This is way cool and interesting!!
Click on this link:
www.old-engine.com/ames.htm Highvoltageguy automated this one.
He'll help us find our way around
(we didn't post individual pictures because of the copyright)
Actually the plant is still ran manually, I automated the main water source (Trout Lake) the penstock ruptured (6'diameter)and washed out the highway, which is cut into a very steep mountain causing a 150 mile detour. installed presure differental sensers on the penstock to auto. shut the main valve at the Lake. between the sensers being to sensistive and mounted on wrong place on the pipe, and using line of sight antena's instead of a phone line, project took a little over a year and half to get all the bugs worked out.
But this plant still runs when needed (peaking load), it would run all the time but residents in the area with multimillion $$$ homes complain that they dont want any water in the penstock in case it rupture's again. if it did break there would be some spillage of course (big slow closing valve)and about 5 miles of penstock.
Reminds me of the tour I got of Hoover Dam. Those old generators were built to last!
Thanks for the pictures.
HVguy: Thanks for the pictures, and for the links to the other generating sites. I must admit that I was surprised to see the more modern-looking control panels. I guess I was expecting to see the old marble slabs and knife switches!
Kinda neat to see a piece of equipment cranking out electricity at 225 RPM!
Mike (mamills)
[This message has been edited by mamills (edited 04-26-2005).]
awesome
Nikolai was probably ther once
Looking at these sort of pictures of old generating plant, I often find myself in awe, not just at the sheer quantities of power involved, but also in the design and building work that went into these early generating plants.
The site mentions that there have been upgrades over the years. Since it is still a useful part of the power grid, I'd guess the modern control panels are part of one of those upgrades. I'm sure all the yellow guarding we see was not there when the plant opened either.
If this is supposed to be the world's first AC generating plant, why is the serial number on the generator 117822???
SolarPowered:
It is mentioned in the AMES 1891 link that this generator is not the original one. The plant had been upgraded a few times.
edit:
The current installation at Ames is the third set of alternators and generators, replaced a final time in 1906 with General Electric equipment and a new building of cut granite.
Still a facinating piece of machinery in any event....
[This message has been edited by mxslick (edited 04-28-2005).]
That explains it! Thanks!
As you say, it is in any case a fascinating piece of history.
Are there any arangements that can be made for a short tour of the place? I'm in Denver and get down that direction perodically (I have a good friend on the Durango PD).
Thanks mxslick for pointing out that stuff, and big Jim there the place is manned bye one man monday thru friday Maybe!!! they dont schedule tours of the place(there are jeep tours outfits that cruise bye the place hoping that someone there to let there guest use the toilets, thats how that guy got a tour that made the link) that guy in the link saying he was the tour guide is a fairly new guy, I believe he's a meter reader. if you wanted a full tour of the lake,valve house, surge tank, it could be involved and all the places are hard to get at places, heck email me I got lots of free time anymore, been fishing alot lately, I got a jeep and I do know that plant, allthough I live a few hours away from the plant myself, but would like to go back to the plant myself. Being you got a friend in Durango there another old plant called Tacoma north of Durango on hwy 550 at the Rockwood narrow gauge railroad siding (Yes you have to ride the 19 century train into the plant or the old petticot junction hand pumper LOL) now that plants generators are just as old and still running also.
[This message has been edited by highvoltageguy (edited 04-29-2005).]
Gas prices are a real bear but I'm going to try and schedule some time in the San Luis Valley this summer. If that works, I likely head on over Wolf Creek for a bit. If it comes together, I'll get in touch.