TOWER FOR HEATERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20725, 19 November 1930, Page 11

TOWER FOR HEATERS.

NEW CONTROL DEVICE. WAITEMATA BOARD TRIAL. An ingenious device for automatically reducing tho consumption of electric power when peak periods are being reached has been designed by Mr. F. J. H. Wilson, engineer to the Waitemata Electric-Power Board, in collaboration with his assistant, Mr. C. M. Gray. The apparatus is to bo given a trial at the board's Henderson depot, the current to be cut out when the load goes up being that used on water heaters.

The load readings are transmitted from the power station to the depot and when the readings reach a pro-determined height a photo electric cell operates a switch which gives the street lights a flick. The flicking of the lights operating a relay on the consumers' switchboards in turn cause the supply of current to I lie water heaters to bo cut out. When the load has been reduced, the relay automatically comes into play again, restoring the supply of current. It is anticipated that the operation of the system will give a longer daily period of water beating supply, together with greater control of the peak load. "Ihe frequent personal visits to each time switch will be eliminated. The installation of the apparatus at the Henderson depot is estimated to cost £1650, but the release of some £llsO worth of timeswitches in tho area will bring the cost of the actual change to approximately £SOO. It is anticipated that the system will be in operation by next October. The rapid growth of tho electric waterheating load has created a problem in electric power supply which has been rej ceiving much attention from power boards and other supply authorities. The general practice is to sell current for this purpose on a flat rate as an "off-peak" load, a time-switch or other mechanism being used on the consumer's switchboard to cut off the heafw during the period when the peak load is anticipated.

COST OF TIME SWITCHES.

PROTEST AT WHANGAREI

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN COIIRESPONDENT. 1 WHANGAREI, Tuesday.

The largest deputation ever known to attend a local body in the North waited on tho Whangarei Borough Council last evening protesting against tho proposal that users of hot water services shall pro. vide time switches at their own expense. Prominent local residents were among tho spokesmen. After the electrical engineer and tho chairman of the Electricity Committee, Mr. L. T. Pickmere, had responded, the council decided to refer the question back to tho Electricity Committee for further consideration.