Micro hydro generator running water. Mini-hydroelectric power plants for a private house, dacha. Water wheel with paddles

Recently, due to the growth of electricity tariffs, renewable sources of practically free energy are becoming more and more relevant.

Small hydroelectric power plant or small hydroelectric power station (SHPP) - a hydroelectric power plant that produces a relatively small amount of electricity and is based on hydropower plants with a capacity of 1 to 3000 kW. There is no generally accepted concept of a small hydroelectric power plant for all countries; their installed capacity is taken as the main characteristic of such hydroelectric power plants.

Installations for small hydropower are classified by power into:

• equipment for mini hydroelectric power plants up to 100 kW;
• equipment for micro hydroelectric power plants up to 1000 kW.

From the well-known classical triad: solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric generators (HPP), the latter are the most complex. Firstly, they work in aggressive conditions, and secondly, they have maximum operating time for an equal period of time.

The easiest way to make damless hydroelectric power plants, because. dam construction is quite complex and expensive and often requires the approval of local authorities, or at least neighbors. Damless mini hydroelectric power stations are called flow-through. There are four main options for such devices.

Types of mini hydroelectric power plants

Water wheel- this is a wheel with blades installed perpendicular to the surface of the water. The wheel is less than half immersed in the stream. Water presses on the blades and rotates the wheel. There are also turbine wheels with special blades optimized for the liquid jet. But these are rather complex designs, rather factory-made than home-made.

Garland mini hydroelectric power station- represents a cable, with rotors rigidly fixed on it. The cable is thrown from one side of the river to the other. The rotors are like beads strung on a cable and completely submerged in water. The flow of water rotates the rotors, the rotors rotate the cable. One end of the cable is connected to the bearing, the other to the generator shaft.

Rotor Daria- This is a vertical rotor that rotates due to the pressure difference on its blades. The pressure difference is created due to the fluid flow around complex surfaces. The effect is similar to the lift of a hydrofoil or the lift of an airplane wing.

Propeller- this is an underwater "windmill" with a vertical rotor. Unlike an air propeller, an underwater propeller has blades of a minimum width. For water, a blade width of only 2 cm is sufficient. With this width, there will be a minimum resistance and a maximum rotation speed. This width of the blades was chosen for a flow velocity of 0.8-2 meters per second. At high speeds, other sizes may be optimal.

Advantages and disadvantages of various mini-hydro systems

Flaws garland SHPP obvious: high material consumption, danger to others (long underwater cable, rotors hidden in the water, blocking the river), low efficiency. The Garland hydroelectric power station is a small dam. Rotor Daria difficult to manufacture, at the beginning of work it needs to be untwisted. But it is attractive in that the rotor axis is located vertically and the power take-off can be made above the water, without additional gears. Such a rotor will rotate with any change in flow direction.

Thus, from the point of view of ease of manufacture and obtaining maximum efficiency at minimum cost, it is necessary to choose a design of the type water wheel or propeller.

Construction of a small hydropower plant

Construction of a small hydropower plant is based on a hydraulic unit, which includes a power unit, a water intake device and controls. Depending on what water resources are used by small hydropower plants, they are divided into several categories:

Run-of-river or near-dam stations with small reservoirs;

Stationary mini hydroelectric power stations using the energy of the free flow of rivers;

SHPPs using existing water level differences at various water management facilities;

Mobile mini HPPs in containers, with the use of plastic pipes or flexible reinforced hoses as a pressure derivation.

Varieties of hydraulic units for small hydroelectric power plants

The basis for a small hydroelectric power station is a hydraulic unit, which, in turn, is based on a turbine of one kind or another. There are hydraulic units with:

Axial turbines;

Radial-axial turbines;

Bucket turbines;

Kaplan turbines.

SHPPs are also classified depending on the maximum use of water pressure on:

High-pressure - more than 60 m;

Medium pressure - from 25 m;

Low pressure - from 3 to 25 m.

