Hydroelectric 3D Printed Intake update after Storm Ellen

For the last week we have had bad weather including a named storm. During that time i ran the hydro and monitored the intake for how well it was doing at shedding the debris. Its actualy working surprisingly well and i am really pleased with it. Some more changes will be happening to it soon and i will keep you all updated.
Here is the link to download the files for the Coanda screen tiles.
www.thingiverse.com/thing:456...

[@brinhaerycammel3467]

This Bjorn guy is a very generous person, I don't have a use for his model but I know how much work goes into these types of developments, say a big thank you to him from me as a sometimes prototype developer! much respect.

[@KrisHarbour]

Couldn't agree more! He will be reading this so you have told him yourself.

[@totherarf]

Likewise! It is nice to see someone who is not grasping everything they can off what they do (in monetary terms anyway). This goes for you too Kris ;0)

[@BjornErikLarsen]

Thank you! This has been a fun and interesting project. I am very happy that I can give something back to Kris after he has been producing all these fantastic videos. Kris was the guy that inspired me to start building my own Hydro Electric system high up north in Norway.

[@raymondjames9689]

@@BjornErikLarsen Do you think think it would be possible to make one with minimal fasteners if you had a big enough printer bed? I have a 400x400mm 3d printer (Anycubic chiron) that could get close to making a one piece coanda screen for an intake. Is bed size the limiting factor for the size of tile you made or are there other considerations?

[@BjornErikLarsen]

@@raymondjames9689 Thanks for your thoughts! That should be absolutely possible. The print bed is definately the biggest limiting factor on my old Makerbot 2X printer. ABS plastic has a tendency warping near the the printbed edges so I cannot use the full printbed. I have got ASA plastic that should not warp so much, so maybe I can print bigger parts soon. One problem with long plastic parts is that they flex more so somekind of support structures will be needed to prevent this.

[@andrewgiles6192]

Anyone else struggle with him leaving that last little leaf on the left? 😂

[@IsThisAvailable550]

And the one on the right that he pushed to the center

[@welshlyn9097]

Andrew Giles you are spot on 👌👌👌

[@KrisHarbour]

Would it be equally annoying if i left it there just so you would comment about me leaving it there? :D

[@andrewgiles6192]

@@KrisHarbour consider my noodle twisted 😂

[@cragmc8386]

Hahahaha I did! 😂

[@davewilliams6172]

There are a lot of over-engineers watching this series of videos all wanting mechanisms to auto clean the screen. KISS...Keep It Simple Stupid...just make it part of your morning routine to walk up to the pond, use a brush on the screen and then walk over to the workshop to carry on making brilliant inspiring stuff as usual! Looking forward to seeing the greenhouse build...I really miss my allotment and greenhouse! I loved that storm...spent most of the time sat outside under cover watching the display, quite magical lol

[@_s_9920]

couldn't have said it better. The problem with the engineering-inclined is that they don't factor in the reality of the environment and inperfect conditions. Outside of a city, nature will throw everything it can at your machines and systems and only the simple, low tolerance and sturdy things will last and hardwork and sweat is required to keep it maintained. Automation is something best left to the factory floor. As the saying goes, you'd take a German engineered car on a highway but you'd sooner take a Lada into the bush.

[@KrisHarbour]

I could not agree more with both if these comments, thank you both :)

[@welshlyn9097]

Kris Harbour Natural Building just keep doing what you’re doing,that’s why i watch you.best thing on you tube.stay safe Welsh Lyn.

[@illusivec]

While I am a firm believer of the KISS axiom myself, in this situation I'd have definitely tried to automate the cleaning process. I don't know about the channel owner's situation, but if that hydro system is his only electricity source, having this auto cleaning could prove to be crucial. He could get too sick to go out and clean the intake and if he's relying on electricity to sustain himself, having an auto cleaner could be the difference between life and death. Sure adding an auto cleaner complicates things and increases the number of things that can break but I'd argue even if the auto cleaner breaks down, he'd be no worse off than where he is right now. There is likely even a way to make this cleaning system purely mechanical. I'd also investigate Teflon coatings for those intakes.

[@dcampbell855]

Chris, I am so very impressed at your vast knowledge of different systems. Your work, especially in an off-grid setting, is top notch, informative, and inspiring. PLEASE continue to keep posting!

[@charlesalberti563]

I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my heart, I've been told my whole life it would be near impossible to live the way you do in modern times. But your channel has showed me that not only is is possible but with hard work and creativity it's very doable

[@lorns123]

I went back and watched the first few videos when the house was being built. When I look at how much has been achieved in such a short amount of time I can't really believe it. So impressive what this guy has created.

