Parker Valve

[j.w.s.]

Can anyone shed some light on this Parker valve? It's 5 port 3/8 npt with 2 ports for ext pilot, one threaded 1/8npt and the other not. This was a scrapped valve so the price was right. Just wondering if this may come in handy for my kinyon build, what the 2 leads actually do and can it be operated without an electrical connection. Ideally I'd like 3/4 valving or larger but the price can't be beat and I can always upgrade in the future. Thanks for any input.

-J

[ptree]

The diagram on the side gives the 2 states of the valve. If you look, you will see stamped into the sides with the ports, numbers that are 1 to 5. The number 1 port is the inlet or pressure port. The number 2 and 4 ports are the outlets or delivery ports. The little "T" symbols on the diagram indicate that port is blocked in that state. If you look at the diagram, you will see 3 straight lines in the cent. The very center straight line devides the symbol to show one state to the left and the other to the right. The solenoid is a 110V 60 Hz 6.3 watt. The threaded port on the solenoid indicates either a seperate pilot line or an exhaust port for the solenoid. The more likely is the external pilot. The external pilot port is sometimes used when the gas pressure through the valve itself is too low to operate the valve, in which case you provide a higher pressure to the pilot to shift the spool.
The ported pilot exhaust may be used when the gas is toxic or unsafe to exhaust wherever the valve is located. An example would be if the valve was operating on natural gas.
You can also look up the details on the parker site.
The blocked ports are the exhausts by the way, a fairly unusual configeration.
I would expect this may have been used in the Toxic or flammable gas service.

[j.w.s.]

this was actually used for forming lead and I know for a fact that it was just pressurized air operating the press it was attached to. so i guess depending on the way I configured my cylinder I could make this work? Oh, and do I even have to use the electric solenoid or could I just use a roller valve attached to the external pilot to change states?

-J

[Dodge]

I have an electric air switch I have been wondering the same thing about. Some have suggested it may not switch fast enough for a kinyon, but most just don't know because its never been tried. The standard Kinyon plumbing tends to incopoprate air pilots to help with switching instead. I would really like to know as I still have all of the components to run an electric switching air hammer. Please, J. W,.S., keep us posted with your findings.

Scott

[r smith]

Oh, and do I even have to use the electric solenoid or could I just use a roller valve attached to the external pilot to change states? -J

The only way to be sure is to try it. Maybe if you could get someone at parker to talk you, you may learn something but for the time spent typing on here I would have already hooked it to air and would know if it will work or not without the electrics.

[ptree]

Usually a solnoid operated valve is a spring return. That means on a single solnoid valve there are 2 states. One is with the solnoid energized and the other is the spring returned state. So... on a regular spring return, single solnoid valve, even an external piloted valve without power to the solnoid valve you will see the "Normal" condition.
For a normal double acting cylinder control valve you have 5 ports, and 2 conditions. One state will connect pressure to a cylinder port and connect the opposite cylinder port to exhaust to allow the cylinder to travel. When the valve is switched to the opposite state the opposite cylinder port is connected to exhaust and the formerly exhausted port is supplied with pressure.
In the lead forming press, there may have been a reason for blocked exhausts. May have used a secondary exhaust to better control speed or used for position control.

Having designed hundreds of pnuematic and hydraulic control circuits, including many presses, I can tell you that there are many thousands of possible valve configerations. Search the web for a guide to the ISO symbols used and that little diagram on the side will tell you most all you wish to know.

In practical answer to electrical vs pnuematic controls for a hammer, anything doable with pnuematic controls can be done with electrical and pretty much vice versa.

Think voltage = pressure, amperage = flow volume, resistance is flow control. Roller valves are limit switches. control valves are relays and so forth.

[j.w.s.]

Well, I have 3 of these puppies so now I guess I need to search for the right pilot and other parts I may need. Very imformative guys, keep it coming! :)

-J

[trinculo]

I've seen an electrically switched 300lb air hammer. There is an interval timer controlling the switch. It was throttled on the input side of the air. It worked pretty well.

[j.w.s.]

I have an electric air switch I have been wondering the same thing about. Some have suggested it may not switch fast enough for a kinyon, but most just don't know because its never been tried. The standard Kinyon plumbing tends to incopoprate air pilots to help with switching instead. I would really like to know as I still have all of the components to run an electric switching air hammer. Please, J. W,.S., keep us posted with your findings.

Scott

Well, i just bought fittings to test out my set up. Valve works great. I hooked up an external pilot and i actually think the electric allows faster switching and is much more responsive than the roller valve. Also, the directional valve will work without electric and off air pilot alone. Havent thought about it yet, but could there be a benefit of having both?

J