Prospecting A Second Intake Source For My Off Grid Micro Hydro

for years now i have been monitoring flows and working out how to run a hydro system from two sources, I think i am finally ready to commit to a plan, This will double my output getting the turbine close to 1kw at full flow, that is the max the turbine is rated for. This project wont be getting started untill next winter but i just thought i would let the hydro viewers know there is more interesting content on the way.

[@gazza2963]

Keep the videos coming Kris, Be nice to have a new roundhouse update, show all the troll's that its not rotting away or falling down as they all predictied lol :)

[@JerryDodge]

They may say something like "See? There's moss growing on the outside of your house!" Yeah, well, that's a very thin layer. It's not rotting through the walls. Kris carefully picked the wood based on its durability and resistance to rot.

[@ralphprincen]

Nice. Will be looking forward to those videos. It also would be Nice te maybe see a drone shot of your Property. So we van imagine a little better where everything is. Thanks!!

[@maxwelzig]

Totally agree

[@stevebuckley8620]

It’s not often you say something silly “let me know if you’re interested in seeing that” 😁

[@nick.caffrey]

Exactly! Can't wait to see the second intake becoming a reality!

[@waylonhartwell]

I was like why would he be even asking us. of course we want to see

[@rcs368]

Yea it was like asking a junkie if he wanted a fix?

[@waylonhartwell]

@@rcs368 hahaha

[@DaVinci091987]

This looks pretty promising. Please build a small dam. I'd love to see something like this By the way... If you add the second source, you would rename this project from micro hydro to at least mini hydro due to it's size and complexity

[@stevencranston896]

Dams disrupt natural habitat

[@roberthayward9299]

​@@stevencranston896 You're absolutely right for large dams but a modest weir 50cm or so tall would not present a problem IMO.

[@siggycarter2023]

Well Mr Harbour your a wicked man LOL. I'm a woman and you have me watching all your videos. Even your hydro system videos. Which is something I never got into before. You even had me thinking about how you could get more power for your new work shop. Even thinking about you using your Micro hydro water wheel generator somewhere. You have so many possibilities there. I can't wait for next winter. ;)

[@sarapulford5957]

Not only am I also a woman I'm 81 but still find building projects fascinating. I loved Grand Designs and my favourite was Ben Law's house of straw. He just popped up on tube yesterday. Also love Hickory Ridge Homestead in US and My Self Reliance and The Outsider both in Canada. But why is it self builders always have terrible weather?

[@andymccabe6712]

Kris - it's become clear - if you read all the comments, that there is a complete OBSESSION with building a dam, or dams - for various reasons, in the system! I think it would be useful for you to make a short film explaining why you do - or do not - think this is a good idea......!

[@KrisHarbour]

Hi Andy i was literally just thinking about that as i read the comments. i wont be building a dam. well not more than maybe 400mm or so just to funnel water to the intake. for some reason people seem to think having a dam creates water. people say things like "build a dam and get more flow" like the dam suddenly starts to make water. all a dam does is store water. and add head but you need to remember that any head gained means that the water level behind the dam is raised as well. flooding a massive area of my neighbours land and causing alot of environmental damage to surrounding trees and land for an extra 3m of head is not high on my to do list. As for the water storage side of dams, in order for them to have any significant storage they need to be HUGE my turbine will use 5lps from the source. thats 18,000 litres an hour. so i would need 18 cubic meters of water just to run the turbine for an hour. the turbine uses close to half a million litres a day. it would cost more than the entire system combined to build anything that would be worth doing and i would have to buy about 3 more fields and just flood them. Lets say i did it and built a 3m tall dam in the far corner of my woodland where there is no access at all. a 3m dam would give me 88w more power at the turbine. and maybe a few hours run time in storage. thats all it would do. All that work, cost, damage to land, all the maintenance it would need for 88w Thats why Thanks for the comment. always enjoy seeing your comments.

[@andymccabe6712]

@@KrisHarbour great - you've confirmed what I suspected was the case....!! Cheers

[@garymaxwell3086]

Great way to answer that question Kris, I really do appreciate the fact that you have considered your environmental impact.

[@mrsgbee8246]

Love to know more about turbines in streams. I live in South West Wales and gave streams. Unfortunately not as lucky with neighbour as even the stream that goes through my garden is regularly used to get rid of his slurry. Nobody does anything about it.