[@SSingh-nr8qz]

Hi, I think I may have figured out how to solve the leaf issue. It seems like there is a vacuum forming from water being pulled into the grill that is stronger than the water flow trying to push the leaf off. so the water flowing over the leaf and the suction of water behind the leaf is making it stick. To solve this. The outside of the grill fins need to be vertical ridges (smoothed out). It would allow for enough space for water to flow between both sides of a leaf to push it off the grill. The key here is to make the vertical ridges super smooth so water can flow smoothly and reduce things getting caught on the ridges. So if you are looking at each of those 3d printed modules, put 4 equally vertically spaced 1/8th inch ridges that have no edges and smoothed out. You should still get a smooth flow of water coming into the intake but no leaves. It's basically similar mechanics of flight. Having a pressure difference on a surface can make it lift up or push down depending on how much difference there is on either side of a wing. I hope this helps. Really have been enjoying your journey building this system. I always tune in.

[@KrisHarbour]

That is an interesting idea for sure. Thanks for that. I will mention that to Bjorn and see what he thinks about it.

[@SSingh-nr8qz]

@@KrisHarbour Cool! Just seeing if I can help. The main concept is you are allowing water to get underneath the leafs. You have the right flow of water and gravity on your side. Just got to break that suction and you should be in business.

[@FurnitureFan]

@@SSingh-nr8qz Great thinking. I wondered if it was some static force making those leaves cling to the surface, as I've seen cars add a strip of rubber to shake that off. But if course it must be a vacuum from the back.

[@SSingh-nr8qz]

@@FurnitureFan That was my thinking too. Remember the purpose of these screens it to draw in water.. Falling water creates air pressure as it falls. basically a tiny vacuum. We still want that pressure falling and ending up heading down the pipe. The trick will be figuring out how much air is being sucked in and then just equalizing it by allowing for air to get under the debri to not allow for suction and let the rest be done by the water falling down the screen. if that don't work, I would suggest a leaf blower set on a timer LOL.

[@kenleach2516]

Lovely watching, I love seeing your ideas and tests! Huge step forward intake wise!

[@mhkoo1]

I suggest make a protection against leaves where the protection is like a box without a bottom in front of the intake and water that leaves the "pond" must go through the box. Since the water can only enter at the bottom of the box and the bottom must be below the water level (say 10 cm), only water will exit the pond and leaves stay on the surface of the pond.

[@mikewild5367]

Great channel, what a brilliant way to save on utilities,. You have a great way of explaining everything, well done. Mike UK

[@blumperjoe8920]

thanks for the update, incredibly fascinating. can't wait to see the next designs

[@dronegirl2024]

i luv your vids on the hydro as i plan to do something simlar in the near future so i do now know the negatives bits to watch for ..thank you..

[@aronthomas5224]

Pleased to see the new system is working so well with the recent storm! I’m looking forward to seeing the work on the greenhouse. Just wanted to say another thank you for sharing your work and journey. Having been stuck indoors most of the year following an accident I’ve really enjoyed watching your videos and seeing that all of this is possible not far from my own home. I think I’m all caught up on your older videos now from before I came across your channel last year 😂

[@kletusbobby7029]

Good work, thank you for keeping us updated during/after unusual weather. Bjorn sounds like a nice bloke. Thank you both.

[@kezzie40]

Thanks for an awesome video, I’m new to this and I’m finding very informative. Thanks to all for the input.

[@awg11s18]

Hats off to you mate, really impressive work and beautifully designed. Keep it up and glad to have come across your channel being a jack of all trades myself.

[@basilbrushbooshieboosh5302]

Love your experimentation man. I'll be attempting the same in a while in my place in Tasmania. I have to get a house built at a coop on mid-north coast of NSW first, but then, a couple years down track, I'll be off to Tassie to fix that place up. Cheers for all the ideas and inspiration from your projects. Mic Barrett

[@rodolfotorres6289]

I have been watching your videos for several years now. Thank you. It is a very rewarding life Kris! Best from a fan in California.

[@lancedaniels]

Thanks for posting and sharing. I appreciate the progress update!

