lighthouses

[chhitiz]

how are lighthouses powered? using cables?
could they be powered using wind or tidal energy?
is it cost effective?

[waht]

The older lighthouses in Russia, USA, and some other countries were powered by RTGs (Radioisotope thermoelectric generators) in remote locations. It works by drawing power from heat generated by the decay of radioactive isotopes with half lives of 20 years or more. They are all being commissioned I guess. I'm not sure if light houses are being used anymore.

[vk6kro]

Lighthouses are still used.

See the following link.
http://www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/WA/Cape%20Leeuwin/Cape%20Leeuwin.htm

This one is powered by mains electricity and uses a 1000 watt lamp. It used to use a kerosene lamp. It is not far from a small town, so mains power is the easy way to power it.

Since they are usually built in windy places, wind generators charging batteries or solar power charging batteries should be possible

[Danger]

Since they are usually built in windy places, wind generators charging batteries or solar power charging batteries should be possible

If local bylaws allow it, and if you can generate the required wattage. An array of ultra-bright LED's might simplify that.

[russ_watters]

I'm not sure wind would provide an acceptable level of reliability for a light house. They'd have to have a mains power backup at the very least.

[vk6kro]

I saw a TV show about a lighthouse in the North Sea between Britain and Europe.

It just sits on a rock miles from anywhere. So, I guess it has a diesel generator for powering the light and the rotating mechanism.

[famousken]

If local bylaws allow it, and if you can generate the required wattage. An array of ultra-bright LED's might simplify that.
Check out this bad boy 100W LED
http://www.led-professional.com/content/view/464/56/

[famousken]

The older lighthouses in Russia, USA, and some other countries were powered by RTGs (Radioisotope thermoelectric generators) in remote locations. It works by drawing power from heat generated by the decay of radioactive isotopes with half lives of 20 years or more. They are all being commissioned I guess. I'm not sure if light houses are being used anymore.
I didn't know that, thats freakin awesome, a friggin mini nuclear power plant to power a lightbulb! I want one!

[waht]

I didn't know that, thats freakin awesome, a friggin mini nuclear power plant to power a lightbulb! I want one!

That was my first impression when someone told me.

heres one from wiki, was powered by strontium 90:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/Soviet_RTG.jpg

[Mike_In_Plano]

WoW! That's what I call nucs for piece:)