[@moiragoldsmith7052]

I'm thrilled your neighbour is a nice fella, bless him...... yet; if you can somehow make all of that happen on your land only, I'd feel easier. Could you clear and deepen a stretch of the stream from the boundary and build a dam of some sort on your land? It sounds like a great opportunity to garner more power though. Good luck bonny lad.

[@paulwaldrop]

Gotta love off grid power. My entire home/shop run off of solar, and I know what you mean about having a system big enough to accommodate all of your tools. I build guitars/guitar parts, and have a full woodshop. My solar system is 17KW, with 2 tesla powerwalls, and it has never failed to keep the house and shop running. Good job on these videos.

[@LittleAthan]

Some questions and propositions. Why don't you create some kind of a reservoir to join the streams? I see that you are already losing water from the first intake. If for example you create a reservoir out of metal barrel or a bigger tank (food graded plastic or metal), leaves can't block your intake and minimize the sand . Also you can have a valve and an over flow for controlling the flow (automated or remote controlled like the turbine valves). also you can filter the water for everyday use. I know that you have the spring (more videos from up there plz), but I remember correctly, the hydro intake is higher, so more pressure. Another question. You aiming for higher voltage or amperage? Because you said something about second turbine. And I don't remember if the generator is AC or DC. I love the work that you 've done. I hope someday to find a paradise like yours here in Greece, because you feed my dreams. Keep up the good work.

[@purpleviolin]

Good to see increased resilience being built in. Definitely still following. Really like your communication and your logical reasoning (border, slope, energy (avoiding loss). Looking forward to seeing the future videos on this. Cheers

[@matthewwillson6515]

Would it be possible for a birds eye view of your land in one of your videos. Would like to get a scale of how all your different projects are to each other don't really get that from the videos.

[@alexandrakoecher6835]

wouldn't it be good too, to make your first inlet bigger, in order to catch more water there ,too? of course in the other little river u have more water flowing...but i would habe increased my First inlet toi...

[@ilijasulc2247]

You could put in a tank at your lower intake, pipe both streams in it and tap your penstock off it

[@78ss53]

Not 1 but 2 usable streams, so jealous. Your living every guys dream!

[@kameljoe21]

I understand about your elevation.... I wonder what the depth of your current stream is vs the prospected one. If the prospected one is above your current stream and that the water goes to the same place, It might be back breaking work, Just cut in a channel to your current stream line it with some rocks and you should be set. Even if it is a foot lower you can calculate how much it would need to raise the water to meet the current one with out flooding an entire area. The only changes would be to your jet size.

[@alexandrakoecher6835]

i guess Kris is also awared of bringing the river's together, like mentioned, because of the Risk of HIGHWATER. the existing stream is actually runing Next zu Kris' Roundhouse, so be careful Fellows with this kind of offers. especially in the Winterperiod

[@dalerussell9075]

I think its a great idea, but I wish I didn't have to wait to see the outcome...im sure you feel the same. thx

[@PR_96]

This may be a crazy idea. I don't know the topography. Couldn't you find the optimal altitude/place in the mound, and dig a channel trough it ( the mound )? Then place the pipe in the channel.

[@udos46]

Didn't you think about making a small lake once you swirled the water? do a fish farm ...

[@xw6968]

udos46 i remember he has one

[@alexandrakoecher6835]

yeah, there is One allready... but it looks quit poor, als there is also the inlet for his Watersuply for the house...

[@Sqtgdog]

I would love to see a 2nd intake series. I think it's a great idea. I wonder if your existing penstock is large enough after the join to have full flow from both intakes. I would also like to see you increase the size of the intake on the 1st system, as it does seem a bit small for full flow situations.

[@jamess1787]

Let's do this. :D. :pop: Would love to see another intake or another turbine going. Would be mega awesome.

[@AdversityZone]

why not build a small ( 2' ) dam just inside your land area that way you have more head , then cut it across to above the other headstock and just let what flow your not using at the time flow over the 2 different headstocks to be normal streams ? that way your just basically making your original stream bigger

[@keithg1xfl]

Stick with your Vegi Powered Van Kris, I wouldn't have an EV if they GAVE them away, you wouldn't be able to insure it as the insurance Prices have Recently gone though the Roof and some companies are refusing poinht blank to insure EV's

[@JamesYoung61]

The pressure is determined by the head pick up so you want them at exactly the same height, where you connect them together is not relevant to balancing the pressure. You might have to rent a theodolite and some survey tools.

