THE USE OF ELECTRICITY.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1129, 16 August 1921, Page 8

THE USE OF ELECTRICITY.

ITS ADVANTAGES.

HOT WATER FOR DAIRYING.

Discussing the use of electricity on dairy farms, Mr L. Birks, the Government electrical engineer, writes in the Journal of Science: “ Once the mains are run for the driving of milking machines the power -can be used for heating water during the interval when the milking machine is shut down.. One , horsepower of energy is capable of heating twelve gallons of water from 50 deg. F. to boiling point in nine hours. This is sufficient to scald thoroughly the whole of the milking and separating plant. The apparatus is very simple indeed, consisting only of a 10-gallon cistern with the small electric heating element brazed into the bottom, and provided with a changeover switch which -automatically connects the heating element when the motor starts again. At a small additional charge another such cistern might be fitted in the kitchen and another 'in the bathroom. These cisterns must of course be thoroughly and carefully 'lagged with a good "heatinsulating material, such as felt, pumice, or asbestos composition, to prevent the loss of heat by radiation during the long period of heating if the above efficiency is to be obtained. As compared with the usual method of scalding by carrying across two kerosene tins of fairly hot water from the kitchen —probably several chains away—spilling and cooling it on the way, until there arrives at the milking shed only six gallons of fairly hot water, the innovation of twelve gallons of electrically-heated water right on the spot may work a revolution in dairying second only to that due to the introduction of the milking machine itself. Owing to the reduction in the labour of milking the milking machine has resulted in the large quantity of butter-fat now pro-,, duced in New Zealand. Owing to the improved cleanliness of the apparatus the electric hot-water system may yet have an important influence on its quality, and with the increasing amount of milk that is going into preserved and dried-milk processes the high quality is of mcre-nvng importance.”