Choosing A Model
These questions relate to which PowerSpout model you need at your location, whether it's a PowerSpout BE, PowerSpout ME, PowerSpout GE, or PowerSpout HE.
Is there a catalogue available?
All product information is available on our web site, please refer to the online manuals for detailed product information.
Are there educational discounts for your products?
Yes, we do offer all our PowerSpout products at a discounted price for educational use only.
Please explain general grid-connected operation of your turbine.
The GE unit has been fully tested on an SB1100 and has 400 vdc overvoltage protection built in, so any inverter that can handle up to 400 vdc input or higher will work well.
The ME version is the same unit with a lower voltage stator and 120 vdc voltage protection. In Australasia and some other parts of the world 120 vdc is ELV so does not require an electrician to install it. This unit can also be used in grid connect applications where the inverter can handle up to 120 vdc input. The ME is really intended for use with common battery based MPPT regulators like the Outback FM60 and many others that are on the market these days.
Please advise how you can help with site calculations.
In the next few weeks our web site will have an advanced calculator installed. It has taken us a while to get the maths sorted, you enter your site data and it will then advise cable and pipe sizes, you can then lock or set the pipe/cable sizes and it will work in reverse and calculate the inputs needed.
We have done this so installers can quickly advise clients the pipe and cable size needed so as to avoid costly errors.
Hello, I have a creek that supplies 150 gpm as measured with a 5 gallon bucket and stop watch. I can get 25 ft. of head but it will take right at 300 ft. of pipe to achieve that 25' drop. My question is, can you tell me the size pipe that would give me the best results? I really like the looks of your product. I already have the batteries (48v) for a system. Just need a little more info on pipe size so I can price that part of the project out. Thanks in advance, Frank Johnson
The PowerSpout advanced calculator can help you, it you enter your data you can experiment with the pipe size and it will tell you how much power you can generate for each size - only takes a few seconds to do and it easy to use. http://www.powerspout.com/advanced-calculator/
In case of a area power outage due to thunder. Will the system shut down? I'm in Ontario Canada where we have a new feed in tariff (FIT) program for waterpower of 13.1 cents/KwH for 40 yrs and a 20% escalation per year. Would this system qualify for this program and would it be profitable?
The grid connected GE turbine will shut down if the inverter shuts down. If there is a grid outage caused by storm fronts then yes it shuts down and will not restart until the grid is up and running again. It looks like the GE turbine will qualify for the funding. The real issue is how much power your site can generate, as hydro power can be economic even without any subsidies. To answer this question please complete the table I have just emailed you.
Hello- I'm investigating the possibility of using your product for my off-grid cabin here in the US. One question I don't see answered, or in the manual, relates to the cable used to carry the electricity from the generator to the battery bank--there is some discussion about the "cost of the cable" as a portion of the overall cost. Is there some special type of transmission cable that must be used? If so, what is it called so I can try to find out more about it? It's not clear to me what is meant by close v. far from the water source for cabling purposes--is there any way to quantify that? 1km? 500m? Seems like that might dictate whether the ME version should be purchased. Thanks very much, Doug
The PowerSpout advanced calculator can help you, it will work out the cable size for your site, cost is pretty much proportional to the cross sectional area. In many applications the ME can go 500m and more. http://www.powerspout.com/advanced-calculator/
I am trying to put together a list of components necessary to capture some hydro power. Could you let me know of some of the grid tie inverters that are compatible with the powerspout for use in USA. Thanks!
All inverters that are approved for use in the USA and have an input voltage of 400 Vdc or more will work fine with the PowerSpout GE.
Great web site! Two questions: 1) Have you compared wattage output from your PowerSpout between standard bearings and ceramic bearings. 2) Have you tried using an MPPT with the Powerspout? Many thanks Ian
Bearings account for less than 1% of losses in the system, so there is little to be gained , we use SKF explorer sealed bearings that are good quality and can be re-greased while the turbine is running and are common all over the world.
Our ME turbine is specially designed to work with MPPT regulators and to comply with 120 vdc ELV laws in many countries. It contains a 120 VDC fail safe voltage limiter and nominal running voltage is 100 vdc for connection to 12/24/48 vdc battery banks via an MPPT regulator.
Hi Michael, I am trying to get my head around the power available from our stream on Dover rd. Using your advanced calculator it estimates that we would have approximately 600w to "our shed". Please can you explain what this equates to. Is this being produced every second? Is this the maximum amount of wattage we could ever use in our home at one time if we were to be only using hydro? Does wattage build up over time if unused. i.e overnight? Thanks for your help and look forward to your response
A Watts is a Joule/second = Force x distance /time. So 600W = 0.6x24 = 14.4 kWhrs/day
Suggest you read the online manuals if you do not understand all this
Batteries meet the peak, all in the manual
Hi, what is the high power upgrade option, How would it help in a 30 ft drop/600 ft 4 inch pipe/ME situation. thanks
Hi Cam,
That will depend on your flow rate gpm?