[@aboelishes]

do a second turbine, so you have a backup during maintenance of turbine one, or run both when your energy demand is higher.

[@sebhulse9846]

I'm excited at the prospect of you perhaps getting an electric vehicle - I had thought before that you could use one as a second battery bank in a vehicle-2-(off)grid system for when you need more peak power!

[@Chris-fz5oe]

No no, not really interested.....are you crazy!!!! Of course I'm interested!!! :) Get on it! Looking forward to part one already! Christmas came early peeps :))

[@philipallen8648]

Hi, 3 ideas. 1. is there any option to lift the head on your first intake using a small dam ( beaver technology ) this would increase the peak power without changing the flow rates. 2 - for around £2,000 there are options for installing a small scale 500W wind turbine giving you further diversity of supply. If you do go for an electric vehicle route there may be options to use the vehicle battery to support your workshops peak power demand ( Look into Nissans' CHADEMO-equipped EVs, early days but V2G is a fast-developing option).

[@lynnelliot7256]

Love to watch your videos, you are excellent at explaining things. Have you thought about teaching these skills, could bring income? 🌼from new zealand

[@09Quarks]

Hi Kris, that looks a good project. Could you mitigate the risk of balancing the pressure at the coupling point by varying the pipe diameter and adding a valve? If your looking for an electric vehicle, check out the Outlander. If you installed a bi directional vehicle to home system, you’d have an extra 12kWh of battery storage.

[@alexscarbro796]

Is there any scope to regulate/equalise the pressure automatically between the two penstocks?

[@CarlJones14]

Great idea. Ecology aside, that stream for your second source of power looks ideal for a dam project. I realise that it is a boundary, but would a dam increase your power even if you had normal flow after the dam?

[@MrTurbo_]

what type of dam? one to direct the water in to a pipe or one with build in generators?

[@CarlJones14]

@@MrTurbo_ more directly into a pipe. My thinking would be much higher pressure. The stream would only suffer a shortfall in flow while the small dam was filling and excess water would go over the top and down a short chute to reduce cavitation. I don't think you'd need a big deep dam. Maybe 3ft high. I think this is fairly sound is a fishless stream.

[@MrTurbo_]

@Carl Jones i have to inform you that a dam would not increase the pressure any more then by how much it increases the water level in height, this sounds counter intuitive but were you probably are mistaken is that the weight of the added volume of water is directed in to the ground and is not converted in to pressure, so the only thing a dam would help with is directing the water in to the pipe which would probably be of little added benefit, you would also have to filter the water from leaves and stuff like that which is currently taken care of by acces water running over the filter and sweeping of leaves and any other type of debris

[@CarlJones14]

@@MrTurbo_ I believe it would over the current system where water flows into a pipe and especially if you build in a small but substantial gradual drop.

[@richysee]

Kris, I suggest you look at Mr Hydrohead's video series Micro Hydro Power in Colorado. I can see many similarities to your system. Of particular interest I noticed was his use of a Coanda screen at the intake as a means of overcoming penstock intake capacity limitations and fouling with air bubbles, algae, leaves and other debris. What a great system you've produced, not so much as pigs in pipes but more like rabbits from hats with regard to high system output from quite small available flows. Well done!

[@micvanreijen]

Didn't some Canadian dude hook up his hybrid car to his home? So that when power is out (again) he'd be running on its batteries, and the car would start to charge when they're low which is said to be pretty efficient. Maybe its an urban legend, but it sounds feasible. Could provide your 10kWh in winter, should it be needed..

[@davea1771]

The height of the intake for both sources must be the same to be able to join them without creating a back flow in the pipe to the lower source. Sorry, but that's physics for you. In addition, increasing the speed of your generator will cause the efficiency to decrease. There is an optimum speed for your pelton wheel which is roughly 1/2 the speed of the water hitting it. At faster speeds, less water energy is transferred to the wheel and the rest is wasted. For a first go, consider joining the source pipes and putting valves upstream of the connection point. Then operate with only one valve open at a time. This will allow you to run from the larger stream when water on the smaller stream is too low. 100% hydro availability is a step in the right direction. Capturing what you can produce above household needs is the next step. Think about adding more batteries and running the hydro full time to capture everything possible. This may require a way to charge/discharge separate battery banks (one for house, one for shop) from the hydro plant, or for swapping out individual batteries once charged. You'll be able to fire up the workshop when excess power has charged enough 'overflow battery' to support the tool use. In the end, if you want a full time doubling of average power generated, you'll likely need a duplicate stand alone hydro generator system with more batteries.

