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[LongVin]

In my current fort I am running a pump from 2 murky pools into a channel towards a well I am constructing. Now, I want my well to have a constant flow of water in and out(except in the winter when everything freezes over.) To do this I need to set up a water wheel to power a pump to get the water out of the well.

Since this is the first time I am setting up a waterwheel, I just want to know which one of designs will work.


Legend:
~ = Water
X = Water wheel
8 = Gear Mechanism
[ = horizontal axle
W = wall
G = ground
P=Pump

Plan 1:

GGGGGPP~~~~~~~~
WWWX [WWWWWWW
GGGGX 8GGGGGGGGGG
~~~X~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now in this plan, will that bottom tile of the waterwheel be allowed to just freehang like that?

Or will I need to have all the tiles over the water like this:

GGGGGPP~~~~~~~~
WWWG[WWWWWWW
GGGGG8GGGGGGGGGGG
~~~XXX~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Hopefully my drawings make sense.

Additionally, do I need to have a gear mechanism or can I just use a axle as my connecting piece?

[2xMachina]

Use code. Easier to see.

Water wheels can freehang (but need gear/axle to keep it up).

http://dwarffortresswiki.net/index.php/Water_wheel

Waterwheels normally does freehang. I think Plan 2 is the way to go.

And now, if you feel like doing a perpetual motion system

My perpetual motion system:

Code: [Select]

xX
w|+w
w**w
w+|w
 Xx
Xx pumps
w water wheels
* gears, | axle
+ floor
rest are open space

You might actually be able to shrink it to a 4x3, though I'm not sure. And the 4x3 might leak water...

[Dorf3000]

I want my well to have a constant flow of water in and out(except in the winter when everything freezes over.) To do this I need to set up a water wheel to power a pump to get the water out of the well.

Have you considered the problem that in winter, your pumps will stop providing flow to power the water wheel, which will turn off the whole system?  You will need to manually restart it each year.

[LongVin]

Thanks!

As for winter. All the outdoor water freezes over in the winter. So during that time well will just become a pool. I am hoping that once spring comes everything will start pumping again.

As a backup plan though I am installing floodgates ahead of the waterwheel which I will close and then open to jumpstart the water flow.

[Reese]

I don't know if maybe you just are low on wood and can't afford spending one more unit of it, or if your site just has no wind (the wiki does say that windmills can some times provide 0 power), but why not just build a windmill on top of your pump? (or even offset from the pump by two gears so you can turn it off without crashing it)

[XSI]

If you want the water to not freeze in winter, build a small roof above it, just the roof, no walls needed.

Besides that, restarting a pump isn't that big of a problem, just get one of the soapmakers to pump it for a bit, and most systems would just keep going if they're connected to the water wheel they power.(See perpetual motion designs on the wiki)

[LongVin]

Oh. I should clarify that this portion of the system is in a cave. So I don't have to worry about my well freezing over nor can I use a windmill above the pump.

The water that is being brought to this section is outside and will freeze over.

[2xMachina]

Well, unless you have a closed recycle system, the water source freezing will ALSO mean no water flow.

A closed system for the perpetual motion system will be pretty good.

[Reese]

Well, unless you have a closed recycle system, the water source freezing will ALSO mean no water flow.

A closed system for the perpetual motion system will be pretty good.

what he said, something like:

Code: [Select]

  Z+0        Z-1
++++.+  |  ####+#
++...+  |  #++X+#
++W+.+  |  #%+#+#
+*W=%+  |  #%+###
++W#%#  |  #.+#
++.#+#  |  #++#
+++#+#  |  ####

then just close the flood gate once the system is running
(I need to remember this design next time I need something similar...)