Not necessarily, IP codes are generally applied to fixed objects, for example a high I.P. rating would be required for example by a permanently fixed box containing power supplies for exterior lights, this would switch high levels of electrical power, and be fixed to an exterior wall or column exposed to all types of weather, whereas, a control box is only used irregularly and being easily transportable, can be moved undercover should local weather conditions dictate, additionally it is unlikely to be used in heavy rain or floods.

An IP rating of IP 55 (number 5 protection against objects as fine as dust with a limited level of intrusion, and number 5 protection against low pressure water sprayed in all directions,) should be ample for a portable control box.

The IP code is a 2 digit number, the first digit is a number between 0 to 6 and is the level of protection against intrusion of a solid (non liquid,) form afforded by the particular product, for example number 0 means no protection or unguarded, number 1 means protection against objects up to 50mm in size for example a hand and so on down to number 6 which means total protection from ingress of any solid form including dust.

The second digit is a number from 0 to 8 and is the level of protection against the entry of a liquid afforded by the object, for example number 0 means there is no protection, number 1 means protection against vertically falling water drops and so on down to number 8 which means total protection from intrusion after long term submersion in water under pressure.

The barcode contains information in a format that can be understood by the control box after it has been scanned by a reader wand or scanner, the information is used by the control box to set the fusion time and record other data for example the fitting brand, size etc. The fitting data barcode has a maximum of 24 characters.

The optional barcode contains information in a format that can be understood by the control box after it has been scanned by a barcode scanner. The information is used by the control box to store information regarding traceability of the fitting. The traceability barcode has 26 characters.

Depending upon the brand of EF fittings, the connector terminals could be either 4.0mm diameter or 4.7mm diameter, sets of fitting plug adapters are available to allow both sizes to be fused.

Yes, the Proxima Taurus range with 2 output connector chords will fuse both types of fitting.

No, an 80 volt control box should only be used with 80 volt fittings, in addition the fitting connector plugs will be larger and not connect securely to a 40 volt fitting.

Yes, providing the minimum size of the extension cable conductor wires is the same as the fixed power cable. The maximum length of an extension cable should be no longer than 10 metres.

At no time should the control box be opened except in a workshop by trained persons.

Disconnect the control box from the power supply and leave it in a cool place, out of direct sunlight if possible preferably with an airflow.

Allow the control box an adequately cool down period between fusion cycles, avoid disconnecting the control box from the fitting, but disconnecting from the power supply till the end of the cooling time will help cooling, disconnect the control box from the power supply when not in use, avoid leaving the control box in direct sunlight or near to the exhaust when using a generator. Where a heat radiator is fixed to the enclosure, ensure that it is not obstructed or the fins are clogged with mud.

The internal power transformer and regulators naturally produce heat when operating, the longer the box is supplying power, the warmer it becomes, also the more power it is supplying, for example when fusing a larger diameter coupler will also effect the temperature, in addition the local air temperature also has an effect.

At no time should the control box be opened except in a workshop by trained persons.

The control circuits inside the enclosure start to work erratically when the temperature of the components reaches around 70 degrees, to prevent bad fusion control or excessive/insufficient power being supplied to the fusion, internal safety features prevent the fusion cycle operating.

Using 2 clamps or holding carriages each side of the fitting on a single base can help greatly in making a good joint.

A positioning clamp holds the pipes each side of the joint assembly in a fixed position, therefore any movement or twisting on one side of the pipe is transmitted to the other side without disturbing the joint while it is in the cooling and solidification stage. A clamp will also help in assembling a joint made between lengths of curved pipe that have been stored on a coil of drum.

Using a clamp with curved pipe can help manage the curvature and hold the pipe and fittings in alignment.

At the time of fusion between the pipe and fitting when heating power is being applied and for a time afterwards. The material forming the joint is a molten liquid, as the material starts to cool and solidify into a solid it should not be disturbed or the resulting joint may be imperfect.

Fit the clamp to the out of round pipe near to the end that is to be assembled into the fitting, leave in position for a long as possible (minimum 10 minutes,) remove the re-rounding clamp, scrape and prepare the pipe, assemble the joint as quickly and safely as possible, when fully assembled fit, joint into positioning clamp.

