The poultry farm environment presents some unique challenges for poultry control boards. These challenges include high levels of dust from chicken litter and feed, and in many locations, ambient temperature extremes. Let’s take a look at how these issues can be minimised.
Dust
Dust is an insidious hazard to electrical equipment; it can jam moving parts and cause intermittent short circuit faults. It’s important to ensure the inside of electrical cabinets is kept as dust-free as possible.
Here are some methods that can greatly assist:
- Ensure rubber door seals are in working order, and keep cabinet doors shut and secured at all times
- Door switches and indicators should be minimum IP66 rated for ingress protection
- Insist on known reputable industry brands of switchgear and operator controls for maximum reliability
- Ensure the electrical room for each shed is swept and dusted regularly. Keep the door closed at all times, especially when the sheds are being cleaned.
Temperature
Many poultry growing areas in Australia will experience temperature extremes in summer. Poultry farms in these areas may find their poultry control boards are susceptible to overheating, which can lead to damage to controllers and other equipment.
However, there are some simple ways this can be minimised:
- Ensure the board design includes spare space for internal air movement – tightly packed switchgear is much more likely to heat up
- It’s a great idea to insulate the electrical room roof and walls for each shed – this helps to maintain a safe temperature
- Cabinet ventilation fans may be called for in very hot areas. However, these may present issues with dust ingress, so should be a last resort. If installed, you should clean the filters regularly to ensure optimum air flow.
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