The types of turbines used in the equipment also differ from what water pressure a microhydroelectric power plant uses. Pelton and radial-axial turbines are designed for high-pressure hydroelectric power plants. Rotary-blade and radial-axial turbines are used at medium-pressure stations. At low-pressure small hydropower plants (SHPPs), mainly rotary-blade turbines are installed in reinforced concrete chambers.

As for the principle of operation of the turbine of a mini hydroelectric power station, it is almost identical in all designs: water under pressure enters the turbine blades, which begin to rotate. The rotational energy is transferred to the hydro generator, which is responsible for generating electricity. Turbines for objects are selected in accordance with some technical characteristics, among which the main one is water pressure. In addition, turbines are selected depending on the type of chamber that comes with the kit - steel or reinforced concrete.

The power of a mini hydroelectric power station depends on the pressure and flow of water, as well as on the efficiency of the turbines and generators used. Due to the fact that, according to natural laws, the water level is constantly changing, depending on the season, and also for a number of reasons, it is customary to take cyclic power as an expression for the power of a hydroelectric station. For example, there are annual, monthly, weekly or daily cycles of work.

When choosing a mini hydroelectric power station, it is worth focusing on such power equipment that would be adapted to the specific needs of the facility and meet criteria such as:

Availability of reliable and easy-to-use means of control and monitoring of equipment operation;

Equipment control in automatic mode with the possibility of switching to manual control if necessary;

The generator and turbine of the hydroelectric unit must have reliable protection against probable emergencies;

The areas and volumes of construction works for the installation of small hydropower plants should be minimal.

Benefits of using mini hydropower plants:

Small hydroelectric power plants have a number of advantages that make this equipment more and more popular. First of all, it is worth noting the environmental safety of mini hydropower plants - a criterion that is becoming increasingly important in the light of environmental protection problems. Small hydroelectric power plants do not have a harmful effect on either the properties or the quality of the water. The water areas where a low-capacity hydroelectric power station is installed can be used both for fisheries and as a source of water supply for settlements. In addition, for the operation of small hydroelectric power plants there is no need for large reservoirs. They can function using the energy of the flow of small rivers and even streams.

With regard to economic efficiency, micro and mini hydroelectric power plants have many advantages here too. Stations designed with modern technology are easy to operate, they are fully automated. Thus, the equipment does not require the presence of a person. Experts note that the quality of the current generated by small hydropower plants meets the requirements of GOST both in terms of voltage and frequency. At the same time, mini hydroelectric power plants can operate both autonomously and as part of the power grid.

Speaking about small hydroelectric power plants, it is worth noting their advantage as a full resource of their work, which is at least 40 years. Well, and most importantly, small-scale energy facilities do not require the organization of large reservoirs with the corresponding flooding of the territory and colossal material damage.

One of the most important economic factors is the eternal renewability of hydrotechnical resources. If we calculate the literal benefit from the use of small hydroelectric power plants, it turns out that the electricity generated by them is almost 4 times cheaper than the electricity that the consumer receives from thermal power plants. It is for this reason that today hydroelectric power plants are increasingly being used for power supply of electrically intensive industries.

Let's not forget that small hydropower plants do not require the purchase of any fuel. In addition, they are distinguished by a relatively simple technology for generating electricity, as a result of which labor costs per unit of power at hydroelectric power plants are almost 10 times less than at thermal power plants.



If a river or even a small stream flows near your home, then with the help of a home-made mini hydroelectric power station you can get free electricity. It may not be a very big budget replenishment, but the realization that you have your own electricity is much more expensive. Well, if, for example, in the country, there is no central power supply, then even small power capacities will be simply necessary. And so, to create a home-made hydroelectric power station, at least two conditions are necessary - the presence of a water resource and desire.

If both are present, then the first thing to do is to measure the flow rate of the river. It is very simple to do this - throw a twig into the river and measure the time during which it swims 10 meters. By dividing meters by seconds, you get the speed of the current in m/s. If the speed is less than 1 m / s, then a productive mini hydroelectric power station will not work. In this case, you can try to increase the flow rate by artificially narrowing the channel or by making a small dam if you are dealing with a small stream.

