13 Jan Power Outages, Compressor Fails and REALice
Every once in a while our customers tell us how REALice saved the day, helping them through a really tough situation. Here are two examples you might be able to relate to: a power outage and a compressor failure. Here’s why the denser ice made with REALice-treated floodwater was such a difference maker.
Wildfires and Mudslides in California
In January, 2018, after a series of wildfires threatened California’s Santa Barbara County, the rains began that caused devastating mudslides, and power outages. With roads impassable due to a dam that broke, getting to the rink by car was impossible for Ice in Paradise‘s Arena Manager, Larry Bruyere. When the power went out, Bruyere wasn’t sure the arena would survive, let alone the ice.
“We locked up and went home, hoping the arena would still be there when the power came back on,” recalls Bruyere, who has been using REALice for 5 years. “Two days later, when the power came back on and we were able to get back to the arena, we expected to find a swimming pool instead of a rink. But the REALice-treated ice stayed intact. The surface was starting to sweat a bit, but we saw no paint migration at all. And we didn’t lose our arena — or our ice.”
The mudslides killed 23 people, including two of Ice in Paradise’s customers and caused at least $177 million in property damage.
One Compressor Down
In the summer of 2019, REALice was installed at the Bay County Civic Arena, a busy twin pad with an NHL and an Olympic sheet in Bay City, MI. Recreation and Facilities Director, Cristen Gignac, says they had been having problems with their refrigeration plant. One of their two compressors stopped working altogether and it was finally fixed a couple of weeks ago.
Gignac says REALice was a difference maker and kept their ice intact, despite being one compressor down.
“If we didn’t move to REALice when we did, it would have been too hard on our compressors when we were having issues. Using the cold water wasn’t so hard on the one that was operational, and I’m thankful for that.”
A Fighting Chance
We can’t guarantee that your REALice system will keep your ice frozen when you’re faced with a long power outage, or will get you through a compressor failure unscathed. But the denser ice that produced with REALice-treated water can give your operations team a fighting chance when things go wrong. It’s just one more reason why you should consider saying “goodbye” to hot water and “hello” to the REALice water treatment system.
Saying Goodbye to Hot Water
Ice in Paradise and Bay County Civic Arena are two of over 100 North American ice arenas that have already let-go of the centuries-old practice of using extremely hot floodwater and have switched to REALice. And both benefitted from utility incentives that lowered their ROI. Click on realice.us/estimate and we’ll show you what your savings will be, and give you a conservative estimate of incentives that should be available in your State to reduce your ROI.
REALice for a Sustainable Future
REALice is technology for a sustainable future. It is 3-D printed, maintenance-free and uses water pressure to treat the water. With REALice there are no chemicals. No filters or membranes to clean. No additional power requirements. Just a brilliant example of fluid dynamics that takes the place of needing extremely hot water to make great ice.
Supported by Utilities
With no moving parts and no filters, membranes, chemicals or ongoing maintenance required, REALice purchases have been supported by a growing number of utilities with energy efficiency incentives. Here are some of the utilities who have paid incentives to our customers to install this energy-saving method:
To find out what REALice would mean to your facility, check out our Savings Calculator and see for yourself now.