As ski areas strive to be the first to open, the last to close and to offer great snow in between, they’ve asked a lot of their snowmaking departments. But the job is made increasingly easier as manufacturers continue their evolution in design and operation with an eye toward effective marginal temperature performance and output. Throw in the automation options and the job gets easier still. As part of a two-part series, we will look at the overall technological advancements across the field and then review each manufacturer’s new offerings, starting with the fan gun folks. Look for part two, air/water guns, in the May issue.
The biggest advancement in the fan gun arena is the multiple-ring and small-nozzle fan guns, which continue to dominate the marginal temperature range (23 to 28 degrees F wet bulb) while producing good quality snow.
The inclusion of automated and semi-automated tower-mounted fan guns in the design of new trail systems has been a labor saver while dramatically decreasing startup times. The towers have proven particularly effective on wide and open terrain because as the tower height increases, so does the gun’s ability to produce and cover more area.
And smaller, lightweight machines (as low as 600 lbs.) have become popular with smaller areas and cross-country centers due to their more focused snow output and their portability.
The snow gun barrel oscillator option has proven to be so popular that it is now offered as a standard feature on many of the fan gun machines. This feature slowly moves the barrel from side to side through an adjustable arc of up to approximately 60 degrees. When properly positioned and with favorable wind conditions, the trail area that can be covered with an oscillating machine can be increased by a factor of three or more.
All the fan gun mounting chassis continue to be equipped with large low-pressure knobby tires and stabilizing brakes to prevent movement during operation. Most models have leveling jacks for setup on uneven surfaces.
Under the hood, improvements and refinements are noticeable in improved water ring heaters, water filters, valves and pressure gauges. The welcome addition of a self-draining feature upon shutdown reduces freeze-ups and associated damage often the result of an operator’s inexperience or inattention. A number of manufacturers have reduced noise levels by carefully designing and tuning fan blades as well as shrouding compressors.
The wiring and cabinets continue to be improved while allowing simplified electrical troubleshooting. The control panels on the manual machines are self-explanatory and very simple to operate.
Fan gun pedestal circuit breakers supplied by manufacturers such as Hubbell and Pass & Seymour are made of high-impact plastic and use the popular pin-and-sleeve type power connectors. Safety features include an integrated mechanical lock that prevents the pedestal from being powered up unless the fan gun power cord is connected and internal fuses with external status indicators. They are available in the popular 30-amp and 60-amp sizes. Performance at various temperatures is not included in this article, but the supplier can arrange demonstrations.
Areco Snowsystem
Sweden-based Areco offers a new lightweight aluminum tower for the Junior model this year. The Junior is manufactured with an aluminum barrel, uses a 9 hp fan electric motor and weighs in at 353 pounds without the tire chassis. The 100-500 psig barrel oscillator is also standard on all models. A fifth ring is standard on the Supersnow model for added cold-weather punch. The Areco line is also available with several levels of automation and computer capability, including radio-linked automation. All these can be integrated with a computer control and data acquisition system. For more information, call (802) 899-4210 or visit the Website at www.arecosnow.com.
Hedco Division
Hedco, a division of the Dewey Electronics Corporation, manufactures a line of fan guns. No details on the latest developments were available at press time. For more information, call (201) 337-4700 or visit the Website at www.hedco.com.
Lenko Snow, Inc.
The Lenko line of fan guns from Sweden offers the new ST 4 and ST 5 manual models along with the automated FA 4 and FA 5. These new models boast a larger diameter barrel and a 16 blade fan that the manufacturer claims will increase airflow by 30 percent and snow production by up to 20 percent over the existing 940 and 950 models. The barrel oscillator is standard on all models except the Northwind. The fully automatic models (FA 4 and FA 5) can be operated individually or controlled from another location via a wireless link. For more information, call 1-800-865-3656 or visit the company’s Website at www.lenkosnow.com.
Seymour Snow, Inc.
Seymour Snow’s line of fan guns offers a lighter weight and lower cost alternative and provides for the elemental basics for snowmaking. The Series 2 and 3 fan guns can be customized to fit individual water pressure needs. The water output for the Series 2 is at maximum at 80 gallons per minute while the Series 3 is at max at 100 gallons per minute. Electric motors and compressors can be ordered in single-phase configurations. For more information, call (518) 325-6374 or visit the Website at www.seymoursnow.com.
Snow Machines, Inc.
The SMI line includes the multiple ring and nozzle fan guns (Wizzard models), while still retaining the original line of traditional design fan guns (Polecat models). There’s a wide selection of units that will fit almost any application and budget and the line offers many types of motor and compressor combinations. The Kid Wizzard is the line’s lightweight with a 7.5 hp electric motor for specialty applications. The Super Wizzard offers a fifth water ring for added cold weather punch. The barrel oscillator option is available on all models. The Hydrovane air compressor is mounted on a gimbal so it automatically finds the horizontal when resting on any ground. The entire line can be automated. For more information, call (989) 631-6091 or visit the Website at www.snowmakers.com.
Techno Alpin
Techno Alpin is entering the U.S. market with three models of fan guns and will be distributed by Mad River Lifts. Service and parts will be available from Vermont, Denver and Salt Lake City locations. The line is currently undergoing a redesign to fit the American market. For more information on the machines, call (802) 583-6600 or visit the Website at www.technoalpin.com.
TurboCristal, Inc.
TurboCristal, based in Canada, continues to offer fan guns with a single main adjustable water nozzle that is oriented toward volume snow production (maximum of 250 gallons per minute) at a wide range of operating water pressures. The Supercool Plus is the heavy hitter in the lineup, while the Snow Warrior is designed to fit other applications. Each model is offered with a low-pressure module option that will allow the fan gun to operate at lower water pressures than the standard configuration. The option, however, reduces the maximum flow by 50 gpm. An automatic version is available. The barrel oscillator option is available as well. For more information, call 1-800-613-4546 or visit the Website at www.turbocristal.com.
