Angels Camp in Calaveras County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Camp 9 Powerhouse Pelton Wheel
Photographed By James King, December 24, 2016
1. Camp 9 Powerhouse Pelton Wheel Marker
Inscription.
Camp 9 Powerhouse Pelton Wheel. . The use of wheels to convert flowing or falling water into power began in ancient Greece around the third to the first century B.C. In 1878 Lester Allan Pelton, a carpenter and blacksmith from Nevada City, invented a new design for an impulse water turbine. Pelton's wheels would eventually become the standard design for exploiting the energy potential of water. Using high pressure and low volume, Pelton's wheel took advantage of the impulse energy of moving water. Water entered the middle of the bucket, splitting into two streams that followed the contour of the bucket and exited out the sides. This highly efficient and revolutionary design allowed the water to transfer most of its kinetic energy to the wheel more so than any previous design. Pelton wheels are still used around the world in the hydroelectric industry. This wheel was used at the Camp 9 Powerhouse on the Stanislaus River until decommissioned and gifted to the museum by P.G&E.
The use of wheels to convert flowing or falling water into power began in ancient Greece around the third to the first century B.C. In 1878 Lester Allan Pelton, a carpenter and blacksmith from Nevada City, invented a new design for an impulse water turbine. Pelton's wheels would eventually become the standard design for exploiting the energy potential of water. Using high pressure and low volume, Pelton's wheel took advantage of the impulse energy of moving water. Water entered the middle of the bucket, splitting into two streams that followed the contour of the bucket and exited out the sides. This highly efficient and revolutionary design allowed the water to transfer most of its kinetic energy to the wheel more so than any previous design. Pelton wheels are still used around the world in the hydroelectric industry. This wheel was used at the Camp 9 Powerhouse on the Stanislaus River until decommissioned and gifted to the museum by P.G&E.
Erected by Angels Camp Museum, sponsored by Native Sons of the Golden West in memory of esteemed member Millard Smallin.
38° 4.53′ N, 120° 32.752′ W. Marker is in Angels Camp, California, in Calaveras County. Marker can be reached from South Main Street (California Route 49). This marker and the exhibit are in the horseshoe driveway area of the museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 753 South Main Street, Angels Camp CA 95222, United States of America. Touch for directions.
disk has cup shaped blades, called as buckets, placed at equal spacing around its circumference. Nozzles are arranged around the wheel such that the water jet emerging from a nozzle is tangential to the circumference of the wheel of Pelton Turbine.(Submitted on February 26, 2017, by James King of San Miguel, California.)
Photographed By James King, December 24, 2016
3. Business End - Pelton Wheel Buckets
Credits. This page was last revised on August 11, 2018. It was originally submitted on February 26, 2017, by James King of San Miguel, California. This page has been viewed 587 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on February 26, 2017, by James King of San Miguel, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
