Model System

 The micro-hydroelectric system produces approximately 14 Volts Alternating Current, variable frequency. A modified car Delco car alternator is used. The voltage is increased to 140 volts using a step-up transformer. Conventional battery chargers are used to charge golf cart batteries located at three sites. An A-Frame house (1008 square feet) and the well house are each powered directly by two, six volt batteries, wired to provide twelve volts. Power can be sent to an earth-sheltered home approximately 700 feet away from the micro-hydroelectric system installation.

The electrical system of an earth-sheltered home (1920 square feet) operates from the batteries via a Trace 612 inverter. The six, six volt batteries in the earth-sheltered home are wired in a series/parallel method to provide twelve volts to the inverter.

Offered by Eric.

A caution regarding the reference to an earth sheltered house. If not properly designed the whole thing could collapse because of the tremendous weight of the earth birm sliding over the structure. I would also offer a caution again regarding the reference to 6 volt batteries in a series. Placing batteries in a series like this increases the likelyhood of failure as either cell can fail. It is also not advisable to have cells in a series for charging. This decreases efficiency and can cause failure if one cell becomes shorted, thus causing the other to be exposed to excess charing voltage.

Offered by Steve.