[@morpheusmemnoch4160]

I have a few questions, most notably how you are going to connect the 2 penstocks as I think the 90° angle will increase resistance and make pigging difficult so maybe some sort of Y connector that doesn't decrease inside diameter or manifold for pigging? Secondly, having a dam type intake will increase the pressure massively depending on water height/weight behind the dam, will you use this to balance pressures between intakes maybe? how much more flow can you expect to see from the same diameter pipe? if you're worried about one intake overpowering another I haven't done the maths but a video about it might be nice with elevations and stuff then maybe your youtube followers can give some more insight into what to expect from the dynamics of this system.

[@bowboysam]

Kris, if you built a weir across the stream say 10 feet across and then funnelled the flow to say 2 feet across, would this make more power? I’m just asking as I know nothing about what you are building.

[@juncusbufonius]

You may need to get a licence from the Environment Agency. Taking water from a watercourse is not necessarily in your hands. It might only depend on how far down stream they reconnect, but you are intending to reduce the flow by 50% at the cost of the wildlife in that established stream. You may have more responsibility if the woodland is a Priority Habitat. There may be no fish but that accounts for only a few % of the wildlife in a stream. The invertebrates are a food source for many things in your wood. The view you gave looking up stream had two flows around a dryer area. That flow and the associated pond on the left would likely disappear as the flow would be reduced. Ecology is not just about the things you see or don't.

[@IgmuTu1]

G,day from Canada Kris,can you tell me what the head is that your working with . We have a creek about the same volume as your current microhydro, it looks to me you have a far greater head than we do ..Only working with about 7 ft of head here over 450 ft we will probably have to go with a low head solution ..Cheers Mate great vids

[@deekthefirst]

Hi Chris, just a thought but why don’t you dam and divert the streams into one head of water which would give more flow but still keep a stream flowing? might sound like a silly question but it’s common practice with hydroelectric

[@akuno7294]

If you would let the 2 tubes first go into a way to big tube whit a conical end (or even a basin), would that work and make it irrelevant if they have exactly the same flow or would you loos power that way? Because it seems to me nearly impossible to have the same flow all the time. maybe one stream will cary more water one day or another and everything fails. I would probably design it like this: Make a big basain out of steel. the botom has to be conical with the exit in the middle of the botom. The two intakse would be left and right on opossit corners this way the water will build a constant combined pressure in the basain and it doesn't realy matter what pressure each stream comes in to it. If you don't loos (much) energy. I think this would be a realy good solution. :)

[@stupidmonkeykev]

Look forward to the video, map of the various streams would be nice. Are you not better running a 100% separate new pipe, run that to 2 jets on the turbine, and leave the current stream running 2 jets. Obliviously upping the jet sizes as you'll do anyway. Then your not worried on exact heights, and lower losses from the final section of double-flow pipework. You'll need to be inch perfect with the damn height (making the assumption you'll do that sort of intake). I guess it will be easy to check with the pipework valved in such a way you can use it as a giant water level and adjust the dam height to match? Although wont be as good of video content I'm surprised you haven't also got a wind turbine just for the variety of sources. Although yeah you need a massive 60+ft pole and planning for a decent size 3-5kw power. On their own pretty bad but with solar and hydro the mix should be good. Interesting what you say about an electric car. You can buy a leaf these days for £4-10k with a 24kwhr battery - so buy one, use it for a bit then strip it for the battery - they reconfigure to 48v and if its its lost half its useable power and crap for car use anymore still make a hell of an off grid battery 12-15 useable kwhr's

[@l1t7l3ph0o7]

Just curious, why don't you expand your pump house and add a 2nd turbine there? correct me if I'm wrong, as I understand it you have tons of unused energy from your current intake. would you really loose too much pressure?

[@JohnDobak]

Could you provide us with a top down overhead map of your immediate area? It might help visualize what you're working with better.

[@Tailss1]

If the stream you are currently using is fed from the second one (the one you just showed) would it be possible to divert more water from the second stream higher up into yours? Making your stream bigger might be cheaper then buying more pipe.

[@craigmooring2091]

By all means, video the process of adding the 2nd intake. It would not be merely repetitive; the challenges are different.

