Solar-powered waste compactor, method of powering a waste compactor, and hydraulic unit therefor

A waste compactor system, comprising:

• a waste compactor including:
• a waste container for housing waste, and
• a compactor ram for compacting the waste in said waste container, said compaction ram having a compactor ram extending phase and a compactor ram retraction phase which constitute a compactor duty cycle;
• and
• a hydraulic power device operably associated with and for powering said compactor ram, said device including:
• a pump assembly including at least one pump for providing pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly operably associated with the compactor ram,
• a battery for storing energy and for providing energy to said pump assembly,
• a solar panel for converting solar energy to charge said battery, and
• a pump control unit for operating said pump assembly to provide an initial fluid output during a first portion of the compactor duty cycle and for operating said pump assembly to provide an alternate fluid output during a second portion of the compactor duty cycle.

A hydraulic power device usable to power a compactor ram of a waste compactor, said device comprising:

• a pump assembly including first and second pumps for providing pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly associated with the compactor rain;
• a battery for storing energy and for providing energy to said pump assembly;
• a solar panel for converting solar energy to charge said battery;
• and
• a pump control unit for simultaneously operating said pumps when an operating pressure of said pump assembly is less than a predetermined threshold and for operating only said first pump when the operating pressure of said pump assembly is greater than the predetermined threshold.

A method of powering a compactor ram of a waste compactor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a pump assembly including first and second pumps for providing pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly associated with the compactor ram;
• simultaneously operating both pumps when an operating pressure of the pump assembly is less than a predetermined threshold;
• and
• operating only the first pump when the operating pressure of the pump assembly is greater than the predetermined threshold.