New Unit Increases Versatility of Truck Mounted Valve Operators

Truck mounted valve operators have been used for years in valve exercising programs and by water utility leak crews. They have been mounted in utility bodies, across pickup beds, and on trailers. One shortcoming has been the need to position the truck exactly over the valve box. This sometime meant facing traffic on a one-way street or having to turn the unit around for the next valve.

Pacific Tek offers a new swivel mount valve operating machine that gives operators the flexibility to operate valves on the driver's side, rear, or passenger side of the truck bed or trailer. It uses a standard model PT-25G, self-powered, Pacific Tek valve operator mounted on a special stainless steel pivot bearing which allows the machine to roll around a stainless steel track plate a full 180 degrees. Stop pins can be engaged every two inches all the way around the ring. The unit also has a center mounted storage latch system which keeps the unit in position and prevents any vertical movement during road travel.

When combined with the company's "Power-Vac," the unit can clean out a valve box or vault to allow a key to be positioned over the valve.

Equipped with a torque control device, the PT-25G is more gentle on an easy to turn valve than turning it by hand and at the same time has the ability to produce enough torque to turn the most difficult and stubborn valve in an operating water system.

By using the "no assumption" method, the operator begins at the unit's minimum torque setting of approximately 50 ft. lbs. of torque. If the valve turns at that setting the machine will softly stop when 50 ft. lbs. is reached. If more torque is required, the operator increases it gradually, while reversing direction, until the machine decides not only at what torque it begins to turn, but in what direction.

If a valve is unknowingly stuck closed when operating personnel think it is stuck open, any attempt to "close" the valve can result in breakage of the stem. With the "no assumption" method, the unit prevents that from happening by reversing the valve each time the operator increases the torque output setting. A revolution counter and torque gauge shows exactly how many turns were achieved and just how much torque was exerted to operate any given valve.

With the swivel mounted unit, crews can now perform this function on valve after valve while heading the same way down a street that has valves on both sides and the middle of the street as well. With two axis of movement, it eliminates the need to stop exactly over the valve can. The valve operator head can extend up to 29 inches out from the bed and can swing right or left to get into operating position.

These valve operating machines last longer than the vehicles they are mounted on so this system was designed to be transferred from one vehicle to the next with minimal work. No underhood hydraulics or PTO driven pumps are employed. The valve operator and it's on-board engine are a one-piece unit.