The Micro Hydro Project: Episode 2 - The Powerhouse

[@roosenlodewijkwiggers4594]

Nice project! You will regret this 'turbine-in-the-basement' though. The humidity will be annoying and potentially cause problems. I would have just dug out more soil, so you can just make some shed on top of the ground. Cheaper and easier to move around your turbine. Snow is very good insulator, so I would have not make that roof steep, so snow is on top all winter. Also you will need an overflow drainage, not just for the turbine, but when you want to wash out your pipe, you need a manifold before entering the turbine, so you can flush sediment out. Concrete floor with drainage hole would have been easier. Coming summer I will install micro hydro for my house in Norway and there I also have to deal with cold winter. Very curious how the next steps of your installation will be! Keep it up!

[@manvsland]

Yes, A concrete slab was just too pricey for me! Railroad ties and gravel was free :) I built it underground so it wouldn't freeze but yes, now I'm battling moisture. Better than ice i guess? I do have a bypass built in so water can flow all the time, maybe it will be explained better in a video to come. I built the shed on top because I need to be able to access the basement in the winter. It snows here a lot! Would have been nice to just let it get buried but then I wouldn't be able to get in! Thanks for your comments and good luck with your system this summer

[@SurvivalSquirrel]

Putting wood into the ground is quite an ambitious project. I would have gone with concrete or a wall. You could still do this inside the basement, before the wood is rotten. Did you paint the edges of the boards to? What about the rest of the wood structure down there? You will probably get much moisture through the bottom of the basement!

[@manvsland]

The foundation is 8x10 railroad ties. They weigh about 150lbs each and are full of so many chemicals I'm hoping they won't rot for a long time! The rest of the walls are made of pressure treated wood and plywood. I'm definitely concerned about moisture but I can always add a vent if needed. I'm hoping that will be enough!

[@SurvivalSquirrel]

@@manvsland I wouldnt just hope, i would make sure. And even pressure treated wood will rot at some time.