Microhydro planning, 1200 ft transmission cable

[BruceM]

You're right, Tom, I was having a senior moment.  Thanks.  I should have written schedule 120, not 100.  Here's the specs:

http://www.harvel.com/downloads/spec-pvc-pipe-sch-120.pdf
http://www.harvel.com/downloads/spec-pvc-pipe-sch-80.pdf

Schedule 120:
2" is 470 psi max.  wall thickness is 0.25"

Schedule 80:
2" is 400 psi max, wall thickness is 0.218"

[XYZER]

I didn't know there was heavier than the 80......I worked on one of my wells that had the 80 and had to thread a piece....a bitch with a sharp set of dies!

[mbryner]

Pipe came in today but I'm at work.   300 ft rolls don't fit in the back of a Toyota P/U.    Store is 25 min from my house and they don't deliver.   I'll have to 2 rolls on the lumber rack at a time and drive back and forth a few times.   I'll start rolling out pipe on Sunday.   Woohoo!

[sailawayrb]

Hi Marcus,

Right, 300' of 2" is quite bulky.  A roll doesn't fit inside a Honda CRV either, but a roll or two are light enough to stack on the roof rack and tie down...but not as many as you have!  

You probably already know this, but figured worth mentioning anyhow...  It is best to just unroll this stuff and let it get well heated by the sun before trying to fully straighten it out and place it.  This stuff tends to remember the roll and it can be quite stiff and difficult to work with until it gets well heated and relaxes.  You also have to be very careful not to kink it when unrolling too, although I don't think that will be a problem with your 2"...more of a problem with 1" and less.  If you do kink it, the kink will often come out if you allow it to get heated...again it tends to have a memory.  

Probably the optimal time to do this would be June/July when you have higher temps and more sun, however, you might not have flowing water then and your goal is to determine the exact head available my measuring the static water pressure and dividing by 0.43 PSI/Ft, correct?  I think you should still manage OK now if you don't work too fast and you don't try to overly force it.

What was the consultant's recommendations relative to anchoring the pipe?  Perhaps you are just burying it in a trench?

Bob B.

[mbryner]

Yep, Bob, I'm trying to get the static head measured so the microhydro guy can build the turbine w/ the correct stator.

He just uses stakes or trees to keep the pipe from sliding down the hill when full of water and vibrating.   He recommended stainless steel bolt-around clamps around the pipe to anchor to, instead of a regular hose clamp which will rust in short order.

Here are pics from today:

[sailawayrb]

Hi Marcus,

Looks like a very pretty spot to work new project and you can admire your other projects too!  Watch out for that poison oak.  

As a minimum, I think you may want to securely anchor the inlet point, places where the pipe bends, and the turbine point.  Yes, SS is the right way to do it.  When I did my hydro ram pump penstock last summer, I embedded short lengths of SS chain into the reinforced concrete anchor points.  This allows inserting SS pipe clamps into the chain link.  The benefit of doing this is that you can replace the clamps if necessary and you can also use different size clamps as required.  I also used a small section of split 2" pipe to protect the pipe from any clamp abrasion.  I attached a couple photos that illustrates how I did this.

Bob B.

[mbryner]

Very nice.   I like how you wrapped a piece of 2" pipe around the pipe to prevent abrasion at the pipe clamp.

[sailawayrb]

Yeah, given all the back-breaking work to hand dig the holes and fill them with reinforced concrete, I really didn't want to experience any rust in my lifetime...  The other thing that I did was to tack weld some rebar across the bottom  portion of SS chain.  In addition to ensuring that the chain will never come out of the concrete, the rebar acts as an active sacrificial galvanic anode to provide some cathodic protection to the SS chain and clamps.  

Bob B.

[sailawayrb]

Hey Marcus, what's taking you so long getting this project operational.  I want to see some photos of the turbine soon!

Actually, I just wanted to let you know that Gayle got the new Wild Blue internet installed at the property today.  It is as good as expected...absolutely no problem streaming movies or using VOIP.

Bob B.

[mbryner]

Good to know.   If Applegate Broadband goes under, I'll have other options.

Hey, watch those snide remarks!      I'm working on it in all my spare time.   So far, I've pulled 600 ft of 2" poly through the woods, in the rain, in a steep canyon filled w/ poison oak.   I have poison oak all over my arms.      I also put together 200' of 2" PVC for the last section, and it has a TPR valve, pressure gauge, and ball valve at the end.   I only have 2-3 more rolls of 300' of poly to pull!   I'd actually be further along, but family came up to visit 2 days ago, and I've been on-call at the hospital, + regular work days.   Today we're going down to my parents for a few days for Easter.    Sometime next week the pipes will be joined and I'll be able to report a static head pressure.    Yeaahh.

[sailawayrb]

Well, I warned you about that poison oak!  I am very allergic to it myself..and I am sure it will kill me someday too!  I guess every time one gets exposed the reaction gets worse...in other words, you do NOT build up a tolerance to it...had an expensive doc tell me that...  The body also seems to remember where it was previously exposed and subsequent exposure causes previously exposed areas to erupt again.  Very nasty stuff indeed!

Hey, if you email Gayle, she will give you her temp VOIP phone number and you can try it out.  Plan is to port the landline number to VOIP, but takes a couple weeks to accomplish.  Gayle is happily working from her virtual office with Evans Creek view right now.

Best wishes for happy Easter with your familiy!

Bob B.

[d34]

What VOIP company are you using?

[sailawayrb]

Hi D34,

Not a VOIP provider company, just VOIP equipment from Ooma.  You can buy it at Costco for about $160.  Essentially unlimited US long distance and there is no monthly subscription fee.  You do have to pay about $3 month for the local/state phone fees.  Been using first one in our suburban house for about 3 years and now finally using the second one.  It essentially replaces the phone company...all of the phones in your house become VOIP.

Bob B.

[EBI-WPO]

mbryner,

This stuff has saved my butt (literally) many times. works with all the types.

http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/product/poison-ivy-treatments-32-oz-bottle-of-tecnu-oak-n-ivy-cleanse-TECNU32.aspx?kw=Poison Ivy&processor=content

Love your house,

Terry

[mbryner]

Ah, yes, Tecnu.   An old friend around here.   But, Wow!, that's a great price for 32 oz bottle.   Thanks for the link.