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Thread: 2016 game on

  1. #256
    At LP we normally use about 130-140 million gallons of water. As of this morning we have used 164 million. Early season caused quite a bit of resurfacing. As you can see the spring routes now have some excellent depth. We are hoping tomorrow is a net gainer after the rain during the day.

  2. #257
    Quote Originally Posted by winjr View Post
    At LP we normally use about 130-140 million gallons of water. As of this morning we have used 164 million. Early season caused quite a bit of resurfacing. As you can see the spring routes now have some excellent depth. We are hoping tomorrow is a net gainer after the rain during the day.
    That's pretty impressive actually. I would've assumed the warmth in December and only making snow like twice a week (because that's all temps allowed) during that atrocious month would've led to much lower water usage this season compared to past seasons. There were at least two thirds of the days in December it seemed would've been pumping water but couldn't due to the record warmth. Must've made up for that in a big way in January.

  3. #258
    Quote Originally Posted by winjr View Post
    At LP we normally use about 130-140 million gallons of water. As of this morning we have used 164 million. Early season caused quite a bit of resurfacing. As you can see the spring routes now have some excellent depth. We are hoping tomorrow is a net gainer after the rain during the day.
    That's impressive. Normally, you put about 205 olympic swimming pools on the slopes. This year, you've had to put about 250.

  4. #259
    Yes, more water on the slopes but substantially less air so still a net decrease in energy. The air compressors use the
    most power. So more water good but less in electric utility bills. It is interesting the new guns have much less throw. There was an old double red ratnik on Sunday at the VH that made much more snow than the new guns. Huge pile, love those old guns.

  5. #260
    Quote Originally Posted by Dblshot View Post
    Huge pile, love those old guns.
    Especially when your not paying the electricity bills.

  6. #261

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    5:45am robo call - "All schools closed due to icy road conditions." That is rare around here.

  7. #262
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    The compressors run the whole time they are making the snow to keep the system pressurized. They do not shut off or use less energy because of the more efficient guns. They just run more guns with the additional capacity. I never got the idea when people say that they are saving money. The only way to save money is to stop making snow or make less of it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Benski View Post
    Especially when your not paying the electricity bills.
    Trouble with you is the trouble with me,
    Got two good eyes but we still don’t see!

  8. #263
    Quote Originally Posted by Hawk View Post
    The compressors run the whole time they are making the snow to keep the system pressurized. They do not shut off or use less energy because of the more efficient guns. They just run more guns with the additional capacity. I never got the idea when people say that they are saving money. The only way to save money is to stop making snow or make less of it.
    Haven't they been able to avoid using some of there compressors do to the new guns? Also don't need less time to use up there snowmaking budget?

  9. #264
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    That is not the case. They don't have banks of compressors and can shut some down. I believe they only have 3 at Lincoln peak and need them all to run to pressurize the system. I am sure someone will confirm that or I will check next weekend. I do not understand the second part of your Question.
    Quote Originally Posted by Benski View Post
    Haven't they been able to avoid using some of there compressors do to the new guns? Also don't need less time to use up there snowmaking budget?
    Trouble with you is the trouble with me,
    Got two good eyes but we still don’t see!

  10. #265
    Quote Originally Posted by Hawk View Post
    That is not the case. They don't have banks of compressors and can shut some down. I believe they only have 3 at Lincoln peak and need them all to run to pressurize the system. I am sure someone will confirm that or I will check next weekend. I do not understand the second part of your Question.
    I believe most years they are forced to stop making snow becouse there is a limit to how much water they can use per year. I have heard they can now run the system on 2 of the 3 compressors at lincoln peak and 1 out of 2 at Mt. ellen.

  11. #266
    Today was classic ,crust busting uncut techno zip !! Lift icing on bravo made for sneaky untracked runs all morning




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #267
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    "crust busting uncut techno zip " Now that sounds like some serious shit!!!! LOL Sounds fun and wish I was up.