As a guide, you can use the ratio between the flow velocity in m/s and the power of the electricity removed from the propeller shaft in kW (propeller diameter 1 meter). These are experimental data, in reality the received power depends on many factors, but it is suitable for evaluation. So:

• 0.5 m/s - 0.03 kW,
• 0.7 m/s - 0.07 kW,
• 1 m/s - 0.14 kW,
• 1.5 m/s - 0.31 kW,
• 2 m/s - 0.55 kW,
• 2.5 m/s - 0.86 kW,
• 3 m/s -1.24 kW,
• 4 m/s - 2.2 kW, etc.

The power of a homemade mini hydroelectric power station is proportional to the cube of the flow rate. As already mentioned, if the flow rate is insufficient, try to artificially increase it, if this is of course possible.

Types of mini hydroelectric power plants

There are several basic options for homemade mini hydroelectric power plants.


This is a wheel with blades mounted perpendicular to the surface of the water. The wheel is less than half immersed in the stream. Water presses on the blades and rotates the wheel. There are also turbine wheels with special blades optimized for the liquid jet. But these are rather complex designs, rather factory-made than home-made.

It is a vertical axis rotor used to generate electrical energy. A vertical rotor that rotates due to the pressure difference on its blades. The pressure difference is created due to the fluid flow around complex surfaces. The effect is similar to the lift of a hydrofoil or the lift of an airplane wing. This design was patented by Georges Jean-Marie Darier, a French aeronautical engineer, in 1931. It is also often used in the construction of wind turbines.

garland hydroelectric power station consists of light turbines - gidrovingrotors, strung and rigidly fixed in the form of a garland on a cable thrown across the river. One end of the cable is fixed in the support bearing, the other end rotates the generator rotor. The cable in this case plays the role of a kind of shaft, the rotational movement of which is transmitted to the generator. The flow of water rotates the rotors, the rotors rotate the cable.

Also borrowed from the designs of wind farms, such a "underwater windmill" with a vertical rotor. Unlike an air propeller, an underwater propeller has blades of a minimum width. For water, a blade width of only 2 cm is sufficient. With this width, there will be a minimum resistance and a maximum rotation speed. This width of the blades was chosen for a flow velocity of 0.8-2 meters per second. At high speeds, other sizes may be optimal. The propeller does not move due to water pressure, but due to the occurrence of lift. Just like an airplane wing. The propeller blades move across the flow rather than being carried along by the flow in the direction of the flow.

Advantages and disadvantages of various homemade mini hydroelectric systems

The disadvantages of a stringed hydroelectric power station are obvious: high material consumption, danger to others (a long underwater cable, rotors hidden in the water, river blocking), low efficiency. Garland HPP is a kind of small dam. It is advisable to use in deserted, remote places with appropriate warning signs. You may need permission from the authorities and environmentalists. The second option is a small stream in your garden.

Rotor Daria - difficult to calculate and manufacture. At the beginning of work, it needs to be untwisted. But it is attractive in that the rotor axis is located vertically and the power take-off can be made above the water, without additional gears. Such a rotor will rotate with any change in the direction of flow - this is a plus.

The most widespread in the construction of home-made hydroelectric power plants were propeller and water wheel schemes. Since these options are relatively easy to manufacture, require minimal calculations and are implemented at minimal cost, have high efficiency, are easy to set up and operate.

An example of the simplest mini-hydroelectric power station

The simplest hydroelectric power station can be quickly built from an ordinary bicycle with a dynamometer for a bicycle headlight. Several blades (2-3) must be prepared from galvanized iron or not thick sheet aluminum. The blades should be 2-4 cm long from the wheel rim to the hub, and 2-4 cm wide. These blades are installed between the spokes in any improvised way or pre-prepared mounts.

If you are using two blades, then set them opposite each other. If you want to add more blades, then divide the circumference of the wheel by the number of blades and install them at regular intervals. You can experiment with the depth of immersion of a wheel with blades in water. Usually it is immersed from one third to half.

