Noswaith Da, Anthony and Terfyn, sorry not been around lately, but the work "system" has only allowed me to read not reply!!

It always amazes me, considering how hilly our area of Wales is, that there isn't more hydro schemes. Elan Valley and Clywedog both have small turbines but only for internal use, yet they are passing water through a pipe almost continuosly. One of the shop customers lives up in the Hafren Forest, where he has no mains electricity, but 2 small turbines on streams on his land, wired to a battery bank and then a large inverter to 240v

Good evening to you also Graham and may I also wish you a Happy New Year,

I was a little concerned that we may have lost you. Good to see you here!

Your right they could use the dams to produce more electricity. perhaps this type of construction has lost favour but some of the infra structure is already in place. Are you thinking of more dams and lakes or just re-engineering the existing ones.

Terfyn,

Lister, I have seen those at so many of the places that I visited. mainly very long stroke single cylinder diesels throating away but some multi cylinder also. Lister generation sets. Did Perkins take over Lister? I have some slate coolers here, large single slabs of hollowed out slate. Horses where in use here for agricultural use until the 60's. I do not believe that this place ever had a tractor before. Some of the old guys, now passed away, each claimed to be the first to introduce the first tractor into the area, each poring scorn on the others claim. I find loads of horse shoes.

Certainly don't need any more dams, jst the current ones re-engineering.

There were plans for something at Clywedog in the past and I think they put a new bigger turbine in there a couple of years ago, but as said, it only produces power for internal use. I'm sure it still "powers" the 2 houses STWA used to own down by the historic mine sight at the bottom of the Dam, but when you think that all these Dams are passing water continously then there is a huge resource being waisted.

I know that LLES (Lanidloes Energy Solutions, google it) have looked at the feasability of reinstating the old Mill Dam by our house and siting a turbine under the old Mill that is now flats.

There is a good scheme in Lyme Regis, where the restored Town Mill has a turbine in the Mill Leat, and when they are not using the water for milling, the water is diverted through the turbine which they sell back to National Grid.

OK,

they put a turbine in at Lyn Brianne Hydroelectric scheme

The spillway of the dam is a notable tourist attraction when the reservoir is spilling. The dam is the UK's tallest, standing at a height of 300 ft (91 m), and is the world's largest clay core dam. In 1996 the reservoir spillway was increased by 1 metre in height and a hydro electric generating station was added at the base of the dam. When all three turbines are working, it generates 4.3 megawatts of electricity.

My link

I had a slated lined lader in my last house, a cottage in the middle of nowhere.

I actually know an old lady who lives less than 3 miles from the centre of Worcester who does not have mains electric, gas or water; she has a well, and a lister generator as mentioned above.

About 15 years ago she tried to get West Midlands Electric to connect her to the grid and they told her it would cost her £500,000 !!!!:(

GentleGiant,

I am quite fortunate because my property was connected in the 70s' when it was a nationalised industry the cost to do it today would be astronomical. I am also fortunate to already have the phone line laid because that also would have been cost prohibitive. They do have to maintain it. About 7 or more years ago they burred most of the length of telephone cable, beforehand it was just stretched out along the ground and subject to frequent lightning strikes and damage by live stock. I could be cut of for up to 7 weeks at a time and frequently was cut off and had almost constant distortion on the phone and appalling internet connection. Out of frustration I changed to a business line and then they had to respond I think in 12 or 24 hours, I cannot remember exactly, i was at one time going to abandon terrestrial Telecoms and go mobile because amazingly we have a good signal via Orange. Vodafone also works here but little else. If anyone is considering a move to a rural area check out which mobile telephones work because many do not. The BT ones what ever they may be call now, is it 02, well that is the worst and only works near to major towns from what I have seen.

My supply has an advantage over a well in that the water comes out of the ground a short distance away down the hill from the house and though it will cost the same as a well to pump up, when the electricity goes off I can walk the water up in containers. Of course a generator cold be used to produce the power. I have considered using a Hydro Pump which uses the water that is not collected to power a Hydraulic Pump, which would then supply the house for no cost once it was set up. It would then only require routine maintenance. Engineering wise these devices have other advantages over electric which is expensive in that they can pump up to 1000 ft if required and just go on pumping regardless more or less for ever so long as their is enough water. They are expensive however, as are many worth while things.