No, using undue force can damage the fitting, also forced contact between the fitting and pipe can pull the thermal heating wire out of the inner wall of the fitting, this can result in a short circuit or other damaging occurance when the fusion cycle is started.

Out of round (oval) pipe, should be treated with a re rounding clamp to temporarily return it to the correct shape before using a scraping tool and then assemble it into a fitting.

Providing you are certain that the pipe is being prevented from assembling into the fitting because it is slightly oversize and not because it is out of round (ovality), then take a second pass with the scraping tool.

The pipe diameter will have been reduced by 0.8mm after the second pass

The thickness of the swarf is the same as the depth of the cut of the tool, we set Caldervale Technology branded tools to remove a nominal depth of 0.2mm of material.

As the majority of scraping tools (except hand scraping tool,) rotate around the pipe, the diameter of the pipe being scraped reduces by 0.4mm for every pass of the tool.

Removing excessive pipe wall makes it undersize, this can prevent correct pressure build up inside the joint at the time of fusion, eventually producing a poor quality joint.

A hand scraping tool cannot control the depth of cut of the scraping operation, it is difficult to use underneath an already installed pipe leaving patches of un-scraped or flat areas which is a major cause of failed welds.

Failure to carry our adequate preparation will cause dirt, chemicals and other impurities to enter the fusion zone which can produce a poor quality joint.

Yes, but they will probably be a special order.

Using a standard nut cracker model re rounding clamp would probably work for pipes up to 50mm, for pipe sizes 63mm and greater it is necessary to use a Caldervale Technology after squeeze pipe reforming clamp.

This would be a decision of the pipe manufacturer, the likely answer would be no.

Yes, the 125mm Iron man squeeze tool with hydraulic power.

We consider the 125mm x SDR11 pipe to be very difficult to close without power assistance.

Where there is any doubt about the suitability of a particular pipe, always contact the pipe manufacturer before starting.

Insufficient closure or over closure can occur if the buffer plates are set to the wrong pipe diameter or SDR rating.

Caldervale Technology squeeze tools should give a good level of pipe closure, however where 100% closure is required against an open end, then a double squeeze using 2 squeeze tools approximately 6 pipe diameters apart should be used, to release any build up between the 2 squeeze tools a drain can be connected.

Where a section of pipe is to be removed for example to install a branch tee in a pipeline then a double squeeze off with 2 squeeze tools either side should be considered.

All hydraulic squeeze tools are supplied with anti leak pins which should be screwed down to maintain the squeeze operation independent of the jack.

Caldervale Technology squeeze tools should give a good level of pipe closure, however where 100% closure is required against an open end, then a double squeeze using 2 squeeze tools approximately 6 pipe diameters apart should be used, to release any build up between the 2 squeeze tools a drain can be connected.

Where a section of pipe is to be removed for example to install a branch tee in a pipeline then a double squeeze off with 2 squeeze tools either side should be considered.

Insufficient squeeze or over squeeze dependent upon which way round the mistake was made.

For the same size pipe, SDR11 pipe will require a larger amount of pressure to close than SDR17 pipe as the walls are thicker, SDR17 pipe will require longer travel of the closure squeeze bars on the tool as the distance between the inner pipe walls is greater.

The SDR rating is the relationship between the thickness of the pipe wall and the pipe diameter, this means that SDR11 pipe will have a thicker pipewall than SDR17 pipe, this will usually mean that:

• SDR11 pipe has a higher pressure rating than SDR17 pipe.
• SDR17 pipe has a bigger internal diameter (bore).

The final pipe clamp can be removed from the chassis with a spanner and allen socket wrench to allow the additional space needed.

There is no reason why this cannot be done providing the material, diameter and wall thickness are compatible, however it is not recommended.

In polyethylene, medium density MDPE 80, in high density HDPE 100 and PEX for any other material contact our technical department on +44 (0)1246 264400.