[@robinheil]

Another spring! You are blessed, Kris

[@charleydavidson69]

Hi Kris and Dot. Just spent a pleasurable couple of months during lockdown catching up on your videos. Well done on all your achievements. i know you have a lot on your plate but a potential project for the future could be beekeeping. Fits in well with the self sustainability angle of your lifestyle. Keep the videos coming. Keep safe Kim

[@2779mattie]

Very cool I enjoy the craftsmanship and great ideas

[@ButterflyMatt]

Sounds like you’ve been busy with equipment and systems maintenance. It’s exciting that you’re still working on a greenhouse. It’s really compelling to me as a viewer that you have so much going on. I await your content, but I’m happy just to know that you’re being so productive.

[@averyintrusive7610]

In the US a lot of places will pay you for putting power back into the grid. I have no idea how it works there but an extra green use for your excess if possible. Plus another income source possibly. Thanks for bringing us along.

[@terrylaslie5412]

You have definitely got it going on i enjoy your videos so much. I long to live this way again.

[@gazza2963]

nice hydro update mate! why do you always do this to my brain? ideas flowing now (pun intended) cant wait for your next video

[@allonesame6467]

As well as being fortunate, you have positioned yourself, prepared yourself intellectually, practically and skills-wise to be able to put this all together, then tweak it, experiment, share and collaborate with others of likemind and abilities. No small feat that. Bravo, You!-- and Dot and all your accomplices. Blessings Abound.

[@cbauer72]

If anything, as currently designed in this video, the bolts aren't a problem, they're an asset. Water flowing over those edges would never contribute to the input of the pipe. The bolts are actually deflecting water back onto the plates. Obviously there's water loss, but it's less than there would be if the bolts were flush with the face.

[@69Buddha]

Dude, awesome results! Thanks for putting in time to show it to us. Last week you educated me on the non-magnetic properties of stainless, but I can't get it out of my head that some neodymium would make install/removal of the screen a snap. My brain came up with this -- drill holes in the stainless frame holding the screen, and epoxy some magnets into it. Match those to magnets epoxied into the plastic screen? Might not be worth the effort on a final product where you don't remove the screen often, but would speed up swapping for testing. Great job on everything though, and thanks for putting up with all of our silly suggestions!

[@KrisHarbour]

Yeah That could work. But education for this week neodymium magnets are really easily corroded. they would fall to bits in a short period of time. they do have a coating but that does not last long. I hope that didnt sound to patronising :D

[@69Buddha]

@@KrisHarbour Anyone that gets offended by free knowledge will only limit themselves -- thanks for the education!

[@davidshepherd4410]

Some of the best and most interesting videos i have seen on you tube

[@thefoodhobbyists7352]

Oooooh comment first watch after! I have been waiting for this to drop since last week's! I'm loving the progress.

[@jessicapeck1061]

Another awesome and informative video. I find it all really interesting, although I admit the numbers go over my head a bit. One day I’ll get it 😅 Nice update on how the hydro intake is coping. Almost think I should put one of the street outside my shop - when it rains here, its a little river. Council would never approve though 😂

[@cragmc8386]

Hey Kris, nice position to be in power-wise. Could maybe dump some of that excess power to an immersion tank/tanks for your shower/hot water? Could also help keep your greenhouse heated in the winter with some kinda radiator setup or perhaps some of those electric tube greenhouse heaters. They're low wattage and would save you running pipes for hot water. Hmmmmm. Options! Glad to see the hydro setup coped fine with that storm 👌 Looking forward to the next video already to see what other projects you've got going on, always enjoyable to watch 👍👍

[@CosmicGorilla]

I was in West Wales during those storms, awesome or what.

[@chriswills9530]

I'd say that was a win, as regards (relatively) low maintenance. I mean, part of the price of living the more sustainable way that you do is that it involves more labour. To me, that works. To my uninitiated eyes, if I had been starting a project like this with fresh eyes, I would have anticipated having to make a multi-stage filter system - this is super-efficient. Nice work to you and Bjorn.

[@andymccabe6712]

At last!! The voice of common sense! Yes - for what it is -simple, it works really well. The obvious thing to do is, leave it alone....... !!

[@Roadkillstew]

great show and updates. thanks

[@5fingers1]

Looking great 👍 way to go Bjorne.

[@chwilhogyn]

It working Tidy! Can't wait what the MK2 Coanda screen will be like!!

[@shelleymitchell7912]

excellent work x

[@FarmsVilla]

RESULT! Nice job on the screen guys. 👏🏻👏🏻

[@chrisfryer3118]

Good vid. I'd have liked to have seen footage of your turbine in storm Ellen. Storm Doris (a few years back) killed mine, but you've reawakened my interest, might have to get some new bearings pressed in. Saving for a new lifepo battery bank, my lead-acid has had it after 6 years.

