Comments on: HOMEMADE HYDROELECTRIC PLANT LIGHTS HOUSES AND RUNS RADIO http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/07/21/homemade-hydroelectric-plant-lights-houses-and-runs-radio/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:28:09 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: in a small town... http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/07/21/homemade-hydroelectric-plant-lights-houses-and-runs-radio/comment-page-1/#comment-1056259 in a small town... Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:43:47 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/07/21/homemade-hydroelectric-plant-lights-houses-and-runs-radio/#comment-1056259 A bargain if looked at in today's terms, but $20. in 1933 could have done so much more, then. During the depression era, pre-WWII, people worked for days for a few cents worth of food. Comparing values today, it would cost plenty to do the same sort of thing, at that time. At least it did not require a fossil fuels. Nowadays, someone from the power company would call their environmental lawyers, and have the small guy's DC Power Plant shut down. That's because the open impeller could bonk fish and the grease used on the bearings, drips into the pristine waters of the Pacific Northwest. (You see, that's all changed over there now. The fish are almost all gone & the forests, too.) A bargain if looked at in today’s terms, but $20.
in 1933 could have done so much more, then.

During the depression era, pre-WWII, people
worked for days for a few cents worth of food.
Comparing values today, it would cost plenty
to do the same sort of thing, at that time.
At least it did not require a fossil fuels.

Nowadays, someone from the power company
would call their environmental lawyers, and
have the small guy’s DC Power Plant shut down.
That’s because the open impeller could bonk fish
and the grease used on the bearings, drips into
the pristine waters of the Pacific Northwest.

(You see, that’s all changed over there now.
The fish are almost all gone & the forests, too.)

]]> By: mrchurchill109 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/07/21/homemade-hydroelectric-plant-lights-houses-and-runs-radio/comment-page-1/#comment-345173 mrchurchill109 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:59:21 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/07/21/homemade-hydroelectric-plant-lights-houses-and-runs-radio/#comment-345173 Let me see...1/4 horsepower is about 180ish watts, with which he manages to light 2 houses, outbuildings, run machinery (albeit light machinery) AND a transmitter and receiver. I'm impressed. I am assuming he had a battery bank of some sort running @ 24 volts and was running things off that, but it's a great low-tech setup to provide electrical power on a shoestring. Let me see…1/4 horsepower is about 180ish watts, with which he manages to light 2 houses, outbuildings, run machinery (albeit light machinery) AND a transmitter and receiver.

I’m impressed. I am assuming he had a battery bank of some sort running @ 24 volts and was running things off that, but it’s a great low-tech setup to provide electrical power on a shoestring.

]]>