The struggle against the current hosepipe ban is in full flow

With the current arid conditions plaguing the UK and no one knowing where our next drop of rain is coming from, the finger-on-the-pulse marketing-gurus at PVL thought this was a perfect time to highlight a number of their products that provide dry pump protection.

Most engineers, struggling into work in the present heat-wave, know only too well the perils caused by their equipment continuing to run dry. As parts of Britain become almost Sahara-esque, the hosepipe ban in the South East is in full swing and gardeners everywhere are in despair as their carefully tended gardens die a slow, painful, thirsty death. Depending on your preference, there are a number of ways and technologies to ensure the maintenance of your systems are not put in jeopardy. If a normal pressure system operated by a pressure switch is run dry, severe damage to the pump and its seal may result.

The F27 time delay flow switches are paddle flow switches with built-in digital timers that override the off state of the flow switch and allow a pump to start in spite of an initial lack of flow. They also
have adjustable run-on timers that let the pump ignore minor flow interruptions while still being fully protected against running dry.

The F27 is manufactured by Kelco of Australia. Australians are used to treating water as a precious commodity, as we must now in the UK, and their products ABS and polypropylene design make them corrosion proof and therefore ideal for water and waste water applications.

PVL’s courier rushes a pump controller out to a client during the current drought

Or you may wish to consider the F30 Pump Controller. When included in a pressure system, a pump running under the control of an F30 will start if the pressure drops, or if a tap is turned on. If the system runs out of water the F30 senses the loss of flow and the lack of pressure and stops the pump. A red warning light on the controller then flashes rapidly to indicate there is a problem. The pump will not restart until the power to the pump is reset.

Alternatively, if the system is higher pressure, why not consider a calorimetric sensor. We have both inline and probe versions of flow switches. (link to the EFKS/EEFK) We’ve also got pressure switches specifically designed for the control and protection of domestic and industrial pressure pumps and air compressors.

The E10 & E20 loss of prime pressure switches are solid-state digital pressure switches. Pressure switches normally have two set points, a low pressure cut in point and a high pressure cut out point. A pump under the control of such a switch operates between the two set points. If pressure is lost due to the pump running dry, or due to a burst pipe, the pump will continue to run simply because the pressure switch remains on. In such a situation the pump will invariably sustain substantial damage due to being run dry. The E10 & E20 pressure switches address this problem by providing a third adjustable switch point that can be set below the normal operating range to turn the pump off and prevent it being damaged if it runs dry.

So sit back and enjoy our new balmy weather; PVL are here to ensure the UK has a seamless transition into its new tropical climate.

2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The intriguing tale of this infamous and ill-fated ship has received much attention over the years, including James Cameron’s 1997 epic film. Now, while we do acknowledge the tragedy of the real life event, here at PVL we’ve had an idea that might just re-write Hollywood history.

… (Drum roll please) Introducing the re-make, “PVL-Titanic: The ship that didn’t sink”. A box office hit wouldn’t you agree?

At PVL we supply a range of products specifically designed for marine, waste water and water applications. Our new version of the film would explore the difference better technology could have made for Cameron’s star crossed lovers, Kate and Leo.

So, welcome to the new and improved plot, “The world’s smallest valve meets the world’s biggest ship… and the world’s largest iceberg”.

How the PVL team formulated the idea

There was a huge buzz around the Titanic even before it set off on its maiden voyage. Measuring 882 feet and nine inches long with a 92 foot beam, it was the largest luxury vessel of its time.

“It would be great to contrast the colossal scale of the Titanic with Aquatech’s AQT- Mini fully plastic float valve to set the scene for our audience,” suggests David Almond, PVL’s head of sales and marketing and a keen cinema go-er. “The AQT-Mini is the world’s smallest float valve!”

“It’s operates as a normal valve despite its size, so it’s perfect for process, general industrial, plumbing and other applications,” he continued. “When the Titanic hits the mammoth iceberg, the tiny size of the pump valve will be further put into perspective.”

“I like it!” chimes fellow wanna-be film director (and Product Manager), Jamie Clowes. “When the collision with the iceberg occurs, what better way to alert the captain to trouble in the lower compartments of the ship than using an early warning system based on level detection?” he enthusiastically concurred.

“The Kelco D30 two position top entry level switch operates on the principle of displacement and would make a perfect feature for our film. The switch is acid, chemical and, most importantly, sea water resistant,” Clowes pitched.

Gone would be the naive belief of the Titanic being an unsinkable ship! In its place hard evidence that water is flooding in – load the lifeboats man!