If you have 169 gpm or more the flow is pipe size limited.
1 standard turbine will hit the Watts/rpm limit at 145 gpm and 304W, so best to have 1 turbine not 2.
If you have less that 145 gpm use a standard turbine.
The high power unit can go 20-25% more but needs 20-25% more water, as you open up the flow your pipe loss goes from 26% (145 gpm) to 33% (169 gpm fully choked).
So you will get about 10% more power with the HP unit as you then hit the flow limit of the pipe.
Above assumes a clean bore smooth plastic pipe.
Hope this helps, the calculator is being modified to include the HP unit and should be online in a few weeks.
Hi there, our stream is spring-fed and has a high lime content - so many appliances suffer from calcification. Would the turbine innards be affected?
Many thanks
Hi ,
I do not see an issue with lime, unlikely to adhere to the smooth plastic
Please forward site data so we can see the quality of your resource
http://www.powerspout.com/advanced-calculator/
Hi there, I already operate a 'stream engine' and 'harris turbine' but I'm planning a hydro scheme around 1500m away with potential for 1Kw so would dearly like to use one of your HE turbines that I intend to purchase through Hugh at scoraig wind electric. There does however appear to be no info on transformers or regulators to charge 48v batteries with this device on your website. Cheers, Paul
Yes please do buy via Hugh, he has a sound knowledge of RE systems.
The HE version as you will see on our web site in only for NZ customers, http://www.powerspout.com/assets/Uploads/public/PS-descriptions-Feb-2011.pdf
We made this change recently as we have a new ME250 VDC that uses the new Midnight Classic 250 MPPT regulator, this will be fine at 1.5 km.
I do not have your site data, but have just sent you a simulation for 1kW at 1.5km. You can play with this simulation for your site data
You probably need to push your power line loss as hard as you push your pipe loss
Over 1.5km cable losses for 1000W at the turbine are:
copper
4mm^2 18% loss
6mm^2 13% loss
10mm^2 9% loss
We commonly use in NZ 25mm^2 2-core aluminium as it is very low cost
25mm^2 7% loss aluminium
If you read this document you will see the efficiency for a stream engine installed on transformers
http://www.powerspout.com/assets/Uploads/public/Vanuatu-powerspout-thesis-2010.pdf
Our HE running at 350 vac will do 10% loss on 4mm^2 3-core. This is the same price as 6mm^2 2-core and the ME250 has 13% loss. So there is nothing in it, a few %. That is why we have decided to drop the HE outside NZ
MPPT loses are normally around 5-9%. Transformer losses are closer to 10%. The MPPT function will also squeeze out a few % for you and do auto set up. So MPPT ME 250 is the way to go.
Hope his helps
Is it possible to charge two battery banks at two different locations? We want to run two houses with low loads from one generator. Basic details Total: 66m high, 343 m long - above 3.0 liters / sec pipe: 2.5 "PVC .037 CCV Thanks, Dave
Yes, the difference between them may make that a little tricky. One option is to put in a split generator (2 halves) that sends the power equally 2-ways from the turbines.
I have just sent you a data file, you need to put in correct data.
If you are sharing the turbine why not share the entire system and put in one big system and power both homes from it? This is cheaper than 2 separate systems.
I need from you:
Correct data file - this will help http://www.powerspout.com/assets/Uploads/public/How-to-order-PS-Feb-2011.pdf
Distance between 2 home
Equipment at each home at the moment
Power use at each home, are they both the same?
Please confirm if 2.5” in the ID or the OD. We need the ID
Good site over 900 Watts
Hope this helps
Howdy, I have 200' of head and about 10 gpm, and I believe at times it would be advantagous to run a single nozzle as opposed to two to retain a good sized jet of water. Can the powerspout run a single nozzle or is that too much unbalanced force?
thanks, Hugh
Hi Hugh,
I have just sent you a calculation file. Please input all the correct site data and re-save, but this will give you an indication.
Including 10% pipe and 10% cable losses you site can do 144W. Or 177W with no losses
One jet operation is fine below 400W
Hope this helps.
What is the lowest head the turbine can run with ?
Hi Richard
3m-120m for the PowerSpout.
We do have a low head turbine under development and this will run 1-4m, but still 6 months away from a retail version.
Hi, When using an ME-100 with a latronic PVE-1200, do you need to use the turbine controller as well (TC48) ?Thanks.
No you do not, OV protection is already provided in the PowerSpout turbine and this is fail safe.
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