[@kennethgibbons2487]

Really looking forward to see how this develops

[@DAH-ss1nu]

It seems to me it'd be easier and cheaper to run a power cord off a second turbine than dig a long diversion pipe from the new stream and all the fussing with equalizing pressures. The distance isnt really a factor either - step up the three phase voltage at the orign then step it back down at your power shed and because it's a higher voltage you can use a smaller and less expensive cable. Then there's the redundancy factor - if you have two turbines going and one goes down for preventative maintenance or repair then you still have power being supplied to the power shed.

[@yoyopg123]

All I could think of is if I did the exact same stompin' about in the woods and streams in my area, I'd have poison oak for weeks and weeks.

[@mattwoodproperty]

Regards a vehicle, the Nissan nv200 van with the 40kwh best suits my lifestyle

[@darincarlin]

I find these micro-hydro videos electrifying. I know some of you will be shocked at how funny that was. They come to me quite easily though, they take very little energy. I might post a few puns on the next update, I have a battery of jokes. Cheers from Oklahoma!

[@andymccabe6712]

Hey - you're a real bright spark.........!

[@adrianjones1352]

Doesn’t matter where you tap - both intakes need to be at the same height.

[@richardsterne2875]

Would it not be a better idea to build a larger building to house the existing hydro system and put a second turbine in. This would enable you to stop a turbine for maintenance but still be generating some power.

[@MrNhenwood]

Kris, I think you are not going to be able to join the 2 pipes together unless the start height is the same. What you could do is run both to the same generating shed, and use each to initially run the same turbine, and in time build a 2nd shed with a 2nd turbine creating a redundant system so that you can take one system offline for maintenance while still generating power from the other.

[@davidreilly3686]

Would a one-way valve on each tributary pipe prevent the back flow you are describing?

[@paladinsmith7050]

You could probably make yourself a mini wind turbine for a little extra juice.

[@gmannz1981]

❤️ from New Zealand🙈🙈

[@latitudeash]

Why don't you dig a hole and let all the streams run into it. Than have an out let to your tap off pipe? Cheeper and no need to dig pipes into the ground. I would try to look at that solution. It is cheeper to dig a big hole ...lol

[@latitudeash]

You are loessing a lot of water on the origional intake. Get that sorted better first. Best way is to creat a big body of water like a dam than a pipe at the bottom taping all that water. The 2nd source you can do after.

[@jimpilot330]

A small dam up there would give you some added 'head' pressure, give it some consideration? Woud it add a lot more legal issues?

[@CaptKirk1701]

If you don't want to dam a stream to build head, perhaps you can take a tall tank and transfer water into a tank to build head for your generator?

[@ralphwilmot6351]

Yes should be interesting addition to your hydro system. Where the two pipes meet, you could have gates on each up-line, where you could equalize each of the flow rates, possibly electronically controlled centrally with a micro to automatically adjust to flow rates, also to shutdown one or other due conditions etc. This system could also adjust both flow rates in accordance with the Hydro load, limiting wear on the hydro itself. Has a lot of potential to keep your hobby and workshop/home very interesting. Keep up the great project videos, all very interesting and doing what many of us would have loved doing.

[@kameljoe21]

That would be ideal, I was thinking that there are going to be more problems than one would think. It would work if the water was before where the air vents.

[@ralphwilmot6351]

William Glaser Yes the new intake would also have its own air outlet along the pipe, the same as the original.

[@RustyRoseAdventures]

Love the hydro, would love to do something similar one day! That would be great another input!

[@twoflower8264]

Looking forward to the 2nd part,. Will you dam it and create a basen?

[@PavelPodesva]

You have a forest, so make a wood gas powered aggerate. It can give you some kWs.

[@RingingResonance]

Maybe you could also use a wind turbine?

[@skjoldmail]

He already build one. See the first videos he made. Just not installed yet.

[@BorderKeeper]

English forests look like they came straight from a horror movie, never seen anything similar outside the UK.

[@kiarafreemannash4975]

Ireland has very similar forestry

[@JMac-]

Ireland is in the uk

[@kiarafreemannash4975]

Ireland is not in the UK ?😐

[@xw6968]

Kiara FreemanNash provocations are English🙄

[@kiarafreemannash4975]

People who say island is in the UK are wrong we are in the British isles but we are two separate country's 😊

[@thepvporg]

Use several large RAM pumps to get the water up where you need it.