“Providing the D30 was connected to some kind of remote monitoring system, from simple fieldbus to SCADA or even DCS depending on the complexity of the application, a land based controller could see there was a problem and send out the emergency services to save the day. Maybe no one has to die in this re-make?” Clowes finished.

“Ah a positive twist on this legendary sad story,” agreed Almond. “What a great way to show how switch technology has developed. But our re-make still needs some drama. After all, everyone, except me, obviously, loves a good cry at the final scene where Jack sinks into the ocean, leaving Rose on the makeshift raft,” he said, displaying a little too much knowledge of the film.

The PVL team ponder the drama dilemma

“Ok, so what if the emergency services have been held up and passengers start evacuating the ship in the interim. Naturally, a modern health and safety policy would mean there were enough lifeboats for passengers this time. But somehow, Rose and Jack still end up floating in the water out at sea,” offers Clowes.

“Only this time the raft has had a TD1000 digital purpose pressure transducer installed. The transducers IP69K seal allows for it to be washed down with water under high pressure,” he explains.

“Perfect!” exclaims Almond. “With its unique redundant sensing elements, the TD 1000 keeps working if a sensing element goes bad while other competitive units would fail. This is important for high shock/high vibration or mission critical applications where downtime is not an option!”

He continued: “So provided they had the right control and radio equipment to hand, Jack and Rose could easily fashion a rudimentary alarming application to help them alert the authorities. Furthermore, the TD1000’s optional temperature sensor could provide assistance in the freezing climate of the Atlantic. The whole solution is much better than the plank of wood used in the original. This time the audience would watch the couple drift to safety as opposed to come to a heart breaking end.”

As you can see, at PVL we are very excited about the new film. In fact, whilst waiting for a response from James Cameron, we’ve started work on the sequel; “The Wedding that wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for PVL”. Our customers will be sure to get an invite!

~David Almond does Desert Island Discs 70th anniversary~

Earlier this year, BBC Radio 4 celebrated the seventieth anniversary of Desert Island Disks. As the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio, the weekly show features a guest “castaway” who’s allowed to choose eight pieces of music, a book and a luxury item for their imaginary stay on the island. Happy birthday to the show, from PVL!

Although the guests are usually rich and famous celebrities, PVL’s head of sales and marketing David Almond has already compiled his list – just in case he is invited one day.

So without further ado, here’s a selection of the records David would take with him on the desert island.

We didn’t start the fire by Billy Joel – “This song sounds like it should be all about the ATEX rated flame proof switches from Orion,” explained David, returning to one of his favourite subjects. “These products are particularly common in the oil and gas, chemical and petrochemical, offshore, pharmaceutical and mining sectors. However, they can be found across industry wherever there is an explosive atmosphere. For example they are used in sewerage treatment plants, grain handling and storage areas, on metal surface grinding applications and in aluminium processing. The switches reduce the risk of ignition in applications such as machine tools, lubrication systems and compressors used in hazardous, corrosive or explosive atmospheres. With these in place, you can be confident it won’t be you starting the fire.”

All the small things by Blink182 – “Speaking of small, PVL now offers the Kelco CR20 microflow switch,” enthused David. “This compact in-line flow sensor is designed to detect extremely small flows. It’s also capable of monitoring flows – or the lack of them – of less than 5ml per minute. That makes the Kelco CR20 suitable for verifying the efficient function of modern micro-dosing systems. Easily able to deal with pulsed or continuous flows of up to four litres per minute, the CR20 handles pressures to 18 bar and can be fitted to pipes from 6mm to 20mm. So, if you need help with any, or all of, the small things, the CR20 is your man. Sorry, your switch.”

Twisting by the pool by Dire Straits – “Summer is coming and the sun is out; warm weekends spent by the pool are just around the corner!” said David. “If you would like to prepare for the splash season, or just update your garden design with a Koi fish pond, our pond switch products are an ideal choice. PVL’s range of switches for Koi ponds helps ensure the quality of water for your prize carp. From ball valves and flow switches to level sensors and solenoid valves, we have everything you need to get twisting by the pool.”

David’s list is quite extensive, although he thought he might need to a longer one – just in case they invite him on the show twice, so we had to stop him here. But if you would like to share your music choices with us, just get in contact. Alternatively, if you have a list of switches you need (in your plant or to take to a desert island), give us a ring on
+44 (0) 1892 664499.

When systems fail, it is often a simple part that shuts an application down. And unlike the typical light-hearted approach of our blog, there’s nothing funny about that! In today’s post, David Almond, PVL’s head of sales and marketing explains why pressure switches are often overlooked.