The option of a camping wind farm was considered earlier.

Such a micro hydroelectric power station does not take up much space and will serve cyclists perfectly - the main thing is the presence of a stream or river - which is usually the case at the campsite. A mini hydropower plant from a bicycle will be able to light a tent and charge cell phones or other gadgets.

Small hydro turbines are very specific in principle of their operation, unlike the turbines of ordinary hydroelectric power plants. The process of operation of a micro hydroturbine is interesting in that the properties of its structure can provide for a specific object the volume of water masses that will flow to parts of the hydroturbine (blades), bring the generator into operation (the generator plays the role of generating electricity).

The process of increasing the pressure of water is ensured by the formation of a “derivation” - free flow of water (provided that this micro hydroelectric power station is of a diversion type) or a dam (the condition is a mini thermal power plant similar to a dam).

Mini HPP power

The power level of a mini hydroelectric power station directly depends on the conditions in which its hydraulic properties are located:

1. Water flow is the volume of water masses (l) that passes through the turbine in a certain period of time. It is customary to take 1-2 seconds for this interval.
2. Water pressure - the distance between two opposite points of the water mass (one is located at the top, the other at the bottom). The head has a number of characteristic features, on which the types of micro hydroelectric power plants also depend (high head, medium head, low head)

The peculiarity of the operation of a micro hydroelectric power station is assessed from the point of view of its territorial location. For example, a pressurized micro hydroelectric power station works by diverting water flows through a special channel made of wood, located at a certain angle of inclination, which allows water to flow faster. The water pressure in such a hydroelectric power station depends on how long this channel is. Further, the water flows into the pressure pipeline, after which it enters the hydraulic unit, which is located in the lower part. Then the recycled water is sent back to the source by squeezing.

Location of mini hydroelectric power station

It is important to note that the position of the hydraulic turbine, depending on the type of construction, may be different:

1. Horizontal position. This position of the hydro turbine leads to a natural increase in the size of the mini hydroelectric power station itself (with the help of a turbine shaft, which also increases the size of the energy system during rotation, as well as a change in the scale of the turbine hall). However, it should be noted that the construction of such hydraulic turbines is not more complicated than the others, but on the contrary, it simplifies it.
2. Vertical arrangement. This type of arrangement helps to reduce the size of the HPP, improves the balance of center lines, and its compactness. This arrangement is more difficult to build, since it creates the need for a detailed balance of the axis in the rotational element. Also in such a situation, it is important to be more careful about the mandatory position of the working floor, when it is in one horizontal line and its strength characteristics, so that they are able to withstand the weight of the entire structure. The vertical arrangement increases the pressure on the axis of the structure.

The use of mini hydroelectric power plants

In general, installations of small hydroelectric power plants are used mainly for their use in remote areas of residential facilities. They cannot be serious competitors to large power plants, but rather serve to provide energy savings. Recently, the number of people using both hydroelectric power plants, solar-type batteries and various wind control installations. The turbines described in this article may soon become one with these innovative energy sources, which will eventually lead to the creation of new electrical circuits and models.

What can these structures be used for?

• to provide electricity to private property;
• for remote industrial areas;
• for electric charging stations;
• for temporary use.

Advantages of a mini hydroelectric power station

Small hydropower plants have a number of special advantages:

• they are available in two versions: fixed at the bottom of the reservoir, as well as with special hooks that allow you to work on the surface
• the unit can reach a power equal to 5 kW, in order to increase the power and efficiency of the hydroelectric power plant, the turbines are installed as modules
• HPPs do not negatively affect the environment in any way during the construction process, because to create it, natural water is used, which is directed into a certain stream and sets the blades in motion.

Turbines for mini hydroelectric power plants

Now let's talk directly about hydro turbines for mini hydroelectric power stations and what we need for its construction. Characteristics and features of the operation of the hydraulic turbine:

1. The temperature of the water supplied to the turbine must exceed +4 °C.
2. The temperature that should be in the block module is +15 °С and higher.
3. Sound pressure, the source of which is located 1 m from the turbine, is 80 dB or more.
4. The outer surface of the hydroturbine must be heated to a temperature not exceeding +45°C, provided that the air temperature is around +25°C.

