WORKING nights and not wanting to disturb the neighbours?
Well JCB has the answer for excavating and trenching tasks - an electric digger.
CEA (Construction Equipment Australia) in Welshpool, which distributes JCB agricultural, construction and industrial machines, has just landed an electric JCB mini excavator - the world's first plug-in to recharge, fully-electric, near-silent mini excavator - in Perth for client, mining giant Rio Tinto.
"Rio Tinto is waiting for this one, it's going to Tom Price (in the Pilbara)," said CEA WA general manager Renay van der Meulen last week of the electric mini excavator, still with protective wrapping on the hydraulic rams, that had just arrived from the port on a truck.
"They want to be able to use it at night without disturbing people, that's why they specified the electric model."
The electric digger has the same rubber-tracked base, same ROPS, FOPS and FOGS (Roll Over Protection System, Falling Object Protection System and Falling Object Guard System) safety certified canopy, same hydraulic boom, dipper arm and digging attachments and same 2.6 metre maximum dig depth and dump height as the comparable diesel-engined JCB model.
But it misses out on engine noise, exhaust fumes and fuel bills.
In the 19C-1E mini excavator a three or optional four maintenance-free battery pack and a 48-volt electric motor and drive system replaces the usual diesel engine and mechanical transmission.
In the information display a battery charge monitor replaces a fuel gauge.
"It will operate for five hours constantly on a full charge which, in reality, is effectively a full day's work with the general stop-start nature of excavating and with operator breaks," Mr van der Meulen said.
There are three charging options - a rapid two-hour charge with an optional 380-420 volt three-phase external charger, eight hours with a 220-240v onboard charger and 12 hours with a 110v onboard charger.
If the machine is accidentally left on when not working, the battery pack will last up to 120 hours.
"We (CEA) brought one of these (electric JCB mini excavator) in last year, but it ended up being sold to the Eastern States," Mr van der Meulen said.
"While it was here in Western Australia we got one of our customers who already has a mini excavator to try out the electric model.
"He dug some trenches and laid some pipes with it and was very impressed.
"He said it did a better job than the diesel-engine model."
For information on the 19C-1E or any other mini excavators in the JCB range, contact CEA on 1300 788 757.
Apart from an electric digger, Rio Tinto is also buying plug-in battery-electric locomotives to add to its diesel-electric train set in the Pilbara.
Rio Tinto recently announced it had ordered four battery-electric locomotives from American manufacturer Wabtec to be delivered next year.
The miner said the four electric locos would help it achieve its target of slashing operational emissions in half by 2030.
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