Pressure switches are incredibly common in process plants, yet design engineers often, understandably, know little about them. As a process focussed design engineer, your specialisation might be robotics, heat transfer or any of a thousand other things.

A pressure switch detects a pressure change and at a predetermined level, at which it will activate an electrical contact. Traditionally electromechanical devices, pressure switches today may also be solid state devices, with one to four or more switch points, digital displays, analogue and digital outputs, and full programmability.

In many cases, they can act as open loop controllers in addition to simple switching mechanisms; providing analogue 4-20mA or digital output and interfacing with programmable logic controllers, distributed control systems and stand alone industrial computers.

Still nothing funny so far. But hold on, the last paragraph is a cracker.

Solid state pressure switches provide longer cycle life, improved accuracy to ±0.25%, resistance to shock and vibration, the ability to handle a wide range of system pressures, broad frequency response and long term stability.

However, electromagnetic interference (EMI) can corrupt signal data, something that does not affect electromechanical switches, which are either open or closed. Furthermore, solid state switches require a power source, but they are not subject to metal fatigue like electromechanical switches.

The frequency with which a switch is activated will affect its life, system downtime and maintenance schedule. A solid state switch should be selected whenever the cycle rate exceeds 50 cycles per minute. The switch point should be in the upper 25% of the operating range, whereas for an electromechanical switch, the switch point should be in the middle of the operating range.

Thus a system that requires a switch to activate at 140 psi should use a solid state switch with an operating range of 150 psi or an electromechanical switch with an operating range of 300 psi. If the switch is used to trigger an alarm, ±2% accuracy is sufficient, but where the error of various devices in a process is cumulative, then ±0.25% may be absolutely necessary.

Despite its design complexity, the pressure switch remains one of the simplest devices to integrate and maintain – providing you have the basics to hand.

As a result, we’ve recently authored this article in Industrial technology magazine, which tells you more. Read on at the magazine’s site, or call us on +44 (0) 1892 664499 to discuss the subject with one of PVL’s qualified and experienced engineers.

And, if you’ve been holding on this long for a joke about engineers, we don’t want to disappoint. There’s a great one here, even if we do say so ourselves.

Congratulations to Mark Aylott, Director of Car Spares Limited in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, who’s pictured here receiving his new iPad from David Almond (the more sensible looking one on the right) as the winner of our recent prize draw for respondents to our recent survey.
Many thanks to all our customers who kindly responded; we’ve taken all your comments on board and, even though we seem to be doing a pretty wonderful job, we promise not to rest on our laurels!

Watch out for a new survey soon and you too could win a prize!

As this blog is car spares related we thought you’d enjoy these pictures of the Italian police force’s new pride and joy.  But, if only they could find someone who could drive it!!!

~ East Sussex based switch distributor launches fully programmable digital pressure transducer ~

Switch distributor Pressure Vacuum Level (PVL) has launched Transducer Direct’s TD1000 digital pressure transducer in the UK. The new transducer is fully digital and entirely programmable, which saves the end user both time and money. Furthermore, thanks to the fact that the TD1000 can be programmed in-house, PVL can offer next day delivery to the majority of UK locations.

The TD1000 is the first digital and fully programmable pressure transducer of its kind

Most transducers need to be programmed in the factory environment after they roll of the production line. This means that the end user has to wait longer to receive the product and runs the risk of buying devices that aren’t set up to exactly the right specification as the result of human error; either their own or the manufacturers.

In contrast, the TD1000 is programmed by PVL according to the customer’s specifications before leaving the company’s Sussex offices, eliminating many of the possible communication errors that could otherwise occur.

The TD1000 is an IP69K rated pressure transducer, ideal for harsh duty, automation, food and beverage and earth moving applications.

“The food and beverage industry is one of the harshest environments for automation components such as sensors,” explained David Almond, head of sales and marketing at PVL. “High pressure and high temperature water and chemicals can penetrate or corrode almost any sensor housing, causing premature failures. Our IP69K-rated sensors and harsh duty quick connection cables all meet the stringent demands of the IP69K test standards and have been tested to ensure proper chemical compatibility during their use in these harsh environments.”

A further benefit is the TD1000’s advanced bridging technology, which will inform the user if one of the two built in bridges is damaged. This dual redundancy provides end user savings by reducing expenditure on maintenance and limiting downtime.

The digital technology built into the patented TD1000 ensures that the measured electrical signal and the corresponding output reading have greater noise tolerance, better accuracy and improved reliability. The TD1000 pressure transducer boasts an incredible 0.025% accuracy, the highest in its class.

