We’ve got the power -maintenance part 1

It’s time to do some maintenance on the water race. One of the things that puts people off DIY power (or DIY anything for that matter) is that when something needs doing, ain’t no one else gonna do it.

Our waterwheel turns quietly away and provides us with electricity without much need for maintenance since we upgraded from plywood to aluminium. But water can be very destructive and leaks can slowly but surely undermine foundations. And does that water race leak!

The water pouring out of every join has washed the soil away from the foundations and the whole thing is getting very dodgy. Best to fix it before winter and rain and floods take away what’s left.

The Man of the House has made a whole new water race out of scrap aluminium to replace the last of the plywood sections, complete with rounded corners (rather than sharp angles) and higher sides to prevent overflows. Next comes the hardest part of the job, getting everything down to the stream. There’s a truck load of timber, posts, aluminium and tools to go down, through the bush and only one way to get it there – carry it.

The track down to the water wheel.

Aluminium water race components on the way down to the water wheel.