[@buck960]

Nice. Thought about to build a dam at the 2nd stream? Then you would not need the longer pipe

[@xw6968]

J. It isnt his stream

[@89kasperbandholm]

how about building a ram pump to help the wather op the banks ?

[@johnkries8189]

I think you are on the right track with the second intake, good luck

[@mpjohnson2]

If you put a ball valve on both intakes just before they join you can be sure to keep the flow even

[@adrianevans8304]

oh yes please go for it give it your best shot to generate more power :-)

[@koningbolo4700]

I think you could also do very well with a larger (read: longer) water intake setup in your existing stream...Looks to me many liters a second escape the dance because the intake is rather small... Maybe do a stainless steel welding job again on that end of the system??

[@the_retag]

Maybe he doesnt want to dry the stream out

[@Condorous]

He needs the water flowing over to flush debris off the mesh of the intake to keep it clear

[@rogerbrown6433]

it would be nice to have two just run ita a ll the way down to power house

[@JoeMalovich]

Oh man that looks like a bunch of work, better eat your Wheaties! Your viewers would probably appreciate it if you compare the cost of more penstock and your time with additional installed PV capacity. Of course there are more aspects to it (hobby fun and content revenue).

[@kipdennis3796]

That's true Joe,am also your fan,i like these hydro series

[@TheTubeTube2]

Yes it would be interesting to see you use the new water source!

[@paulsmyers203]

How flexible is the pipe you are using for penstock? Will it be able to bend through the stream and forest like you need it to? I'm super interested in seeing how you will join them and how well the flow balances. Do you anticipate needing a remote controlled valved to make sure intake at each of them is balanced? Great stuff - beautiful piece of wild land. It would be so much fun to just wander through those woods.

[@KrisHarbour]

yeah the pipe bends ok as long as the bends are very long and not sharp.

[@mcflapper7591]

Interested? Absolutely!

[@87xfute]

Hi Kris, yep I'd love to watch the new turbine vids, I take it you will "Y" not "T" the new water pipe into the pipe you already have !! Nice one mate. Seeya Rob

[@KrisHarbour]

yeah, i will most likely have to make a custom fitting the has a very small angel to let the water combine slowly

[@TonyLeach-airguntech]

if you stagger the combining pipework, so instead of one Y connector have 3 in series to split the pressure over the 3 connectors could this gain more efficiency over pressure pushing flow backwards on 1 supply? Also shame you can not induce laminar flow at the intake from both sources, massively cutting down turbulence.

[@zijkhal8356]

will you make like a mini dam for the water intake?

[@Mark-xl8gg]

Would a ram pump lift the water efficiently up the bank to simplify the route Also what are the abstraction complications with welsh water Dwr Cwmru

[@quackerzdb]

Ram pumps lose a lot of volume in order to drive the water uphill.

[@andymccabe6712]

I guess if you only 'borrow' the water temporarily and don't contaminate it in any way, then there will be no abstraction issues...?

[@Mark-xl8gg]

Andy McCabe sorry no that’s not how it works in this corporate world

[@KrisHarbour]

ram pumps dont have a use for hydro systems. they are great to supply water but they are like 10% efficient and could never move enough water for an efficient hydro system.

[@Mark-xl8gg]

Kris Harbour Natural Building no I suppose you would have to creat ea holding pond and only use it for peak demand and that would create complications of its own vis a vis abstraction thanks kris

[@Johnkels100]

high pressure in a pipe can be used to draw the low pressure into a pipe with the addition of an injection tee thus equalizing the pressure same principle as a spray gun

[@quackerzdb]

Or even just add a vent where the two mix to prevent backwashing - a tall vertical pipe section at the T or Y junction. It's a lot easier than measuring pressure and hoping it never changes.

[@KrisHarbour]

you are right, but that would be a major loss of energy in the system. having them both equal will be far more efficient

[@Johnkels100]

@@KrisHarbour Once they have passed the sealed injection tee they will be high pressure the lower pressure water is sucked into and trough the injection tee. In your situation if the lower pressure water being introduced from the top of the tee drys up because of the tee the high pressure will not back feed just suck air until the water is restored

[@KrisHarbour]

@@Johnkels100 Im quite sure that isnt right, both intakes will join at about the point that they have 20psi the final 30m of pipe will equate to about 5 psi. if one pipe was to drain the other would push the water back up the pipe to equalise the pressure. what your saying would be true if the end of the pipe was just open and blasting every bit of water there was out of it then it might cause suction, but it isnt the nozzles only let out a fraction of the water available (so the water moves slowly and does not lose all its energy in friction) because of this that water would carry on to the turbine but it would also be pushed up hill to the other intake. i wll do some test soon and we can see what happens.