Most pressure transducers are analogue devices and, as a result, are not able to take accurate measurements without conditioning. In contrast, the TD1000 eliminates the need for amplifying and filtering low-level signals, and ensures that the measurement is both recorded and transmitted digitally.

The new transducer can handle widely varying temperatures, making it ideal for applications such as petrochemicals processing or cryogenics. The device is also pressure water rated, which makes it ideal for mobile hydraulics, waste disposal machinery and any other equipment that deploys high water pressure cleaning.

The TD1000 can have a temperature or pressure set point signal built-in as an option, which means it can also work as an alarm and a set-point indicator if required.

PVL’s new pressure transducer is composed of stainless steel in a one piece design. This reduces the potential for leak points, which are common in typical multi-piece weld-on transducers.

“The process equipment and instrumentation sector should not be left behind as technology moves from analogue to digital,” explained Almond. “You wouldn’t settle for an analogue TV, radio or telephone so why use old technology in industry?”

A video of the TD1000 in action can be viewed here.

How to make sure you stick to your New Year’s resolutions – an engineer’s guide

New Year’s resolutions have been a tradition since the times of the ancient Babylonians. Pretty much as we do today, they promised their gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts. (On that note, those of us in the PVL office would like to ask David Almond, our intrepid head of sales and marketing, ‘Where’s our stapler?’)

However, according to this report Blue Monday was the day when most of us allowed our resolutions to lapse. Nevertheless, if you decided to lose weight, quit smoking or learn a new language, there may still be hope for you.

Here are a few engineering focussed resolutions you will be able to keep without too much effort:

1. Lose wait (you read it correctly and yes, it is a terrible pun!)
Here at PVL we make sure we trim down waiting times for pressure transducers. PVL’s new exclusive range of pressure transducers from Cincinnati’s Transducers Direct, the unique TD1000 series, can be delivered overnight. They can be digitally configured and we can programme the transducers for you in house, massively reducing delivery times! That’s what I call loosing wait!

2. Quit smoking
Give up the smoke and make sure your plant is completely safe with the ATEX and IECEx certifications on our flameproof electric pressure switches!

The range includes high pressure switches, the low pressure FC series switches, vacuum pressure switches and electric pressure switches. Manufactured in India by Orion Instruments, the switches range in pressure from 1.5mbar to 200bar, and compliment PVL’s existing range of Elettrotec ATEX pressure switches.

3. Learn a new language
For the more academically oriented amongst us, learning a new language is top of our New Year’s resolutions lists. But German, French, Spanish or Italian are difficult to grasp and let’s face it; everybody speaks English anyway, don’t they?

But if you’d like to make a start by learning the translations for flow switch, level switch, flow indicator, and level indicator (and let’s face it who doesn’t!) you could do worse than visit www.kelco.eu. PVL are the pan-European distributor for Kelco’s innovative range of all plastic switches so we’ve helpfully provided translated pages.

You’ll also be able to learn the German for corrosion-proof, the French for no wetted metal parts, the Spanish for ideal for sea water, or the Italian for ideal for acids and alkalis which are obviously really useful for many day-to-day situations!

So, if you want your resolutions to last longer than the cold turkey, contact us. Trimming down the waiting times, ditching the smoke or learning the language of switches, has never been so easy! Give PVL a call on 01892 664499 and we’ll help make sure your engineering resolutions reach fruition.

Those of you who grew up in the UK will no doubt have happy memories of the children’s news and current affairs programme Newsround. It’s just celebrated its 40th anniversary and its original presenter John Craven accepted a special British Academy award, which recognised its contribution to children’s television, on behalf of the show recently.

So we thought that in tribute to Newsround, you might like to hear about PVL’s own adventures on film. Video is a great way to communicate detailed and complex ideas in a succinct and simple way, so we set up a YouTube channel just over a year ago and it’s already proving really successful.

Our reporter David Almond has this story on the subject of pressure switches, in particular our famous PMN pressure switch which has sold over a million units since we began offering it in 1982.

In other news on PVL’s YouTube channel, there’s a video introducing the flow switch technologies we provide and the applications they are suited to. The first product we cover is the Honsberg MR1K, which is ideal for measuring liquids and gases. Then, right at the other end of the spectrum we look at some of our Kelco switches from Australia, which are perfect for wastewater applications.

Fresh fears about the complexity of switches have been quelled today in this video where Almond explains to the viewer how to lower the flow set point of a paddle flow switch. If you watch the video, you will probably be feeling curious about what the red button does – just e-mail David and he’ll tell you!

