Why Plant Engineers Specify J+J Valve Actuators

Model J3C-s, the latest series from the innovative European designers and manufacturers J+J, ensures that their smart electric valve actuators continue to be hugely popular with plant engineers across a broad spectrum of industries who, where possible, specify them. So why is the J+J so popular?

Multi-colour LED Status light – continuous visual feedback When plant engineers walk around to visually check the plant rooms, any equipment that visually interacts gives them at-a-glance feedback of that piece of equipment’s current status. The deeper the level of visual interaction, the more at-a-glance status information can be received. J3C-S smart electric actuators offer 3 levels of visual feedback status; power on, active OK status, or inactive fault status.

Power on – Any illuminated LED indicates that external power is being applied, no lit LED shows that external power is not being applied. All J+J smart actuators are designed to have power continuously applied.

Active OK status – Specific colour sequences of either a flashing or solidly lit LED show if the actuator is opening or fully open, or closing or fully closed, and ready to accept command signals.

Inactive fault status - Specific colour sequences of a flashing LED show if the actuator is in fault status and unable to accept external movement commands, AND indicate the likely cause of the inactive status.

It is this latter fault advisory LED that scores the points with engineers. If a valve actuator offers no interaction with the engineers, they have no option but to instigate a series of checks to try and determine if the inactive status is due to the valve, the actuator or both. Depending on the manufacturer, this situation may require a site visit from the manufacturer’s service provider which will usually result in a delay in resolving the situation until the service provide arrives, and will likely incur charges.

The advantage the J+J LED system offers is that it will advise if the valve has become blocked, if the actuator has been left in manual mode, and even if an incorrect command signal is being applied. Armed with this information the engineer can take immediate steps to correct the situation, rather than starting the sequence of checks. So the J+J smart actuator saves time, which saves money.

Standard protective features Protection against the three most common issues that damage electric actuators is provided as standard in J3C-S smart actuators. These are damage from incorrect electrical command signalling, internal condensation and mechanical gearbox damage from trying to drive against excessive torque. J+J’s solutions are clever, effective and supplied as standard:

Protection against condensation – J+J smart actuators are designed to have external power continually applied, and because the anticondensation heater is powered from the same incoming power connection, is always active. This thermostatic heater maintains the internal temperature well above the dew point eliminating any risk of damaging condensation forming.

Protection against incorrect electrical supply – This protection takes two forms. Firstly, the J3C-S is unique in that it automatically accepts and senses any incoming supply signal voltage between 24V and 240V AC or DC. The risk therefore of burning out an electric actuator by applying 110 or 240VAC to an actuator that is 24V rated is eliminated.

Secondly, if an erroneous command signal is applied, the J+J smart actuator will not work, be damaged, and will advise with a pink flashing LED.

Protection against mechanical gear damage – J+J were key innovators in the development of the electronic torque limiter (ETL) back in 2002 where motor current is continually measured and if certain parameters are exceeded, the motor power is cut, eliminating the rise in motor winding temperature and mechanical damage to the actuator’s gearbox.

The significance of J+J’s ETL is that the actuator signal can immediately be reversed to try and use the flowing media to clear a blockage, something that is not possible in conventionally designed actuators where a thermal cut-out switch in the motor windings would prevent the motor from running immediately as the windings would still be hot and the thermal cut-out still active.

All of the above features are provided as standard in the J3C-S smart electric actuators from J+J. But there needs to be more to maintain and strengthen the J+J’s specified status, and there is. Unrivalled combination of ease of use, flexibility of functionality and availability.

Ease of Use – J+J electric actuators have no internal terminal strips, all electrical connections are made with supplied user friendly, simple to wire external Din plugs.

Functionality – the J3C-S can have its on-off function converted to battery back-up failsafe, modulating with a digital positioner, or failsafe modulating, simply by installing user friendly plug and play function conversion kits.

Availability – The J3C-S range is available from stock from J+J UK, the ISO9001:2015 approved valve actuation specialists based in Matlock, Derbyshire. For more information visit jjautomation.com, email: info@jjautomation.com, or call 01629 55577.

Tel: 01629 55577
Email: info@jjautomation.com
Web: www.jjautomation.com

Published: 22nd March 2018