Upgrade at an energy plant in Brazil - Simpliport® Gage with optional Sun Shield

We recently completed an upgrade at an energy plant in Brazil, working alongside our joint venture partner Clark Reliance do Brasil. The customer was having a hard time reading the level in their traditional boiler water glass gage — a familiar problem we've covered before. What made this installation distinct was the addition of an optional Sun Shield to the Simpliport® 180 Bi-Color Ported Water Gage Glass.

Why Outdoor Installations Need Extra Consideration

Many boiler installations, particularly in warmer climates or at facilities with outdoor equipment layouts, face a visibility challenge that indoor boiler rooms don't: direct sunlight washing out the gage's indication. Even a bright, high-contrast LED indication system can become harder to read when direct sun hits the viewing hood at certain times of day.

This is exactly the kind of condition where a facility in Brazil — with strong, consistent sun exposure — would benefit from additional shading at the gage itself, rather than relying on illumination brightness alone to compete with ambient sunlight.

The Sun Shield Option

The customer opted to include the Sun Shield accessory, which only adds 5 inches (127 mm) to the length of the Viewing Hood. This is a notably small size increase for the visibility benefit it provides — the shield blocks direct sun glare from washing out the red/green indication without meaningfully changing the gage's overall footprint or requiring special mounting accommodations.

How This Fits Into the Simpliport 180 System

Wherever an operator is standing within 180 degrees of the Simpliport Wide Angle Hood, they can clearly see the bright red or green indication of steam and water level. This decreases operator exposure time to the boiler environment while maintaining the crystal-clear, direct-reading view ASME requires.

The Sun Shield doesn't change this core functionality — it protects it. In outdoor or high-sunlight installations, without shading, the same wide-angle visibility advantage that makes the Simpliport 180 valuable indoors can be partially undermined by glare. The Sun Shield preserves the full visibility benefit regardless of sun position throughout the day.

Rapid On-Site Response

This installation also reflects the responsiveness Clark-Reliance and its JV partners provide for field upgrades. Once the customer's visibility issue was identified, the team was on-site installing the Simpliport 180 without delay — turning a reported problem directly into a resolved upgrade, rather than a drawn-out specification and procurement cycle.

Why This Matters for International Operations

Working through joint venture partners like Clark Reliance do Brasil allows facilities outside North America to access the same Simpliport 180 technology and rapid field support as domestic customers, with the region-specific expertise to recommend accessories — like the Sun Shield — suited to local operating conditions such as sun exposure and climate.

When to Consider a Sun Shield

A Sun Shield is worth specifying for:

• Outdoor boiler installations in high-sunlight regions

• Facilities near large windows or skylights where indoor gages face indirect but significant sun exposure

• Any location where operators have reported glare-related visibility issues with an existing gage, even one with LED illumination

Learn More

For more information on the Simpliport 180 system and available accessories like the Sun Shield, visit relianceboilertrim.com or contact Clark-Reliance directly.

📧 sales@clark-reliance.com📞 +1 (440) 572-1500