Let's consider an example of a well-balanced and working hydroturbine under ideal conditions.

Let's assume that we have a flow turbine, radial, high-pressure with an average head, which provides a tangential supply of water to the blades, the shaft is horizontal. Such types of pipes are classified as "quiet". They have the peculiarity of adapting to the environment, the place of installation and various differences in altitude pressures. If the water flow changes dramatically, then the design of a two-chamber bag is used in the turbine, which makes the device work better.

The body of any hydraulic turbine is made of structural steel, it is durable and reliable. The cost of materials, construction is significantly reduced compared to hydro turbines for conventional hydroelectric power plants. The most common material used to build a hydro turbine will withstand drops of 90 to 120 meters, some parts are made of stainless steel (housing, piping).

In the new generation of hydro turbines, it is possible to replace the generator and the impeller without severe deformation and sorting. It should be noted that the impeller has the property of self-cleaning due to water flows that pass through the area of ​​the impeller in the course of their work. During the design of the generator and the hydro turbine itself, a number of measures are taken to reduce the cavitation level. Current hydro turbines are 100 percent free from this problem.

The main part of the hydraulic turbine is the impeller. The material for the manufacture of blades is often profile type steel. The blades, due to their properties, can create an axial level force, facilitating the work of the bearings, and the impellers themselves are in constant balance. The duration of the impeller axis is determined by its position, for longer operation it is installed on the bearing level.

Features of hydro turbines for mini hydroelectric power plants

1. Can be used in purification systems to obtain high-quality drinking water.
2. It is possible to connect an industrial generator.
3. Increased requirements for the reliability of the generator.

Some characteristics of the technical plan:

1. Height difference: 3 - 200 m
2. Water consumption: 0.03 - 13 cubic meters per second
3. Power: 5 - 3,000 kW
4. Number of blades located on the axial sector: 37
5. Efficiency: 84% - 87%

Of course, mini hydropower plants are unlikely to become the main source of energy, but their use is quite reasonable as a means of reducing the load on the main supply grid, especially during periods of peak consumption.

It is at this place that We will try to make our new hydroelectric power station. Earlier, attempts were already made on this pond to create a home-made hydroelectric power station from a squirrel wheel with a belt drive to a generator (by the way, it is shown in the photo at the end of the article), which gave a current of about 1 ampere, this was enough to power several light bulbs and a radio in our small hunting lodge . This power plant has been successfully operating for more than 2 years, and we decided to create a more powerful version of a similar version of a hydroelectric power plant on the site of this mini dam.

For the manufacture of a mini dam hydroelectric station, you will need:

Sheet metal scraps and corners;
- Disks for the wheel (used from the body of the failed Onan generator);
- Generator (it was made from two discs with a diameter of 11 inches from Dodge disc brakes);
- The drive shaft and bearings also seem to be from Dodge, we don’t remember exactly, so we removed them with our own hands from some other homemade product;
- copper wire with a cross section of approximately 15 mm;
- some plywood;
- magnets;
- polystyrene resin for filling the rotor and stator.

Manufacturing process

We make the blades of the drive wheel from a 4-inch steel pipe cut into 4 parts.

We made a template that helped lay out the hole. The side surfaces of the wheel are 12-inch rims.

We make a template with which we mark the holes for the hubs (5 pieces), as well as the position of the angle of the blades. In such a wheel, when viewed from the side, water hits the top at about 10 o'clock, passes through the middle of the wheel and exits at the bottom at 5 o'clock, so that the water hits the wheel twice. We reviewed a large number of photographs and tried to model the width and angle of the blades. In the photo above - markings for the edges of the blades and holes for attaching the wheel to the generator. The wheel has 16 blades.

The template was glued to one of the disks - the future side surface of the wheel, we clamped both disks together. In the photo above - drilling small holes for positioning the blades.