[@patchmack4469]

loving the energy apps etc - everything is working real well for you - so cool - i hear what your saying re the water skimmer etc, besides the water is close to you, so cleaning is not a huge issue like having to climb up and down a valley/hill - i did see a chap in America (on you tube) use a very different style with a barrel, with an out pipe at different heights, lowest one allows solids (dirt) to drain off, water for hydro is mid way i think, and an upper drain for floating stuff and seems to work really well, looks pants though not half as neat as yours

[@SimsVlog]

The greenhouse foundation sounds like a new charity! I love your videos!

[@himmelsrand7527]

The monitoring software looks cool

[@philthorpe4549]

Kris, it would be interesting to know how the wind turbine copes with the high winds in terms of potential damage? Plus, have you considered dumping excess power into an immersion water heater once the batteries have filled? Thanks for the video, you're really on top of this hydro.

[@huutee1]

You are a really smart guy. Design a hydro sweep /brush to clean the intake.

[@KyaSimonsLife]

Another interesting video! 👍☺️

[@LandtoHouse]

You mentioned in a video that KZbin was not making as much money as you wanted. Perhaps these 3d printed screens can be your new product!

[@codyleeser392]

Thanks for wearing the Panda shirt. We had one born last night at the National Zoo .

[@chrisgreen1331]

Something simple like fitting car cleaning sponges before the spillway will filter out leaves and other matter, leaving clean/clear water through. Having said that, the setup you now have seems to be better than before.

[@perunut4656]

Look really easy to clean as well. Was thinking some sort of rotary brush could automate this task, but probably not worth the effort

[@fernandotomaz2554]

Coming the winter you could float a diagonal rope to try to direct all the leaves to the overflow. Reducing the need for clean ups.

[@reggiep75]

I hadn't realised that I'd missed last weeks video as I eventually found out Google/YT ended the email notifications part of KZbin and everything will be push alerts/notifications, although you'll still receive alerts in response to comments made. So if there's a drop in viewing figures it could be with lack of email alerts and they were what I relied on, so now it's open a YT tab and check the notifications. Nice to see the tiles running well and I think I said a few weeks ago that interlocking tiles & a steel frame you can slot in/out and fix with a few bolts would be big improvements. You could have 2 screens - one in use and another as standby and switching the frames would be a few minute job which is what you want if it's bad weather. Keep up the good work and now to watch last weeks video.

[@bluetube3081]

I think airfoil blades would work well on the intake to prevent debris from catching. Really good upgrade you have already though, seems to be working well. Nothing wrong with a walk up there every couple days. Keep it up man

[@DjSkipAlexander]

Enjoying the videos

[@billlaporte7558]

You two are having too much fun 😉

[@linusgk5042]

Have spent the last 24Hrs watching your progress on your hydro system, nice work! I was thinking that if you make the intake tank bigger and include a standpipe in the box? And make like a treadmill with a brush on it on top of the mesh/coanda screen to rotate, it can be hooked up to a small solar panel and it will clear when there is sun? And an outdoor IP camera can be usefull if you have wifi upp there, there are some with quite good antennas and can reach far. Anyway, nice work! Keep it up 👌👍

[@bryanharrison3689]

The same type of screens are used in commercial laundries so if anyone has a laundry machinery supplier near to them check them out usually on discharge end of tunnel washers that operate a Weir system of filtering.

[@rundata]

you look exactly how you sound. its amazing.

[@stihl888]

Coming along well. I'm interested in your thoughts on a (steel) guillotine type plate with lot's of small holes that would allow water to pass through and also give you the ability slide the top plate up and down every day or so to sever/cut any foliage, stems stuck in the holes (essential like hedge trimmers one plate being the blade the other being the anvil). It wouldn't be too difficult to make and you could also incorporate an automated function where the top plate activates every few hours to clear any debris. In addition, this type of mechanism may offer the ability to open up the pores or close them depending on the amount of natural water flow required during periods of heavy/little rain.

[@horacine8216]

Gosto muito desse tipo de conteúdo, adoro seus videos.

[@marygordon3032]

Looks good to me Kris!!! 👍👍👍💯💯💯

[@keepingupwithyoutubers959]

I Love a good storm! Maybe it's the Caribbean in me 🤷🏿‍♀️

[@wolfe1970]

Be interesting to do a time lapse of the intake, im sure if that gets partially blocked you will have less suction and any stuck leaves might be pushed down ?

