Washdown Power Source

[Shaun ZellerParticipant]

Hello,
my group and I are currently developing a design for the washdown station,
we are unsure about power, where it comes from and how it is collected.
when doing our design do we just refer to the 4.3 topic detailing a washdown stations power source and the average requirements (1-4Kw).
If so, do we make sure our project is below 4Kw?
Thank you
Kind Regards

[Luke BarbagalloKeymaster]

Hi Shaun,

In your design you should assume that the unit will need it’s own power; whether this is drawn from a solar array, a turbine, a diesel gen etc – this is your decision to make, considering whether this is an appropriate solution given the context.

As a power source could be integral to the washdown station, I would consider if adding a solar array to your design could aid the end solution?

Hope this helps,

Luke

[Shaun ZellerParticipant]

Hi Luke
but do we design it ourselves or just say we are getting it through solar paneling developed by EWB groups doing 4.3.

Thank you
Kind regards

[Luke BarbagalloKeymaster]

You could use either approach, but if you were just going to indicate that you will rely on an energy solution that is being built by a third party, you will need to be very specific in terms of what requirements your wash down station has for energy.

Luke

[Benjamin martinParticipant]

Hello,

In regards to a power source, when the rangers are camping out in the country do they bring a vehicle with them? because a solution to the power would be to attach to the battery to heat up the water?
is this a realistic option?

Cheers

[Grace RobertsKeymaster]

Hi Benjamin,

Yes rangers will have a vehicle with them – this will almost always be a 4-wheel drive.

If you considered use of the car battery, keep in mind groups might be staying up to a week at a time camping at a site on Country so the car battery would likely be significantly drained over this time, depending on the power requirement and devices they would need to connect to. So it would need to be supplemented with another power supply. But I’m assuming when you mentioned heating up water this refers to drinking water or showering water when camping – but I’m not sure how this relates to one of our projects?

Can I ask what design project you have in mind for your question? If it relates to this thread on ‘4.3 Appropriate energy supply for vehicle washdown facilities’ then I don’t believe car batteries would be sufficient to rely on for this energy input for a vehicle washdown station, and there are risks you’d need to consider in case people drained their battery when washing down their car and then break down in remote areas. And, I’m not sure what the purpose of heating up water would be here.

Feel free to comment here again if you have further questions or wish to clarify anything, or start a new thread if this relates to a different project.

Hope that helps and best of luck,
Grace

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