PowerSpout PLT‑80 1200W Micro‑Hydro Turbine
PLT‑80 Micro‑hydro Turbine Benefits
- Generate up to around 1200 W of continuous renewable power from a suitable water source, day and night all year round, reducing reliance on diesel and grid power.
- Designed for medium to high‑head sites with long cable runs, with an 80 V DC nominal operating voltage ideal for MPPT battery charging in off‑grid systems.
- Modular, robust Pelton turbine design: install one unit for small sites or stack multiple PLT turbines on the same penstock to increase total system output.
PLT‑80 1200W Turbine Overview
The PowerSpout PLT‑80 is a Pelton‑type micro‑hydro turbine designed to work with an MPPT charge controller to charge 12 V, 24 V or 48 V battery banks in off‑grid and hybrid systems. With the right head (fall) and flow, a single PLT can deliver up to roughly 1200 W continuously (standard version) using an 80 V DC operating voltage, making it a practical option where you have a reliable stream and want round‑the‑clock power for telecoms sites, off‑grid homes, farms, or small commercial loads.
Key features of the PowerSpout PLT‑80
- Pelton turbine for medium to high head: typical operating head range 3–130 m with flows from around 0.1 to 10 L/s (site dependent).
- Up to approx. 1200 W output per standard PLT unit on a well‑designed site, with an optional high‑power version up to around 1600 W.
- Nominal 80 V DC cable/operating voltage (PLT‑80 variant), well‑suited to long cable runs into an MPPT controller and battery system.
- Three‑phase permanent magnet alternator with internal rectifier to DC, ready to feed suitable MPPT charge controllers or, in other PLT voltage variants, grid‑tie inverters.
- Supplied as a complete turbine assembly including Pelton runner, housing, nozzles/jets and integrated generator for straightforward mechanical installation on a pressure pipe.
Technical specifications
The PowerSpout PLT‑80 shares its core mechanical and electrical platform with the wider PLT Pelton range; the “80” denotes the nominal operating/cable voltage. The values below are drawn from manufacturer PLT documentation and general PLT specifications where the PLT‑80 is one of the standard voltage options.
- Turbine type: Pelton impulse turbine with 1–2 jets (nozzles) per unit.
- Generator: Three‑phase permanent magnet alternator with internal rectifier to DC output.
- Available PLT models (voltage variants): PLT 14 / 28 / 40 / 56 / 80 / 170 / 200 / 350 (model number ≈ nominal operating cable voltage in V DC).
- Nominal operating (cable) voltage – PLT‑80: approx. 80 V DC (MPPT or cable voltage); open‑circuit (runaway) voltage can be up to roughly three times the nominal value.
- Typical head range (static): approx. 3–160 m, with recommended dynamic operating head up to around 130 m (site and configuration dependent).
- Typical flow range per turbine: approx. 0.1–10 L/s, depending on nozzle sizing and head.
- Indicative power range: approx. 50–1200 W for standard PLT on suitable sites; up to around 1600 W in high‑power (HP/PRO) versions and special cases.
- Typical maximum power – standard turbine: up to around 1200 W at higher heads and flows within the recommended range.
- Typical maximum power – HP/PRO turbine (where specified): up to around 1600 W.
- Example power at site: approx. 0.1 kW at 3 m head / 0.1 L/s up to around 1.2 kW at 130 m head / 10 L/s (from general PLT performance data).
- Maximum flow per turbine: typically up to about 8–10 L/s (depending on jet configuration and head).
- Minimum flow per turbine: down to approx. 0.05–0.1 L/s at higher heads.
- Pelton runner: approx. 20 nylon “spoons” on a Pelton wheel, diameter around 230–290 mm (depending on revision).
- Nozzles / jets: 1–2 jets per turbine, nozzle diameters typically 2–25 mm, supplied as a cut‑to‑size set with spares.
- Housing material: moulded plastic (e.g. LDPE) enclosure approx. 6 mm wall thickness, suitable for outdoor use when installed correctly.
- Indicative turbine dimensions: approx. 470 mm (L) × 400 mm (W) × 430 mm (H).
- Approximate turbine weight: around 20–25 kg.
- Generator efficiency: typically around 70 % in manufacturer literature.
- Maximum current rating: approx. 32 A DC (with some lower‑voltage variants optionally uprated to around 50 A).
- Continuous duty: designed for 24/7 operation when installed and maintained in line with manufacturer guidance.
- Installation location: typically mounted at the lower end of a pressure pipe (penstock) on‑site, below the water intake, housed close to the tailrace or return to the stream.
- Electrical connection – PLT‑80 use case: DC output to a suitably rated MPPT charge controller, which then charges a 12 V, 24 V or 48 V battery bank as per system design.
- System design tools: supported by PowerSpout Advanced Calculator and design manuals for head/flow, pipe sizing and cable design.
- Typical applications: off‑grid homes, cabins, telecoms sites, small rural businesses, farms and eco‑lodges with year‑round water supply and suitable head/flow.
Use and installation
The PowerSpout PLT‑80 is intended to be part of a complete micro‑hydro system including intake, penstock, turbine, cabling, MPPT charge controller, batteries and, where required, inverter and protection devices. For UK projects, we recommend system design and installation via qualified installers and our trusted partners, especially where higher heads, long cable runs or integration with existing off‑grid/backup systems are involved.
Documents available for download
Shipping and UK support
Shipping is available to the UK, Ireland, Africa, the Caribbean and worldwide. If a shipping rate is not shown at checkout, please contact us on +44 2080 640335 or info@energian.co.uk for a quote.
UK‑based expert support is available – contact Energian with any questions or support requests via phone, email or live chat, or visit our office for an in‑person consultation about your micro‑hydro and off‑grid power system design.