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BUILD A POWER PLANT FROM A DEAD HOVERBOARD AND DRAIN PIPE

A water turbine built from drain pipe and a scrapped hoverboard wheel that keeps making power after the sun sets.

by Daniel Connell

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

EnergyWorkshop

difficulty
●●●○○
time
a weekend
license
license not specified
repo
repo 0 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo

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Videos
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COMPAREE VERDICT

This is a genuinely low-cost micro hydro build if you have flowing water and about three metres of vertical drop. The salvage trick is the hoverboard wheel: discarded boards are everywhere second-hand and the hub motor inside is already a brushless generator with bearings built in, the expensive part you would otherwise buy new. The rest is PVC drain pipe, recycled PC fan blades and basic hardware. The author measures around 200 watts continuous with three metres of head. His argument is not peak power but runtime: unlike solar it produces day and night, so total daily energy is far higher for similar money. The build guide is thorough with clear photos and the templates are ready to print and trace. What is missing is a shopping list and any discussion of the rectifier and charge controller you will need to turn AC into usable DC — those are assumed knowledge. The single biggest trap is legal, not technical: many countries restrict what you can install in a watercourse without a permit, and the guide does not discuss this. If you have a stream on your own land or written permission to use one, and you are comfortable with basic metalwork and electronics, this is a weekend project with real output. If you do not have the water or the permissions, it is not.

NOT IN THE REPO

  • —Full build guide with step-by-step photos is published on opensourcelowtech.org.
  • —PDF cutting templates for PVC parts and 3D printable files for mounting pieces are included.
  • —No formal bill of materials or shopping list — parts are described in prose and photos.
  • —No code or electronics design: the hoverboard motor controller is discarded, the motor runs as a passive generator into a rectifier purchased separately.
  • —Author states all designs are open source and license free for any purpose — this is a plain-English permission statement, not a formal SPDX licence.
  • —Power output figures are the author's own measurements, not independently verified.

Can I build this?

PrintMounting brackets and spacers for the hub motor — files provided as STL
BuySecond-hand hoverboard (one wheel), 110mm PVC drain pipe and fittings, recycled or cheap PC case fans, stainless fasteners, rectifier module, basic charge controller if charging batteries
ToolsDrill, jigsaw or hole saw, soldering iron, basic hand tools, means of cutting and drilling PVC (a workbench or sawhorses helps)
SkillsComfortable cutting and assembling PVC pipe, basic soldering, ability to salvage and repurpose a brushless motor — no programming but you do need to understand DC power and not short a battery
TimeA weekend if the hoverboard is already on the bench and you have done PVC work before; longer if you are learning or hunting for parts
CostThirty to fifty dollars if you find a cheap dead hoverboard and already own a rectifier; more if buying new equivalents or a commercial charge controller
SafetyThe turbine sits in flowing water with no mains connection, so electrical risk is low. The hoverboard battery and its controller are discarded — do not try to reuse a swollen or damaged lithium cell. Sharp edges when cutting PVC and fan blades. No unusual hazards beyond ordinary workshop care.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

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Videos

DIY water turbine build and output measurement

No official video is present in the payload — the footage in the reel is credited to Open Source Low Tech but no YouTube link was provided.

Gallery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KyL1-0A0Gw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KyL1-0A0Gw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KyL1-0A0Gw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KyL1-0A0Gw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KyL1-0A0Gw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KyL1-0A0Gw

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the full guide at opensourcelowtech.org/water_turbine.html to confirm you have suitable water flow and head (The guide includes measurement advice and photos of the finished turbine in situ)
  2. 2.Source a dead or cheap hoverboard — one wheel is enough, you only need the hub motor(Check local classifieds, e-waste centres or repair cafés; the rest of the board is scrap)
  3. 3.Print the PDF cutting templates and 3D parts, gather PVC pipe and fittings from a hardware shop(The author uses 110mm diameter drain pipe; confirm your hoverboard motor fits before cutting)
  4. 4.Follow the build photos to assemble the housing, mount the motor and attach the blades(Test fit everything dry before gluing PVC joints)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

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KNOWN ISSUES

  • No discussion of the rectifier or charge controller in the guide — you are expected to know how to turn three-phase AC into battery-safe DC, or to research it separately.
  • Water rights vary by country and installing anything in a stream or irrigation channel without permission can be illegal, even on your own land in some jurisdictions — the guide does not cover this.
  • Hoverboard motors vary in size and the PVC dimensions are specific to the author's salvaged wheel — measure yours before cutting pipe or you may need to adjust the design.
  • Power output depends heavily on head and flow rate; three metres of fall and good flow gives around 200 watts, but half that head or a slow stream will produce far less — do not expect grid power from a trickle.
  • The bill of materials is implicit in the photos rather than listed, so first-time builders will spend time identifying exact parts and equivalents.
  • Recycled PC fan blades are not standardised — if yours are too small or too flexible the turbine will underperform, and the guide does not specify minimum blade size or stiffness.

Can I use this if I do not have a stream?

No. This design requires flowing water with about three metres of vertical drop. Without both flow and head it will not generate meaningful power.

How much power does it actually make?

The author measures around 200 watts continuous with three metres of head and good flow. That is enough to trickle-charge a battery bank or run low-power devices, not enough to replace a grid connection.

Do I need permission to put this in a stream?

Very likely yes. Most countries regulate what you can install in watercourses, even on private land. Check local water rights and environmental rules before building.

What if I cannot find a hoverboard?

The design depends on the salvaged hub motor being cheap or free. A new brushless motor with bearings will cost more than the entire stated budget, so without the hoverboard the economics change completely.

Is there a circuit diagram for the rectifier and charge controller?

No. The guide assumes you already know how to wire a three-phase rectifier or will use a purchased module. If that is new to you, budget time to research it separately.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The author claims ten times the daily energy of a small solar panel for half the cost, because it runs all night. If you have access to flowing water, would that trade-off make you try hydro first?

CompareeTEAM16d agoedited

Practical notes from our verification: the project site is a single-page guide with thorough photos but no formal BOM or circuit diagram — parts are shown rather than listed. The power figures are the author's own measurements with a meter on the bank, not lab-tested, so treat 200 watts as indicative rather than guaranteed. The licence is a plain statement that designs are free for any purpose, which is generous but not a formal open-source licence. The biggest non-technical hurdle is legal: most jurisdictions restrict stream installations, and the guide does not discuss permissions. If you have the water and the rights, this is a genuinely low-cost build; if you are still researching whether you can legally put it in, start there.

Daniel Connell

Daniel Connell publishes practical low-cost renewable energy builds under the Open Source Low Tech project. The hydro turbine is part of a series of designs aimed at off-grid power generation using salvaged and widely available materials.

Web

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
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