If an electronic actuator fails to respond to the Mixmate tablet, you can manually override the valve. If the stuck valve is connected to a bulk tote, closing it manually is a high-priority safety step to prevent an unintended discharge.
Product Valve (Tote/Stack): Must be closed immediately if leaking or stuck open.
Throttling Valve (Manifold/Carrier): Can be manually opened to allow the mix to continue until a replacement motor is sourced.
To gain manual control of the valve, you must remove the electronic motor (the actuator) from the valve body.
Disconnect the power/CAN cable from the actuator.
Unbolt the actuator from the valve bracket.
Pull the motor straight up and off the valve stem.
Once the motor is removed, the valve stem will be exposed. You will typically need a 3/8" square socket or a wrench to turn the stem.
[!IMPORTANT]
Look for the Paint Mark: These valves can rotate infinitely (360 degrees) and do not have "hard stops." There is a paint mark on the stem to indicate the valve position.
Pay close attention to the mark while turning to ensure you have the valve perfectly aligned in the "Open" or "Closed" position.
[Image showing the top of a valve stem with a 3/8" square drive and a highlighted paint mark indicating alignment]
If you are in the middle of a busy day and a Throttling Valve (like a carrier or manifold valve) fails:
Remove the motor as described above.
Manually turn the valve to the Full Open position (using the paint mark for alignment).
Continue your mixing operations.
Note: Because the valve is now manually set to open, the Mixmate system cannot "throttle" the flow. You will need to monitor your pump speeds or flow rates more closely until the motor is replaced.
[!CAUTION] Product Valves: Never leave a product valve manually locked in the "Open" position unattended. If the actuator is removed, there is no electronic failsafe to stop the flow of chemical if a hose leaks or a tank overflows.