    Quote Originally Posted by wolftracks56 View Post
    Today was classic ,crust busting uncut techno zip !! Lift icing on bravo made for sneaky untracked runs all morning


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Trouble with you is the trouble with me,
    Got two good eyes but we still don’t see!

  13. #268
    Quote Originally Posted by Hawk View Post
    That is not the case. They don't have banks of compressors and can shut some down. I believe they only have 3 at Lincoln peak and need them all to run to pressurize the system. I am sure someone will confirm that or I will check next weekend. I do not understand the second part of your Question.
    We have 3 compressors at Lincoln Peak. Most of this season, we ran only one of them. With the new guns, we can run more guns on a single compressor. In the past on a marginal night, we had all 3 compressors going with not as many guns. So you can see a considerable savings in $$$.

  14. #269
    Shadyjay is absolutely correct. Here is the math. The old original guns would take 400-500 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM) to make snow. With three electric compressors each putting out 6,000 CFM your could only turn on 45 guns using 400 CFM and in marginal temperatures they might put out 20-30 gallons per minute (GPM) at a constant 5 CFM. So using just one 6,000 cfm compressor we can run over a thousands guns. But we can't because our water capacity is 3,800 GPM. If we are running at really marginal temperatures like 28 wetbulb which we were this year we can have 190 guns going. When it gets colder the snologics have different stages which allows more GMP per gun. We can get up to 60-70 GPM. You can see why we only need one compressor now. In the old days ski areas like Sugarbush and most others would have to bring in supplemental diesel compressors in early season to maximize their water capacity.

    We don't have all Snologics and ones like HKD and the ratniks use more air but are still a lot more efficient that the old ones. We will likely buy more snologic land guns. What we should have is a smaller compressor because we could run a 3,000 CFM a lot of the time. At ME when we needed to replace a 6,000 CFM compressor this past summer we bought two 3,000 CFM compressors. Even though we put out a lot more water then normal years, we did in at far less cost than with the old technology and in a year like this it made a huge difference.

    If you are around this Sunday, we are having a party for our Snowmakers in the CRP to thank them for a great job this year.
    Last edited by winjr; 02-17-2016 at 08:54 AM.

  15. #270
    Quote Originally Posted by winjr View Post
    Shadyjay is absolutely correct. Here is the math. The old original guns would take 400-500 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM) to make snow. With three electric compressors each putting out 6,000 CFM your could only turn on 45 guns using 400 CFM and in marginal temperatures they might put out 20-30 gallons per minute (GPM) at a constant 5 CFM. So using just one 6,000 cfm compressor we can run over a thousands guns. But we can't because our water capacity is 3,800 GPM. If we are running at really marginal temperatures like 28 wetbulb which we were this year we can have 190 guns going. When it gets colder the snologics have different stages which allows more GMP per gun. We can get up to 60-70 GPM. You can see why we only need one compressor now. In the old days ski areas like Sugarbush and most others would have to bring in supplemental diesel compressors in early season to maximize their water capacity.

    We don't have all Snologics and ones like HKD and the ratniks use more air but are still a lot more efficient that the old ones. We will likely buy more snologic land guns. What we should have is a smaller compressor because we could run a 3,000 CFM a lot of the time. At ME when we needed to replace a 6,000 CFM compressor this past summer we bought two 3,000 CFM compressors. Even though we put out a lot more water then normal years, we did in at far less cost than with the old technology and in a year like this it made a huge difference.

    If you are around this Sunday, we are having a party for our Snowmakers in the CRP to thank them for a great job this year.
    Thanks, but can we get some freakin natural snow already and stop the snowmaking talk? fwiw-we havent had a good march in years so maybe just maybe we can get something going before this season goes down as the worst in our lifetimes. and while i'm obviously frustrated, SB has been vastly better off than our neighbors especially killington. the disparity is remarkable.

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