Power House

 After the  water has flowed through the opened inlet sluice (8), it enters the water chamber (14) and from there through wicket gates (1) onto the Francis Turbine (13). All this takes place in the basement of the turbine building, invisible to the visitor. Visible and audible, however, is the turbine axis with the large bevel gear wheel (2) attached to it, which is still fitted with the original wooden gear teeth that are almost 100 years old.

Bevel gears and transmissions ensure that the rotational force generated by the Francis turbine (13) is transmitted to the large king shaft (3) with the required transmission ratio. Before electrification, the king shaft drove the looms, which were distributed over several floors. After the changeover from purely mechanical to electrical operation, the king shaft was cut off when leaving the building. Since those days it has been driving the alternator.

The wicket gates  are movable and supply the turbine with more or less water. They  are controlled by the governor (4), which can be described as the heart of the plant and whose operation requires a great deal of knowledge, skill and strength. The governor is responsible for ensuring that the generator can reach the required number of revolutions and keep it stable.

If the generator rotates at the required speed, electrical power can be fed into the grid of the electricity works of the Canton of Zurich.

In the past, a dynamo was also attached to the maib shaft ("king" shaft) to generate direct current for the lighting of the factory halls. The wonderful control panel dates from this periode.