We make a gap between the discs of 10 inches, using studs with solid threads, and align them as carefully as possible before installing the blades.

The wheel welding process is shown in the photo above. It is very important that the blades are made of galvanized steel pipe. Before welding, it is necessary to strip the zinc from the edges of the blades, since galvanized metal releases toxic gas during welding, which we try to avoid.

The finished wheel of our future hydropower plant, without a generator. On the other side of the wheel (opposite the alternator) there is a 4" diameter hole in the side disc for easy screwing to the alternator and also for cleaning, to stick your hand in and remove sticks and other debris that water can bring inside.

The nozzle is the same width (10 inches) as the wheel and about 1 inch high from the end where the water exits. The area of ​​the nozzle is slightly smaller than the 4-inch pipe that the nozzle is mounted on. In the photo above - we bend a metal sheet with our own hands for a nozzle.

We put the wheel on the axle, our hydroelectric power station is almost ready, it remains only to make and install the generator. The whole structure is movable. We can move the nozzle forward, backward, up, down. The wheel and generator can move forward and backward.

Manufacture of a generator for our hydroelectric power station.>

We make the stator winding and prepare for pouring. The winding consists of 9 coils, each coil consists of 125 turns of copper wire with a cross section of 1.5 mm. Each phase consists of 3 coils connected in series, we brought out 6 ends, so we can make the connection as a star or a delta.

And this is the stator - after pouring. (We use polyester resin to fill it) Its diameter is 14 inches (35.5 cm), thickness 0.5 inches 1.3 cm.

We make a template from plywood - for marking under magnets.

In the photo - a template and one of the brake discs (future rotor).

We arrange 12 magnets 2.5 x 5 cm in size, 1.3 cm thick, according to the prepared template.

We fill the rotor with polyester resin, and when the resin dries, the rotor will be ready to work.

This is what our almost completed hydroelectric power plant with generator looks like.

Photo from the other side. Under the aluminum cover are two bridge rectifiers from 3-phase AC to DC. Ammeter scale - up to 6A. In this state, with the air gap between the magnetic rotors reduced to the limit, the machine outputs 12.5 volts at 38 rpm.

In the rear magnetic rotor, there are 3 adjusting screws to adjust the air gap so that the generator can spin faster as needed, hoping to find the optimum.

At leisure, 17 people took part in the creation of the hydroelectric power station.

We start manufacturing fasteners, for this we first clean all rust from sheet metal and corners, prime and paint, this is of course not necessary, but it’s more beautiful, and it will look like a marketable one.

Our water wheel generator is ready, it remains only to install it!

It would be nice to build a splash screen for the generator that would rotate with the wheel, but we never found a suitable material. Therefore, we decided to do it later, if the hydroelectric power station will work.

Another photo of the generator with a water wheel. The nozzle has not been installed yet, it is in the back of the body and we will put it in soon.

In the photo - the place where we want to put it. A 4" pipe exits from the bottom of the dam, a drop of about 3 feet. We take only a small part of the water flow.

This is our old micro-hydro power plant, which has worked for 2 years, including winters. It was enough for 1 ampere (12 watts) or so. This is a squirrel wheel, with a belt drive to the engine from an Ametek computer streamer. Belt tension is critical to successful operation and must be adjusted frequently. We hope we've built something better than this.

Here is our HPP in place, we are setting it up. Finally, we come to the theoretically predicted parameters: the best result is obtained when the water enters at 10 o'clock on the rim, and exits around 5 o'clock.

Earned! The output is about 2 amps (1.9 to be exact). Can't increase current. Adjustments are not easy to make - each movement of the wheel requires a corresponding movement of the nozzle, and vice versa. We can also change the air gap and change the connection from star to delta. The result is clearly better for a star - the power is higher than that of a triangle at the same speed. We ended up with a 1.25" star (quite a lot).

