18 replies to this topic

[billski]

A current discussion at alpinezone.com is about heated chairlift seats. How do they work? Do they have batteries onboard each chair? If yes, how are they recharged? Do they need to be dismounted from the haul rope each night?

Thanks!

[Vincen]

none battery in chairs, they just have some contacts near the grip, when chair is in station these contacts allow electric power to go from station to heating system of chair, then it's hot for a run, and then it's again powered when it arrives at top station and so on ;)
Explained but in french here on Remontées Mécaniques forum: http://www.remontees...showtopic=10223 and picture of it:

Vincèn

This post has been edited by Vincen: 01 September 2010 - 11:17 AM

[Emax]

Vincen, on 01 September 2010 - 11:08 AM, said:

none battery in chairs, they just have some contacts near the grip, when chair is in station these contacts allow electric power to go from station to heating system of chair, then it's hot for a run, and then it's again powered when it arrives at top station and so on ;)

Vincèn

I LIKE this idea!

[mthornton]

Less than 500W per person-seat... each carrier is in the station for 60 seconds tops... 1/60 Hr x 0.5kW = 0.008 kWh or 29.3 BTU per person-seat each time through a station.

It would be more effective to give the lift-operators each a ping-pong paddle & have em' just whack each customer on the ass prior to loading. Double-whacks for the ladies. The marketing folks will go crazy.

A few years ago we had a problem operator who had developed the method of using a corn-broom to urge each customer up to the loading board... similar technique.

[zeedotcom]

So much for resorts going green.

[billski]

Vincen, on 01 September 2010 - 11:08 AM, said:

none battery in chairs, they just have some contacts near the grip, when chair is in station these contacts allow electric power to go from station to heating system of chair, then it's hot for a run, and then it's again powered when it arrives at top station and so on ;)
Explained but in french here on Remontées Mécaniques forum: http://www.remontees...showtopic=10223 and picture of it:

Vincèn

Thank you Vincen!

[Keymech]

So is there a possibility of the wires from grip to seat gettig cut and shocking someone. I guess that it is some kind of capasitor set up. I have been bitten by a cap. once. OUCH.

[rniemi]

Keymech, on 02 September 2010 - 10:13 AM, said:

So is there a possibility of the wires from grip to seat gettig cut and shocking someone. I guess that it is some kind of capasitor set up. I have been bitten by a cap. once. OUCH.

Hi Keymech,

No capacitors involved, what's happening here is that current is flowing through the heating elements (and producing heat, around 500W worth per passenger position) only while the carrier is in the terminal and the contacts on the carrier make contact with the energized slip rails. The heat produced lasts for a short time, so the seat is hot at loading time but loses heat during the trip.

Cheers,
-Ryan

[Keymech]

rniemi, on 04 September 2010 - 09:40 PM, said:

Hi Keymech,

No capacitors involved, what's happening here is that current is flowing through the heating elements (and producing heat, around 500W worth per passenger position) only while the carrier is in the terminal and the contacts on the carrier make contact with the energized slip rails. The heat produced lasts for a short time, so the seat is hot at loading time but loses heat during the trip.

Cheers,
-Ryan

Thanks for the info. I have looked at pics. other than the ones on this site, and see that the wires are just attached to the chair bail/ hanger exterior. Beating ice off chairs could lead to damage to wires. I have not seen these in person and was wondering if I saw prototype pics. or are the ones in service like the pics.

[Vincen]

Keymech, on 05 September 2010 - 12:45 PM, said:

Thanks for the info. I have looked at pics. other than the ones on this site, and see that the wires are just attached to the chair bail/ hanger exterior. Beating ice off chairs could lead to damage to wires. I have not seen these in person and was wondering if I saw prototype pics. or are the ones in service like the pics.

Picture I posted is done on a real chairlift in production ;)

Vincèn

[Peter]

There was a lot of great pictures in the Doppelmayr brochure I posted a a link to a few weeks ago. Of course, Doppelmayr just updated their site and the brochure is no more. Did anyone save it?

[SkiLiftsRock]

Skier, on 05 September 2010 - 01:13 PM, said:

There was a lot of great pictures in the Doppelmayr brochure I posted a a link to a few weeks ago. Of course, Doppelmayr just updated their site and the brochure is no more. Did anyone save it?

I think I have it on my computer at home. I did find the .pdf in German I think.

http://www.doppelmay..._2010_de_05.pdf

I'm sure my copy at home is in English so I will upload that copy later today.

[SkiLiftsRock]

I found the English copy. I attached it in this post. Is this it?

Attached File(s)

•  dpl_fld_sitzheizung_2009_UK_def (Seat Heating English).pdf (621.01K)
  Number of downloads: 38

[SkiLiftsRock]

Is Doppelmayr the only one with the Heat Seats feature?

[seilbahnbilder.ch]

No, that one here for example was built by Leitner!





Some more pictures: http://www.seilbahnb...s.php?album=188

This post has been edited by seilbahnbilder.ch: 09 September 2010 - 06:21 PM

[skiPhreak]

Ok so here is a question. When it snows I am guessing the seat melts the snow when it get into the loading station and wouldn't you sit in a bunch of water? I am guessing this isn't a problem but couldn't it potentially refreeze on the ride up if it was really cold?

This post has been edited by skiPhreak: 23 September 2010 - 07:33 AM

[Peter]

Doppelmayr pairs the seat heating with bubbles to avoid the melt/refreeze problem. Bubble lifts have sensors in the terminals that detect empty chairs and automatically close the bubbles when no one is riding.

[seilbahnbilder.ch]

skiPhreak, on 23 September 2010 - 07:32 AM, said:

Ok so here is a question. When it snows I am guessing the seat melts the snow when it get into the loading station and wouldn't you sit in a bunch of water? I am guessing this isn't a problem but couldn't it potentially refreeze on the ride up if it was really cold?

Yes that's problem. But they turn of the heating during snowfall...

[rollicgear.com]

Truthfully, It is interesting how they work but I don't think they should be put in. How much more energy can we think to waste for a common luxury, unless it's for Beaver Creek, CO, the most ritzy ski joint West of the Mississippi. I understand this probably isn't going to take the world by storm and use up a bunch of coal etc. Bottom line, no pun intended, if your cold thrown on another layer or ski/ride harder.