WATER-HEATING SERVICES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 230, 29 August 1932, Page 2

WATER-HEATING SERVICES.

POVERTY BAY BOARD

ENGINEER'S VISIT TO THIS CENTRE.

After considering a report received from the resident engineer, Mr W. H. Buswell, on the investigation he has conducted recently on the subject of remote control of water-heating services, the Poverty Bay Electric I’ower Board authorised the adoption of a system recommended by .Mr Buswell. involving an outlay of* about £llOO, and promising a very substantial im : provement in the service available to consumers in the cioseiy-pcpulated area of the board's district (says a Gisborne exchange). It was pointed out that the improvement in the town service would be reflected in the country, as once the control of the main group of services was under command from the powerhouse, and the peak load was thus safeguarded, it should be possible to give country services an almost uninterrupted supply of current for waterheating purpose's. "The Feilding system, which is under the direction of the ManawatuOroua Electric Power Board, has about 200 water-heaters, controlled by what may be called the direct current-pilot method. These are, like Palmerston North, all manually controlled from the Bunnythorpe sub-station, five miles distant, by the attendant in charge. The cutting-off periods vary considerably with seasons and loading conditions peculiar to this board, and may be taken as from half to one hour per day. Both systems worked satisfactorily, but had their relative merits and demerits. During my absence from Gisborne I was able to inquire into general matters in Napier, both from the Power Board and council, particularly so in connection with waterheating. “After making a thorough investigation. I have come to the conclusion that, while the respective systems work satfi factoriiy, each having many good poiuts and corresponding disadvantages, there was room for improvement. and in consequence I have adopted an original system which I inaugurated in Wellington about 25 years ago in connection with the City Council tramway track illumination, which is known as the series-cascade. This system lias stood the test of 25 years, and has ail the advantages of both Palmerston North and Feilding methods at a lesser cost, is simpler, ] fool-proof, and permits of economical i extensions. It will be also selfrecording, troubie-indicating, and under manual control; also, if necessary, automatic in action, and I would therefore recommend its adoption by this board, the cost of which should come within rnv original estimate of between £IOOO and £llOO.

“An opportunity was taken of making investigations of a general nature, including community lighting, and in this respect Gisborne's system is outstanding in the intensity of shopwindow illumination, which is the real objective. Among other places. I visited the Longburn freezing works, W. Cook's box factory, the Government sub-station,. at Bunnythorpe, and several electrically operated industrial concerns, all of which afforded useful and novel information.’’

The report was adopted on the motion of the chairman. Mr F. R. Ball, and authority was given for inaugurating the system recommended by Mr Buswell.