The Gator 180 will join pipes within the range 63mm to 180mm. The Gator 250 will join pipes within the range 250mm to 63mm, The Gator 315 will join pipes within the range 315mm to 90mm and the Gator 400 will join pipes within the range 400mm to 200mm.

This is not recommended.

For gas pipe installation work, it is not recommended to use any more than 2 sets.

It is not recommended to make any changes to the pipe clamps prior to the completion of the cooling cycle as the machine will flag up and record a failed joint.

The machines will retain many thousands of joint records, but it is recommended that the memory should be regularly backed up to a USB data stick or CalderSafe® data recording system.

Previous weld data can be viewed via the controller screen, or printed out using a separately purchased printer (available from your local Gator dealer), alternatively the weld data can be transferred to a USB data stick or by Bluetooth using an internal module and a mobile telephone and being transmitted to an external receiver through the CalderSafe® Mobile app, where it can be viewed though the CalderSafe® data viewer.

This is proven to be good practice as dust and other materials can settle on the heater plate when it is not in use and affect the first joint if it is not cut out, there is an option in the computer which forces the machine to make a dummy joint at the start of each day or if the heater plate drops below a preset temperature value, when this occurs it is recorded as a “dummy” joint and not as a weld failure in the machine data memory.

No contamination from dirt/dust/pollen/oil even touch are the main causes of joint failure. The pipe should be relatively clean (inside and out) before starting a joint. The butt fusion machine should be ideally sat on a board and in a shelter to prevent wind chill/rain. The trimmed faces should not be touched or wiped. Pipe shavings should be pulled downwards out of the machine to minimise contamination.

The straighter the pipe is cut the less trimming is required. The trim cycle can be repeated for badly cut pipe. For pipes with very square cut neat ends minimum trim is required.

As soon as a continuous ribbon is being produced on both pipe ends the trim cycle can be concluded at the discretion of the operator.

By default we recommend the machine is serviced every 3000 welds or 12 months whichever comes sooner. However these values can be changed depending on local conditions or even turned off. A countdown to the next service is displayed on screen.

It depends on the diameter, wall thickness and joining standard. The more plastic there is to join the longer the cooling cycle will generally be. Trimming depends on how well the pipe has been cut. For example, 250mm pipe assuming the heater is already at temperature, the process start to finish might take around 20 mins (including approx. 15 mins of cool time).

For the technically minded, the joint interface at temperature allows the polymer strings to cross and knit to become a homogeneous continuous piece of plastic. As there is a bead produced simultaneously on the inside and outside of the pipe, and therefore an increase in wall thickness, the joint should be stronger than the original pipe wall.

Dummy joints should be made before commencing to weld each day, to clean the heater surface plates. Plain alcohol wipes can be used (when the heater is cool) but this is not recommended. The plates should not be touched and kept covered by the heater guards.

Technical support at Fusion Equipment Ltd on +44 (0)1246 264400 or your local supplier.

Yes, although there is normally a charge for this service, please contact +44 (0) 1246 264400 or your local supplier.

Please contact +44 (0) 1246 264400 for the location of your local service centre.

Recommended minimum generator sizes can be found on the website and in the machine handbook under machine specifications.

Some of our machines are still in regular use despite being over 20 years old. Machines can easily last 10 years or more if well maintained.

The definition can vary. A manual machine generally requires the operator to set trimming, joining and cooling pressures as well as removing the heater. The chassis can be controlled by a hand pump although these days most have an electrohydraulic pump unit. A data logger can be bought to monitor key points of the time/pressure joint.

An automatic machine simply requires the heater to be ejected automatically and the pipes to be brought together within the joining standards time. Gator goes much further by taking operator best practice such as automatically feathering off during the trim cycle, continuously monitoring time, pressure and movement to get a consistent reliable joint every time. Cooling times for example cannot be cut short, pipe slippage would be flagged up and the time for the heater to be removed and pipe ends being brought together is generally under 2 seconds rather than 10 seconds for a manual machine minimising contamination.

The heater surface plates can be replaced as they are exchangeable with new or refurbished ones, it is not necessary to take the complete unit out of service for long periods.