[@rumblertag8933]

Is there any poison ivy where you live?

[@JerryDodge]

Cool, you took my (or our) advice on redundancy. It might be critical in the future - if one of the streams dries up, the other one might be still flowing. I still recommend a backup turbine, so in case one fails, you can quickly commission the other one. Then again, I haven't finished watching this video yet.

[@maxwelzig]

I absolutely love this idea

[@susanbell2771]

Yes please kris would love tho see this. Have you thought about building a head race I think its called, bit like a small damn, like they used on watermills to have higher volume of water moving at increased speed. this would mean a pond type structure to hold a volume of water, which you can control when you need more power. Would depend on how your land sits and if you have the suitable area for the pond and control overflow you'd need to avoid flooding. would be a BIG project maybe something for the future ?

[@skjoldmail]

Kris, Just a thought. Might be a good idea to get your agreement with your neighbor in writing. He might sell his property 5 years down the line and you could end up with a new one who is not as keen on the project. At that time it's good to have it on a piece of paper.

[@KrisHarbour]

Im more of a hand shake and keep my word person than a get it in writing person. And so is he. Things change, they always will i have no reason to try and stop change. i am confident in my ability to adapt to anything that comes my way and at no point would that involve needing to get stuff like that in writing. Even if i had it in writing i would not go via a solicitor to enforce it.

[@joekimedude1303]

Couple of questions more out of curiousness vs knowledge (of which I have none ) : Would you have to change the pipe going from your turbine to the point where the two intakes join (Make it fatter)? Could you use some form of electronic pressure regulator to even the pressure coming from both intakes? Super interesting stuff! Look forward to the future videos! Keep up the good work! :)

[@AndyFletcherX31]

Any project on hydro power would be worth watching. Your proposal sounds like the most practical way of doing it. I initially thought that you were going to put in a second turbine and was wondering if you were going to need to use step up and step down transformers to avoid transmission losses. However using a single turbine reduces complexity. It is a trade off between complexity/maintenance and redundancy. Maybe you need to keep some critical spares for your turbine so you are not out of power for a week whilst waiting for replacements.

[@msears101]

Yeah. More hydro videos. Yes please.

[@chazzwye1124]

Maybe a silly question, but do both streams flow to the same place? Wouldn’t you be doubling the water after the turbine in the original stream? Could that cause problems further down land?

[@Queen-dw7qr]

If you could would you buy a cybertruck

[@jayjay6804]

I think it's a great idea Kris. The only accommodation needed for joining the two penstocks would be a standpipe trimmed to the lower source elevation and located at or below their junction. It would prevent backflow to the lower elevation source which is really not that large of an issue to begin with. In the States these are refereed to as 'run of the river' systems and utilize 'weirs', not 'dams'. The water is both sourced and returned to the same stream usually within a single property. Using the wrong terminology here may raise concerns from the local environmental agencies.

[@martinwinfield2935]

This will be a great project, both intakes I would think would have to be at the same height to avoid pressure in balance. Also the head of water behind any dam would change things. You mentioned one turbine is more efficient than two but having two who give you back up a d would solve imbalances of pressure. They could both be located together and use the same run off. It's a great project best wishes on what ever you do.

[@gsuberland]

Awesome. Looking forward to seeing this expansion project! Have you decided how you're going to build the run for the intake so that only part of the water is sent down the pipe?

[@TuftyVFTA]

I don't quite understand the bit about where the two penstocks would join, if they aren't identical pressure "one will push water out of the other" Wouldn't this only be the case if the join is close to either of the intakes? If the join is a long way from the intakes wouldn't it need terrific pressure difference to push water in the reverse direction back up through an intake? Surely a small difference in pressure wouldn't overcome the other system enough to push water out of it?

[@swirlgalaxy]

Happy Christmas Kris! One can never have too much available power. An ample supply of power is always a luxury & a great standby for working later into the day. Running larger machinery or charging a car does tend to consume loads of power! You'll figure it out, you're a pretty smart cookie! Kudos!