[@ben_stace]

Nice channel mate. You might want to try adding something to break the surface tension of the water running over the top. That should stop thing sticking to the printed mesh.

[@Bigchurchmusic]

Excellent.

[@rocklover7437]

Once you get the screws countersunk adapt a car windscreen wiper to sweep across the screen . A small Car Battery charged up with a small solar panel and have a timer so it sweeps half a dozen times a day .

[@DireChris]

Yes, an automated way of clearing debris would definitely make for an interesting series of videos!

[@SSingh-nr8qz]

Yeah not hard to do. Though wiper motors are not the best idea here due to the amp draw. You could it using far less energy using a belt driven design along a track with a sweeping blade. A small gears motor turning the track and having a blade sweep down. It will be slower that a car's wiper blade but gets the same job done with a fraction of the energy use and less wear and tear on the grill. Also use a brush than a wiper blade. More effective for this kind of application.

[@rocklover7437]

@@SSingh-nr8qz good call on the brush

[@IsThisAvailable550]

A good 'brush' could be one side of a letter box draft excluder.

[@Outrageous-Pursuits]

I would turn the leaves filter 90 degrees so that the slots run in the same direction of the water flow. That way, water would tumble through the 4mm slots but any leaves would not get a grip and flow down the top of the filter and not get jammed.

[@ChuckUnderFire]

This is completely off topic, but I’ve been curious. Other than Dot’s harp playing, what kind of music do you typically listen to?

[@bensouthwell1339]

in the north east we missed the storms just a bit breezy but still in shorts...we usually get the lot up here.

[@rmojo23]

Would a valve that closed for a short time back flush the intake clear the debris on the intake screen?

[@rothgartheviking858]

i would use conical vertical slots for the intake skimmer. with wider part of the slots on the bottom to prevent blockage.

[@ClintonRyanThompson]

I love your videos - outstanding job! Have you considered vertical slats rather than horizontal for the grate? Also, are you planning on making those screws flush?

[@colint]

You talked about increasing the 'chamfer' on the top beam of the dam to help make the water flow into the intake straighter - is it still on the list? On that subject - would flow straightening vanes on the top of the dam help?

[@kurtremislettmyr7108]

Found the files here, tnx.

[@carmineiadeluca935]

You know best 👌

[@browpetj]

Nice comment on the skimmer. I never saw this stuff going on in the comments. Thanks :)

[@omviuvenitlalumina]

the more screws coming out help prevent sticky leaves and anihilate the Coandă effect

[@smitcher]

Hi. Like the channel and the experimenting that you are doiing. Two thoughts (considering that you are experimenting), have you considered either some sort of automated brush (could even be activated by something filling with water so no power is used!! or on the grill, something where the alternate screen bars are in separate parts so that they could evry so often move apart and release the leaf stalks.. thinking having odd ones fixed and even ones that can raise or rotate away from the fixed ones... Very interesting results you are getting though...

[@Mrcaffinebean]

People with hydro electricity are probably the only people excited when heavy rain comes lol

[@kevinwilliams8662]

Suggest making a bristle brush of some kind to hang on a nearby tree to clean that screen easily.

[@earthangel8730]

Exactly my thought!

[@kirknay]

nylon for corrosion resistance? I know it's used on brush heads for rust removal, but not sure if it would work here.

[@jcmdesigns]

I’m sure you’ve thought about adding a sediment collection point T’d under the main pipe similar to a downspout sediment collection, but would be curious if it would add a reduction of flow or vortex to the system.

[@vincesalzer9855]

We could all live with your energy setup. Actually you could probably supply several other people.

[@Joskus]

You could also clean the intake automatically with a monjolo fitted with a brush but it seems not worth it seeing it clears itself quite well.

[@captainbirdseyeful]

Love your channel, do you have a make for the turbine and details of how you store the power. Many thanks.

[@dragoneyeshatesg00gle76]

ask bjorn to add a center stiffening bar under the wedges narrow and tall so its stiff but doesn't impede the water passing that way the entire mesh stiffens up reducing the flex in the cross wedges. canting the outer edges would make the water go towards the mesh. two opposite cant's make a peak and the outside ones just aim inwards. the stiffening bar under the wedges will decrease how many leave catch because the spaces between the wedges wont vary without more force. it'd likely also increase lifespan. what you need to do if you plan to use them permanently is create a sun shade for the 3D printed parts they are plastic and will become brittle as they are exposed to UV sunlight.

