Based in Norway, Decca has been manufacturing straight-line wiper systems for the marine market since 1992. The system is designed for the larger windows and harsh environments of ocean-going commercial ships and larger pleasure yachts. With a vast array of sizes and combinations to choose from, Decca offers a solution for nearly any vessel in need of a straight-line wiper system.
How are straight-line wipers mounted? Can I mount them vertically?
Windshield wipers all serve one purpose, and that is to effectively clean water off a piece of glass so you can see through it. Imtra offers an extensive range of wipers from Pendulum, Pantograph, and Straight-line wipers. Of them all, the straight-line wiper is the most effective in its ability to clean a square or rectangular space. In the majority of cases, a straight-line wiper carriage would mount above or below a window. The location is determined by the physical space available and where your line of sight is. The wiper arm that holds the wiper blade is then mounted to the carriage that glides side to side. This movement allows for the blade to clear the glass as it slides over the window. As the blade glides across the window, gravity forces the water down the blade and off the bottom of the window.
The width of the carriage is customized at the factory and can be built to size to accommodate the exact window width dimensions (with some safety margin incorporated, so the blade does not hit the window frame). If the carriage were mounted on the side of the window, the blade would travel up and down the glass. As it travels back up the glass, it would actually just bring water back up the window and never effectively clean it off the surface. If your application has limitations with a mounting location on the top and bottom, feel free to contact us, and we can look at alternate solutions such as a Pendulum wiper set up where the wiper could be mounted on the side of the window
What voltages are available?
Decca offers 3 voltage options for their systems: 24VDC, 110 VAC and 220 VAC.
What sizes are available?
Decca straight-line wiper units are available in 50mm (1.96”) increment stroke lengths ranging from 450mm (17.71”) to 3000mm (118.11”). The wiper blades range from 500mm (19.68”) to 1000mm (39.37”), and the wiper arm length can be adjusted to fit the window during installation.
Will the wipers work in a cold environment?
For cold environments, Decca has built-in a heater solution that will prevent ice buildup in the carriage mechanism. This will allow for the movement of the wiper carriage if there was ice buildup. From a cold start, the heater switch would be turned on to ensure any ice buildup has melted away before starting up the wiper system. The wiper arm and blade themselves are not heated.
Can you have a wash system with a straight-line system?
Absolutely, and in saltwater or dirty environments, we highly recommend installing a freshwater wash-down system. These can be plumed into an available pressurized system or into an independent water tank. The benefit of using a separate water tank is to have the ability to add antifreeze in cold environments. We have a large selection of nozzle configurations that be mounted in the bulkhead or on the actual straight-line wiper housing.
What types of windows should straight-line wipers be installed on?
Straight-line wipers are ideal for large square or rectangularly shaped pieces of glass greater than 26” wide and 30” tall, but they can also be installed on irregularly shaped windows.
They require ~7-10” of mounting surface above or below the window to allow for a simple installation of the straight-line housing. They are easy to mount as all that penetrates the surface of the bulkhead is a cable and mounting bolts.
You can learn more about Decca by viewing the catalog here, and if you have any questions, or are interested in installing a Decca wiper system, please don't hesitate to contact us for any further information.