Well getting things back to Yeti temp readings before we have the Forum Police editing the SMOC again Had another rapid change in weather; +3 with the snow thawing quite quickly considering we had a decent covering. Even getting the odd bit of rain.

The 2WD summer tyre brigade are still sliding around on the back-roads but the main routes are completely clear Forecast tomorrow unclear with one forecast saying more heavy snow :S and another and +2. Be glad of some :sun:

We are a small, intimate group, of mainly "mature" drivers, who may tend to stick together for a number of years and get to know each other on fairly good terms.. It will be inevitable that we digress from time to time, straying off topic or even occasionally to start a non Yeti conversation. This would help in the cohesion of our group which because of its small size would get swamped in the main body that has been set aside for less informal conversation. It is a pity that their can not be a single section for ordinary conversation within the "Yeti" framework.

Would it be desirable to have a facility to have friendly discussion amongst our selves from time to time without attracting from the wider Briskoda membership? What do others in our group feel???

Anyway I have not tested the on-board temperature sensor today though I did move the car to allow one of the 4x4 vehicles to approach the water. I think that it would measure a more normal 0 C today if I had a look

My Apologies to the moderating team for digressions on my part and in encouraging others to do the same. I thank them for their tolerance and understanding in this matter.

My Apologies to the moderating team for digressions on my part and in encouraging others to do the same. I thank them for their tolerance and understanding in this matter.

Hi Anthony,

nothing to apologise about; think it was me anyway that started the digression as Plumbing was mentioned

TP

I had a slated lined lader in my last house, a cottage in the middle of nowhere.

I actually know an old lady who lives less than 3 miles from the centre of Worcester who does not have mains electric, gas or water; she has a well, and a lister generator as mentioned above.

About 15 years ago she tried to get West Midlands Electric to connect her to the grid and they told her it would cost her £500,000 !!!!:(

When we moved to our house we had no lecy no central heating in fact the only thing was a few walls and a few windows we don't even livve in the middle of no where but Yateley, North Hants.... We have progressed over the 12 years to electric heating and a wood burner....The funniest thing was the house still had it's original larder at the beginning, it was great. Sdaly we had to get rid of it when we had an extension and I was attempting to get the house vaguely warm since the larder system created a lot of drafts i.e vents at top and bottom.

Anyway the reason I got a Yeti is that we get stuck quite often and need something to get us to the B road through the town and better still back up the hill at the end of the day ;-)

all the best

Jerry

Very Useful the Yeti for getting away from ones home. Those old larders were very handy. Usually of fairy large size allowing one to walk in all sorts of food stuffs could be stored in them, not everything is better off in the refrigerator. I agree the are a coo spot in an otherwise warm home.

Mr The Plumber, very reassuring of you. Although my post count is mounting and some posts comparatively lengthy, I have not been aboard as long as others here and do not want to be seen to take unwanted liberties.

Edited 10 January, 201016 yr by Anthony 1

Noswaith Da, Anthony and Terfyn, sorry not been around lately, but the work "system" has only allowed me to read not reply!!

It always amazes me, considering how hilly our area of Wales is, that there isn't more hydro schemes. Elan Valley and Clywedog both have small turbines but only for internal use, yet they are passing water through a pipe almost continuosly. One of the shop customers lives up in the Hafren Forest, where he has no mains electricity, but 2 small turbines on streams on his land, wired to a battery bank and then a large inverter to 240v

You will have probably read "I Bought A Mountain" TF installed a Pelton Wheel generator but had problems keeping the thing fed with enough water especially in the summer months! Our Lucas "Freelight" let us down the first year - No Wind!

those stationary engines are quite something, Chu Chu Chu Chu ChuGpT Chu Chu Chu Chu ChuGpT bouncing around vibrating water steaming and shaking big flywheel spinning belt undulating. We had an electric Lister pump here for the water, belt driven. It finally gave up the ghost and died, the belt was always a problem, I think the head it had to pump over might have been a little too much for it. have more modern jet or turbine pump now much faster and more or less self priming. All it needs is a little bit of water poring into the pump through a screw whole and then turn it on, far less messing but no need ti pre fill the pipe if it is sucking up hill.