[@paninisinabox]

I wonder if a hydrofoil wiper could be added to the grate. Just an piece of plastic that uses the water current to push it to side to side.

[@jumper123910]

Have you thought about putting a gutter underneath the intake and divert the water away from over the pipe. It will look neater as well as making it easier to work on when water is flowing. It will also it will reduce the potential for damage and long term wear to the pipe and coupling.

[@leemccormick4228]

Have you considered a kind of water wheel powered tank track made with brushs to clean the intake screen. Brushes like that used as draft excluders on doors. Possibly make useing bike sprockets and bike chain. Might help lower maintenance times

[@jamescunliffe9872]

Maybe an old cylindrical vacuum cleaner brush could be placed behind the screen so it rotates using improvised paddles?:)

[@ruaraidhmcdonald-walker9524]

Need to widen the entry. You can see the vena contracta is causing two clean arcs at either side. Then again if you have enough water, it doesn’t matter!

[@comeasyouare4545]

A water powered bush on the intake. You know like the rotary bushes on a vacuum cleaner. Or a small conveyor powered by water that has bushes on it.

[@JeffRozanVideos]

after watching this and mr hydro in colorado the past couple years now it seems like the only way to do this would be an automated windshield type wiper using Arduino or raspberry pi or something simpler

[@thattastesliketea2131]

maybe you can make a filter on the top of the water angled to the overflow so the leaves will go down the over flow and not bunch up may not work as i dont have expirence with this

[@leopardx746]

Build a small skimmer in front of the grid. It won't affect the flow over the spill way and it will stop the crud.

[@Pyrotec_nick]

a lot of the area in the upper centre of the grille looks to be where the water is actually passing over the intake. the ramp into the intake (white plastic bit) looks like it sits slightly over the intake, it maybe needs a chamfer on the edge so the water flows over the whole grille?

[@Robvdh87]

Great system already. How much of those sticky leaves do you think are up to suction? Not sure if it would work but maybe a percentage of those could be flushed away by just closing the valves temporarily to make a part of the intake backfill and overflow? Although you probably thought of that yourself already.

[@keithlilly4007]

Yes, but if you put the skimmer at a sharp angle in front of the intake it will push the debris to the side

[@pooterist]

Terrific video, yet again - I so enjoy your stories and appreciate just how clever and hard working you are. Quite inspirational. A couple of thoughts though - first, like so many others, you are much too careless in taking about KW when you mean KWh. Power as opposed to Energy. I'm sure you know the difference, but like so many others, you tend to use the two interchangeably, for which there can be no excuse. - Slap slap. Second - and this is related to the first - when you show your (impressive) daily power generation log, showing 2 to 3 KWh per day during the storm and, presumably, during most of the wetter winter period, It might be educational, at least, to convert this to money. I don't know the average cost of electrical power in the UK, but a general rule of thumb is (using USD, or pounds, or euro - there all more or less the same these days) is something like $0.10 to $0.15 per KWh. Maybe double that in Germany, as I understand they have decided to turn off their nuclear power stations and now have to buy most of there electricity form France, where I now live). In the real world, electricity, including the infrastructure for the delivery network is still pretty cheap. The real generation costs using oil or coal alone turn out to be more like $0.02 per KWh - most of the actual paid price is for the infrastructure - but that's another issue. The costs for nuclear are much harder to calculate properly, but again, that''s another topic altogether. Anyway, I really think you AUGHT to display the dashboard with corresponding money values, so generating 25 or so pence a day - or whatever your current alternative costs might be. In this, I also appreciate that you might not even have the possibility of grid connectivity, so the cost isn't simple an alternative, it's the only way to turn on the kettle in the morning. Third point (and this time, I have a positive suggestion, instead of what might seem an unwelcome criticism). The 3D printed screens (terrific idea that) - maybe it would be useful to experiment with different scaling factors - the optimum scale, I presume, would depend on the size of the object you're trying to select out of the stream. It looks from these videos that you have something like 2.5 to 3.0 vanes per inch. Maybe a finer pitch, scaled to (say) 4 per inch would have less tendency to trap the leaf stems. Or would this simply increase the algae-based material to more easily build-up and block the finer gaps. Other applications might, as you discussed, have larger material to screen out - maybe requiring a larger vain to work optimally. Anyway, keep up the terrific stuff and be careful of that back of yours. Cheers and thank you once again

[@firsteerr]

a suggestion use some really fine sanding blocks like you would use on finish body work then perhaps wax the unit making it "slick " also change out the cap screws for dome headed versions