Same for me, still doesn’t work, can’t see any video…
To measure the water flow just get a bucket, then measure how much time it takes to fill it. Super easy.
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Yes, that was my idea initially. I was just thinking that it would be difficult to get a good measurement, since the bucket would fill quite immideately.
But if it takes 1.5second, then I know that I have 10ltrs/1.5 sec 
Then just get several bukets 
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The USGS has a really good write up of how they do it. Might take some more research to figure out how us lowly civilians can do it
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The answer to this in Texas is always, Yes. In fact, it’s not even considered polite to ask. Few spouses are even daring enough to try to take one off of another person’s plate. Feuds have been started over the last rib at a pot luck 
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This just popped up on my twitter feed.
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For your entertainment, here is a software engineer/physicist trying to do civil/mechanical engineering:
I finally followed your direct link and checked out that video. That is a lot of water moving really quick. You can estimate/measure the flow volume by measuring the width, and height in that little channel to get the area, and then multiply by the speed it is moving. You don’t need to get it perfect, just within 50% or so. You could try putting something at the beginning and timing how long it takes to get to the end. The speed at the surface might not be exactly what it is average. But it is in the ball park.
If it was 0.2m wide, 0.1m tall, and it took 10s to move 2m, it would be:
0.2m*0.1m*2m/10s=0.004m^3/s. Or 4000cm^3/s. Or 4kg/s Or 0.066kg/min.
But I don’t know what to do with it. I assume you multiply the flow times the height drop to get power. The flow may need to be in kg/s, 1g is 1cm3 of water. I am guessing, because height in water is like voltage in electronics. Flow is like current and power is voltage times current. 
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The internet says a 1 kgm/min is 0.163W. So with the numbers above, and a 0.5m drop, you’d have about 0.033kgm/min, or 0.005W. That is really small, but my guess is that my numbers are super wrong. If the area was 10x that, and it went 2m in 1s, it would be 0.5W. Still seems wrong. I’m using unit analysis for the most part here.
Then what? Try to assume you get some percentage of that power out on the wheel? Like half? Then that’s the power at the shaft. Then you have to figure out a generator that takes that much power input, figure out what rpms it likes to go and find a gear/pulley mechanism to give it that many rpms? I bet finding something that works at small rpms will be the hardest part.
At each step, try to figure out how it could be wrong and by how much. Can the generator handle twice the power input? You can probably adjust the height at the end of the chute to reduce the power. You should probably have a belt system with built in clutch, like a belt that can slip. In case something gets jammed.
IDK. But it’s fun to think about.
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It sure is fun!
Thanks for the effort with your calculations, I appreciate it. I didn’t understand all of it, but with common sensish estimates I’d say that the chute sends 5-10 liters pr second. I’m not sure how high I can get the total fall, but between 1 and 2 meters should be doable.
According to the calculator Dui found, this would get me 200W. Not bad, but not enough to get me off grid 
I think the old HDD motor would be perfect for lower rpms.
Oh. Watt is kgm^2/s^3, and I forgot gravity… Oops. I guess if you google a specific unit conversion, someone will come up with the units. Typical Internet.
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So, with a mighty flourish of serendipity or synchronicity if you prefer, this was on the English front page of Wikipedia today:
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You know what Marion? I’m happy for that seredipity! I just now came across the perfect series about water wheels for me. It’s aimed at children, so it’s perfectly aligned with my level 
I actually enjoy these vids alot, he makes many great projects involving electronics, mechanics and playing. Highly recommended! I might very well end up with a pelton wheel, not the traditional one.
And now he has thaugth about what an alternator and rectifier is - with a balloon!
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This could probably work with that water wheel linked above.
Water wheel converts high volume low pressure into low volume high pressure. Then nozzle converts low velocity high pressure into high velocity. Then Pelton wheel.
Although I’m not sure if it’s different/better than harnessing the torque of the first water wheel directly with a belt to boost the rpm to a generator.
I’m not sure if I fully understand? Are you suggesting that I make two wheels to lift water up and gain higher pressure?
The thing is- I have to make everything as low profile as possible. I can’t have kids climbing all over it…
This YouTube guy has inspired me to consider the Pelton option, instead of the backshot type. With a Pelton setup, I can run longer pvc pipes on the bottom of the stream, even hidden under the rocks. At a desired point, I can use a nozzle and go for higher rpm, not needing such a big housing.
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If you have a high enough height difference between the inlet and outlet then it’s not necessary but if you have a low elevation drop and lots of water then you would need something to boost the pressure for a Pelton wheel to work.
Can you take a picture of your creek?
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First thing in the morning! 
Here is the creek:
This is a panorama, showing the length of the creek as it passes the house. Bear in mind that it’s running in a straigth line:
I think I can get 2-3 meters of fall if I use long and flexible pipes. My initial plan was building an aquaduct out of wood, but I’ve scrapped that. Laying flexible pipes on the bottom of the stream bed would hide the installation much better, and if I did it properly, I could even leave them there for the winter, and only rescue the turbine.
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It’s been said many times, but that’s a beautiful place to live.
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I think your pipe idea is a good one. As long as the pipe is not too narrow, you should get reasonable pressure and volume. Start with a simple nozzle and simple impulse turbine and upgrade as you feel like it.
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I was thinking I could actually get several pipes. If I spread them across the width of the stream, and joined them at one point, they would give a decent preassure - without being too intrusive in the terrain.
Really nice place, I wish I lived somewhere like that.
It seems like you don’t have a lot of height but a decent amount of flow. So, in my opinion, the Pelton style turbines with the nozzle are probably out of the question, I’m no expert but I’m fairly sure that what you need for these is high velocity, coming from high pressure, which comes from height. I wouldn’t try that under at least 10 meters height or more.
Here you have low speed but a decent quantity of water, so I’d be looking at making a small dam, then either a gravitational vortex turbine, or a more classic waterwheel.
The waterwheel is probably the easiest to build and the most likely to work so I’d say stick with it. The dam ensures that you get all the water passing through the waterwheel, this way you have less height but all the flow the river provides, hence it is likely to make decent power.
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