All prices ex. GST
SKU: 1645
We are proud of our PowerSpout PLT turbine, but we understand that not everyone has the budget for it. The PLT Cube is our answer: lower cost and lower weight, keeping the qualities that matter — an efficient, robust turbine.
If your delivery address is in Africa, Asia, South or Central America, your Cube arrives fully assembled, as a goodwill gesture. Everywhere else, the Cube ships as a DIY kit. Both are covered below.
On a suitable site the Cube produces up to 1.2 kW, 24 hours a day, all year. Units can be stacked to generate up to 12 kW on the same penstock and power cable. It is also available as a twin pack and in a bundle with a Coanda intake.
Specifications
Voltage
The Cube is available as Cube 28/40/50/56/80/170/200. The number is the operating voltage under the site conditions you report: a "Cube 80" is built to run at 80 V on your site, and would run at a different voltage on a different one. The open circuit voltage (Voc) can be up to three times higher, so your MPPT controller or grid tied inverter must have a maximum input voltage at least three times the operating voltage. Voc is what damages controllers. Our charge controller guide explains how to choose.
Each Cube turbine comes with
Bearings. Replace the automatic greaser once a year and your bearing warranty runs for the full term of the turbine warranty. Replacement greasers and grease tubes are available here.
How the Cube differs from the PLT
From an installation and servicing point of view, very little. The Cube is a boxier shape, which packs more efficiently and keeps freight down, and it is lighter. Read the differences in detail.
The Cube comes with full documentation covering installation, maintenance and system design. It does not come with personalised support — if you need our help, buy a support ticket. Our time is not free just because the kit is a DIY one.
DIY kits
Outside Africa, Asia, South and Central America, the Cube ships as a kit for you to assemble. Watch the assembly video, then follow the installation manual once it is built. If you would rather receive a finished turbine, look at our PLT.
The performance of a DIY Cube is not guaranteed, because you are the one building it. Designing a hydro turbine for a specific site, voltage and power conversion setup is not simple, and many DIY hydro projects are either never finished or end up inefficient and unreliable. The Cube exists to make a good outcome possible for people who want to build it themselves. If you want to experiment, you will find cheaper and lower quality parts online. If you want a serious DIY product, we think the Cube is the most cost effective offering available.
Our gesture to developing countries
We often hear of sub-performing, broken or abandoned hydro systems. Done properly, micro hydro can power thousands of homes affordably and sustainably — and two of the barriers are cost and access to tools and mechanical skills. So if your delivery address is in Africa, Asia, South or Central America, we assemble your Cube for you. Because we build it, it comes with:
Every PowerSpout turbine is built to match your site, so you will need your site data and a completed calculation before ordering. If you are new to this, start with our getting started guide.
