ARAG Digital Valve

The ARAG 853 series electric valves are designed for professional agricultural use as flow switches in systems under pressure.

For the full official manual, see the ARAG 853 Series Electric Ball Valve Manual (PDF).

Wiring & Specifications

1. Technical & Performance Specs

Power Requirements: 12 Vdc at 3A
Operating Times: 1.4 seconds on smaller models, 2.3 seconds on larger models — check your specific model code. 3-way bottom connection models take roughly double: 2.8 seconds or 4.6 seconds respectively.
Tightening Torque for Bolts: 4 to 5 Nm (36 to 44 inch/lbs) depending on the specific model code

2. Maximum Operating Pressure

The pressure limit is determined by the lowest-rated coupling attached to the valve:

Standard Threaded (1" to 1.5"): 10–12 bar (145–174 PSI)
2" Couplings: 8 bar (116 PSI)
3" Couplings: 5 bar (72 PSI)
Camlock Couplings: Typically limited to 10 bar (145 PSI)

If a valve has different couplings on different ports (e.g., two threaded ports and one camlock), the whole valve is limited to whichever coupling has the lowest rating — not the highest. Example from the manual: a model with a female threaded coupling alone is rated for 12 bar, but the same body with a female-camlock combination is only rated for 10 bar.

3. Electrical Configuration (Wiring)

Wiring to this and every other ARAG component should be done with official Mixmate/ARAG wiring harnesses — the valve connects via the connector fixed to its geared motor, using cables from the ARAG catalog, not spliced-in or substituted cable.

These valves can be configured for two different types of operation depending on your control system:

3-Wire Operation: 12 Vdc power is always connected. A separate command wire triggers the valve to turn clockwise (Open/Close). Disconnecting that command wire causes the valve to turn counter-clockwise.
2-Wire Operation: Rotation is achieved by inverting the polarity of the power supply using a double switch.

LED Status Indicators: The integrated LED identifies the status of the internal ball — Red and Yellow mean the same thing in either wiring mode, but Off means something different depending on how the valve is wired:

Red: Ball is in Position A
Yellow: Ball is in Position B
Off (3-Wire Operation): No power supply, or reversed polarity — in this mode, an unexpectedly off LED can indicate a wiring fault, not just a power loss.
Off (2-Wire Operation): Power supply is simply absent — since rotation itself relies on polarity inversion as normal operation, there's no separate "reversed polarity" fault state in this mode.

4. Installation Safety

The "No Load" Rule: Do not operate the valve without liquid (no load) for long periods, as it may damage internal gaskets and cause the valve to block up
Foreign Bodies: Never insert hands or objects into the ball hole while the valve is powered; this can lead to crushing or amputation
Orientation: The geared motor can be rotated in 90° steps to fit your specific system layout — but this isn't a casual adjustment. Done incorrectly, it can impair valve operation or cause system errors and accidents. Follow ARAG's dedicated instructions (document D30058, available at aragnet.com/download) rather than improvising.

Maintenance

The 853 series electric ball valves don't require any particular scheduled maintenance beyond normal system cleaning.

Flushing: Clean the interior of the valve whenever the entire system is cleaned.
Seal Replacement: If the valve is opened for extraordinary cleaning or seal checks, the seal kit for that orifice must be replaced to ensure it remains leak-proof. Reusing the old seal kit can reduce the seal on the internal ball and cause leaks.

If you do need to open an orifice:

Unscrew the bolts for the orifice you're opening, remove it, and take out the inner gaskets and O-ring from the flange's internal seat.
Reposition all the gaskets in their seats, then close the flange.
Insert the bolts, fit the washers, and screw the nuts on by hand.
Tighten the nuts with a torque wrench calibrated to the value in the Technical Specs above (4–5 Nm / 36–44 in-lb, depending on your model).
Reconnect the hydraulic connections and restore power.

Initial Test: After installation or maintenance, always pressure-test the system with clean water only before using chemicals.

Troubleshooting

Fault	Possible Cause	Remedy
Valve does not work	Lack of power.	Check all connections and cables; replace the cable if needed. If the problem persists, contact your nearest Service Center.
Valve does not work	Harnesses are not connected correctly.	Check the connections and cables.
Valve does not work	Supply voltage too low.	Verify that harnesses are suitable for the system and power is 12V — see Power Check for the full procedure.
Valve does not work	Geared motor broken.	Replace the geared motor.
Valve leaks	Foreign bodies or worn seals.	Remove debris from the ball or replace the seal kit.
Won't stop at preset point	Geared motor broken.	Replace the geared motor.

Manual Override (Removing the Motor)

If the valve isn't responding to power at all, you can manually operate it to verify its position or to close it. This is the same procedure for every ARAG 853 Series valve, Digital or CAN-Bus:

Disconnect power to the actuator.
Use a 5mm Allen wrench to remove the bolt on the clamshell clamp holding the motor to the valve body, then lift the motor off.
With the motor removed, use a 3/8" square drive on the exposed valve stem to turn the ball by hand.

[!IMPORTANT]

Look for the Paint Mark: These valves can rotate infinitely (360°) and do not have "hard stops." There is a paint mark on the stem indicating valve position — watch it closely while turning to confirm you've landed on "Open" or "Closed."

Best practice: Return the valve to the fully Closed position when you're done, unless your specific troubleshooting guide directs otherwise. Once the motor is removed there is no electronic failsafe to stop the flow of chemical if a hose leaks or a tank overflows, so never leave a valve manually open and unattended.