The Concept
The Chairlift Water Tender is a soft-sided water tank that sits on the chairlift seat, is secured to the seat, and is designed to hold at minimum 170# of water per seat position. This meets the ANSI B77 code for load testing a new chairlift.
The Chairlift Water Tender is also designed to efficiently move water up the mountain and dump the water at the top into a collection system. It is designed to be used in the summer (non-freezing) months of the year, when the lift is closed to the public. Many ski areas have snowmaking pipe to the top of their lifts but not all do.
Why do you need water at the top of the mountain in the summer? The list can be long but having water for assisting firefighting operations, fire protection water storage, construction, or even landscaping needs, just to name a few.
How It Works
At the bottom of the lift, you will need a good water supply to fill the tenders. Filling is done through a small opening in the top of the Chairlift Water Tender while the lift is slowly moving. We designed a simple nozzle that can hook to a snowmaking hose and be filled by someone from behind the chair. The soft-sided tank will rise as the water fills it.
When the tender arrives at the top terminal, a person pulls the strap to release two dump chutes. The water drains very fast, faster than it takes to fill. On the ground, you will set up tarps that slope with the unload ramp into a funnel. Using timbers or other material under the tarp, you create the funnel to a pipe. Once the water is in the pipe, you direct it wherever you need it.
You can calculate the water pump’s GPM by the gallons of water each tender holds and the interval times each chair enters the top terminal. The tender then stays on the chair for the ride to the bottom.
Better Than Trash Cans
Unlike trash cans, the Chairlift Water Tender stores easily, is compact, and can be shipped to another ski area for load testing another lift. We make three sizes: double, triple, and quad. For a Six Pack lift, use two triples; for an Eight Pack, use two quads.
Yes, they cost more than trash cans but, when you factor in the transportaion and storage of hundreds of trash cans and the handling of these trash cans, the cost will be close to the same or less. Also, the container they are shipped to you in is a repurposed and reusable rigid water tank.
USA Made, Recycled Material
Made with recycled vinyl, made right here in Idaho! We make these to order and will ship one to you to verify the fit on your chair prior to production.
Contact us for pricing. chssnowmakers@gmail.com or 303-818-5923 Jason’s cell