PELTON’S WATER WHEEL c. 1930

The Pelton Water Wheel is a very efficient (90%) means of turning water pressure into dynamic energy to drive either electrical motors or implements. Normally consisting of 2 rows of buckets and a water nozzle that sprays into the middle of the buckets. It came in sizes ranging from a 2” bucket to a larger 18’ wheel. The wheel is most efficient with heads of water 1,000 feet or higher, which turns the wheel at half the speed of the water coming in. The exit water has very little speed left over so extracts most of the kinetic energy out of the water. The display wheel was probably constructed in New Zealand and is driven by a SPI McDonald diesel.

History: Invented by Lester Pelton in 1870 while using water pressure to mine for gold in California. Pelton Water Wheel Company closed its doors in 1956.