Wood’s Powr-Grip MRTA8-AIR - Manual (Page 13)

Rev 6.0/12-12 11 MRTA8-AC: #35074
T
O
A
PPLY THE
P
ADS TO A
L
OAD
Powering up the Lifter
Make sure the lever on the vacuum control valve is in the center position (see T
O
R
ELEASE THE
P
ADS FROM THE
L
OAD
: About Stand-By Mode to follow). Place the power switch in the ON ( )
position, to engage the vacuum pump. 7 The lifter is designed for the vacuum pump to run
continuously.
WARNING: Never turn power off while operating lifter; keep pump running
throughout lift.
The power switch must remain in the ON position while operating the lifter. Placing the power
switch in the OFF ( ) position during lifter operation could result in the release of the load and
possible injury to the operator (see T
O
L
IFT AND
M
OVE THE
L
OAD
: In Case of Power Failure to
follow).
Positioning the Lifter on the Load
Make certain that the contact surfaces of the load and all vacuum pads are free of any
contaminates that could prevent the pads from sealing against the load (see MAINTENANCE:
V
ACUUM
P
AD
M
AINTENANCE
).
Center the lifter’s pad frame to within 2" [5 cm] of the load center, since off-center loading can
cause the load to tilt or rotate unexpectedly (see T
O
L
IFT AND
M
OVE THE
L
OAD
: About the Tilt
Linkage and T
O
R
OTATE THE
L
OAD
E
DGEWISE
to follow), and it may also damage the lifter. 8 Make
sure that all vacuum pads will fit entirely on the load’s contact surface (see SPECIFICATIONS:
Pad Spread) and that they will be loaded evenly while lifting (see SPECIFICATIONS: Per-Pad Load
Capacity). Then position the lifter on the load so that all pads are touching the contact surface.
Sealing the Pads against the Load
Move the lever on the vacuum control valve to the “APPLY” position: Pull outward on the lever's
knob, move the lever all the way to the right and release it. This position opens the lifter’s
vacuum lines to the airflow created by the vacuum pump, causing air to be drawn immediately at
the vacuum pads.
9 Apply the lifter to the load until all pads seal against it.
WARNING: Keep valve lever in “APPLY” position throughout lift.
The valve lever must remain in the “APPLY” position throughout the entire lift. Any interruption
of the vacuum flow during lifter operation could result in the release of the load and possible
injury to the operator.
Note: If a vacuum pad has been lying against a hard object (as during shipping), it may be
slightly distorted. Although initially it may be difficult to apply the pad to a load, this condition
should correct itself with continued use.
7
After the power switch is placed in the ON position, the vacuum lift light may subsequently turn on, because the lifter is
operating in stand-by mode at this stage. However, this does not indicate that the lifter is ready to lift a load.
8
The lifter is designed to handle the maximum load weight (see SPECIFICATIONS: Maximum Load Capacity) when the load’s
center of gravity is positioned within 2" [5 cm] of the pad frame’s center point. Occasional loading deviations are permissible,
provided that the operator can maintain control of the load at all times and that the load weight is low enough to avoid damaging
the lifter.
9
To minimize the time it takes for the lifter to attach and obtain full vacuum, do not place the valve lever in the “APPLY” position
until the vacuum pads are contacting the load.