run the pump wheels, might add a third, if need be. I figure this system can be upgraded 3-4 times what I have before I even touch the system.

Might not seem clear writing, as, we just completed a 2 day 10 hours a day, trip, in Busses, in Mountains, to San Jose and back.

One day I will tackle the photo posting, and liven up the project.

I plan on using a converter of some kind, to be able to draw 12 volts off any 2- 6volt batteries, to get my 12 volts. I know there are 24 volt inverters and UPS's out there, but, not down here, or, easy to find, anyway.

Thanks for all the input, guys. I take it all in, and will report progress, in stages, so I don't let the Magic Smoke escape, EH

Buzz Sawyer · « **Reply #32 on:** November 28, 2009, 03:54:01 PM »

Sounds good Harold, you should really get some juice when those big rains start helping the gravity, eh? Any hooo keep the shinny side up on those dang buses and the majic smoke INSIDE where it belongs!

HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader · « **Reply #33 on:** November 28, 2009, 05:52:41 PM »

Twice, I have been on the Bus when the inside back wheels came off the ground, in a curve, and chirped when they set back down on the road.

There are stories galore, down here. Watching some of these fools trying to drive, just makes you want to stay home, altogether.

Sure would like to watch some on hard packed snow roads, EH

Buzz Sawyer · « **Reply #34 on:** November 29, 2009, 06:30:25 PM »

Yea...southern drivers freak out with a little rain a few flakes of snow and....................EVERYTHING is wrecked and shut down.....

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Author Topic: Hola (Read 31508 times)