The machine can be made a little cheaper by using less powerful magnets and a smaller air gap... or it can produce more current with the same magnets, smaller gap, and coils with more turns. Someday we'll get to it. In the meantime - the wheel produces 160 rpm at idle, 110 rpm under load, producing 1.9 A x 12V.
We got pleasure from the sea, it was a lot of fun, and the mini-hydroelectric power station works well. We still need a screen for the generator - the river is full of black sand! Every few hours it is necessary to clean the magnetic rotors from sand buildup. It is necessary either to put a screen, or to attach a couple of powerful magnets at the entrance to the pipe.

Based on materials from the site: Otherpower.com

If there is a pond with a dam or a stream near the house, you can make an excellent source of free additional energy. The article will consider an example of how you can make a hydroelectric power station based on a water wheel with your own hands. A power plant made in this way is capable of delivering current up to 6 A; when installed on a small stream, the installation showed a result of 2 A. This is enough to turn on the receiver and a couple of light bulbs. Power depends on the force with which the water flow is.

Materials and tools:
- corners and cuttings of sheet metal;
- disks for creating a wheel (used from the Onan generator housing, which failed);
- generator (was made from two Dodge brake discs of 28 cm each);
- the shaft and bearings were also taken from Dodge;
- copper wire with a cross section of about 15 mm;
- Neodymium magnets;
- plywood;
- polystyrene resin (needed to fill the stator and rotor).

Manufacturing process:

Step one. Making a wheel
To create a wheel, you need two steel disks. In this case, their diameter is 28 cm (11 inches). The disc must be marked so that it is clear where to install the blades. For the manufacture of the blades, a pipe with a diameter of 4 inches is taken and cut lengthwise into 4 parts. In total, the wheel has 16 blades. To fix the discs, they are pulled together with four bolts. Then you can set the blades to the desired positions. They are welded on. The gap between the discs is 10 inches, that is, the length of the wheel is 10 inches.

At this stage, the assembly of the hydroelectric power station is over, the wheel is ready, now you need to make a nozzle and a generator. On one side of the disk there is a hole for convenient mounting of the wheel to the generator.

Step two. Making a nozzle
The nozzle is needed in order to direct water to the wheel. Its width is 10 inches, as is the width of the wheel. The nozzle is made from a single piece of metal by bending. Next, the structure is welded by welding.

Now you can install the wheel on the axle and the mechanical part of the HPP is almost ready. It remains to assemble and install the generator.
The nozzle is made adjustable in height, this allows you to control the flow of water depending on the situation.

Step three. Assembling the generator
The process of creating a generator consists of several steps. First you need to make a winding, it consists of 9 coils. Each coil has 125 turns. The diameter of the copper wire is 1.5 mm. Each phase is formed by three coils connected in series. A total of 6 ends are displayed, this will make the connection both a star and a triangle.

In conclusion, the coils are filled with polyethylene resin and the finished stator comes out. Its diameter is 14 inches and its thickness is 0.5 inches.

To assemble the generator, plywood is needed, a template is made from it. Further, according to this template, 12 magnets are installed with dimensions of 2.5 x 5 cm and a thickness of 1.3 cm. Finally, the rotor is also filled with polyethylene resin. That's all, after drying, the generator is ready.

Under the aluminum cover are rectifiers that convert three-phase alternating current into direct current. The ammeter scale has a range of up to 6 A. With the smallest gap between the magnets, the device produces 12 volts at 38 rpm.

There are two adjusting screws on the back of the alternator that allow you to adjust the air gap. Thus, it is possible to select the most acceptable parameters for the operation of the generator.

Step four. The final stage of assembly and installation of the generator
All fasteners, as well as the water wheel, need to be painted. Firstly, this way the device will look more beautiful. And secondly, the paint will protect the metal from rust, which will quickly appear near the water source. It would be nice to equip the generator with a protective wing that diverts splashes, but the author did not find a suitable material.

In the photo you can see the place where the generator will be installed. This is a pipe from which water flows from the dam. The drop is about 3 feet. The wheel will take only a certain part of the entire water flow. In practice, the position where the water enters at an angle of 10 o'clock and exits at an angle of 5 o'clock has shown the best results. Then the maximum power is reached.