Bucket-based hydroelectric generator powers up small gadgets
By Darren Murph 
posted Jun 28th 2008 4:13PM
posted Jun 28th 2008 4:13PM
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Campers, Nature Nuts and Woodsmen rejoice!
DAMMIT... I'm going to have to keep some extra lights on to make up for the energy this will save :(
Curse you, Captain Planet!
Actually, thinking about this, this might actually prove somewhat useful here in Florida, where the afternoon thunderstorms often result in some nice, torrential downpours that maybe don't last long, but create some crazy pressure and volume out of the roof rain gutter outlet drain things. Could easily spin a generator of some sort.
Wouldn't produce much electricity, and not for more than a couple of horus, if that, but hey, "free" electricity is free electricity!
concept already thought of, not very viable.
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2008/6/8/155413/0532
(link is extremely relevant)
Hello Moto.
I don't want my phone getting wet though.
looks dangerous
You better get bubblewrap then, coz this here be a dangerous world. Ooooooo, risky!
then dont use it
But Apple sucks ass....I don't see how this proves otherwise.
what? are you in the wrong post?
It proves fanboys will post BS anywhere.
Thank You for giving us your opinion but your in the wrong thread douche.
geez, are those phones from 1996?
not worth risking new phones for an experiment.. or maybe the guys just poor lol
If the phones were from 1996, they would crush the lid of this container.
These phones look more like entry phones from 2000-2002.
But you are right, the phones do look pretty old.
This is fricken awesome.
We have a cabin out in country that has no power, but has a steadily flowing stream closeby. This would be pretty nice for small gadgets and maybe a low power light.
you could just hook this in your main water line and then sell it back to the grid.
Im getting the slight feeling that the amount of water you use might cost ever so slightly more than what youd get for your electricity :D
I'm fairly certain you wouldn't be allowed to do that!
Actually... that's not such a stupid idea. You could have the generator built in line with your mains source. You'd only be generating power when you actually turn any taps on, and the power generated would probably be miniscule, but combined with various other concepts, it may be justifiable.
... or you could use the power generated from having a shower to illuminate an LED readout that tells you to stop wasting water... or call you a communist
There'd need to be a vertical distance between the watermain and your piping system if you were to generate power on water you used. But you could never pump it back into the mains because it would take more energy to power a pump to pump it back up the vertical distance it fell down then into the water main. There is no such thing as free energy ;)
I HAS A BUKKIT!
u has the stupid
Wait, so let me get this straight.
you're wasting perfectly good water which some kid in africa could be using right now, just to power your cellphone?
gots to love capitalism for that
Im sure everyone will get on with diverting their rivers to Africa now they know better!
Did you come up with that yourself, or consult a book of stupid, tired cliches?
You're joking. Please tell me you're joking.
Well since the water isnt' really messed up u could store it and use it again use it again. it would also be good in a power outage.
Macgyver would be proud...
More information
http://www.aidg.org/component/option,com_jd-wp/Itemid,34/p,1136/
Cat Laine from AIDG here. Sam wrote up a bit more info on the system and what we're trying to do with it here: http://www.aidg.org/component/option,com_jd-wp/Itemid,34/p,1136/
He's putting together a parts list and a basic manual over the next few days. I'll post a heads up when it's done.
Cheers,
Cat