And finally, if you were a fan of Newsround, we thought you might like to take a peek at this archive footage of the great John Craven in his heyday. This is the broadcast in which Newsround covered the launch of Channel Four, which was the UK’s fourth national TV channel. It even includes an obligatory story about a Panda, something which became such a staple on the show that it’s now a standing joke. Apart from anything else there’s a whole host of brilliant eighties jumpers on show!

And remember, while you are browsing videos over on YouTube, don’t forget to subscribe to PVL’s channel and send us a friend request. You’ll need a YouTube account to do this but if you have a Google account of any kind, setting one up only takes a few seconds.

That’s all for today, we’ll see you again at the same time on Switch Channel soon.

PVL recently attended the Sensing in Water 2011 conference, hosted by SWIG (the Sensors for Interest in Water Group) in Nottingham. This was the first two-day event the not-for-profit organisation had arranged and our representatives, Jamie Clowes and David Almond, took advantage of the show in decidedly different ways!

While David SWIGged his way around the bars, focussing his efforts on enjoying himself and talking about Tottenham (Don’t you mean networking – Ed), Jamie was left to do all the graft and fulfil PVL’s objectives in attending the show.

The event promoted the exchange of ideas between leading organisations within the water systems industry and encouraged discussion on their practical applications and the challenges currently facing the sector. It also allowed industry professionals to keep up to date with technological, sensor and legislative developments which may impact their business.

So, while Jamie shared the advantages of PVL’s switches and other technology for measuring and controlling processes in water applications, David could be found telling this bad joke in the bars:
“A mathematician, a physicist, and an engineer were all given a red rubber ball and told to find the volume. The mathematician carefully measured the diameter and evaluated a triple integral. The physicist filled a beaker with water, put the ball in the water, and measured the total displacement. The engineer looked up the model and serial numbers in his red-rubber-ball table.”

We are confident David is not going to leave us to pursue a career as a stand up comedian in the near future.

However, in his day job, he does present a cogent, if not comic, argument for importance of switches in water engineering systems. Such technologies play a fundamental role in reducing running costs by enabling processes within the system to be measured and controlled precisely. With our specialist knowledge of products and switch applications, the PVL team is able to offer the best solutions to the problems faced both in waste water treatment and water systems in general.

We found the conference extremely valuable and, by the end, had two contented merry men. If you want to find out more about our switches for water systems and join our band of merry men, give the engineering team a ring on 01892 664499 or visit the web site; www.pvl.co.uk.

Steve Moorey, PVL’s intrepid managing director, has just embarked on a gruelling two month working trip to Australia, during which he will spend a day meeting Kelco, one of PVL’s key manufacturing partners. The rest of the two months is going to be an arduous mix of restaurants, culture and beaches…

But arranging the trip wasn’t an entirely smooth process. Steve was initially booked to fly with Quantas, before the Australian airline attempted to resolve its industrial dispute by grounding all of its planes. Steve’s wife, Jill, immediately booked an alternative ticket with Singapore Airlines, only to be told that their Quantas flight was going to be winging its way down under after all! Let’s just hope the airline meal was worth all the frustration.

Steve deserves a rest; after all, he founded PVL over 25 years ago and has been hard at work ever since. And he’ll be used to the heat in Oz, having spent much of his early career in Africa, maintaining hydraulic applications and vehicle systems.

In all seriousness Kelco, our Australian partner, manufactures a range of innovative products that solve a host of problems. From flow switches for pool and pump applications to visual flow indicators for monitoring pipe systems and liquid level in tanks and vessels, there is something in the Kelco catalogue for almost any flow or level application.
One range that really stands out is the Australian manufacturer’s series of corrosion resistant flow, float and level switches. Made of thermoplastic, brass or stainless steel, the switches find a home in all sorts of process applications. Thanks to intelligent design, none of the switches’ metallic parts come into contact with the process liquid and the electronics are completely isolated. This means they are ideal for use with corrosive liquids or in environments where the fluid itself needs to be protected.
Steve and Jill will also be visiting Kelco Products Ltd in New Zealand where the MD supplies many Kelco products into the pumping and fish farming industries. It’s a tough job but somebody’s got to do it!

In Steve’s absence, the rest of the PVL team will be delighted to help you find the right switch for you application and provide whatever background information you need on everything from ATEX compliant pressure and vacuum switches to ZE plastic filters. Just pick up the phone and dial 01892 664499 or visit www.pvl.co.uk.