- Ensure power leads are connected and raised off the ground
- Water hoses are correctly and securely connected.
- Place wheelbarrow or tub under discharge chute.
- Press start button on control panel to run mixer before opening manual butterfly valve.
- Open butterfly valve to allow material into dry chamber, which will then be fed into the wet chamber where water addition takes place.
- Adjust workability of mortar, as required, by using the water control valve.
- When the amount of mortar being discharged into the tub is nearing the required amount, close the butterfly valve and keep the mixer running. The remaining mortar inside the unit will then be discharged into the tub. When all of the mortar has run out of the discharge point and only water is left running from it, you will know that the mixer is clean and you can press the stop button.
Using the Timer
It is possible to run the silo mixer unit via the timer on the control panel.
Simply set the desired running time and press the start button. The mixer will stop automatically when the set time has expired.
Please note the following when the timer method is utilised:
If the mixer is left for over an hour after it was last used, the mortar left in the wet chamber will start to set, especially in hot weather. This will overload the mixer motor next time it is used and could result in damage to the motor and its eventual failure. To avoid this, ensure that the butterfly valve is closed and press the start button to run the residue out of the mixer chamber before the material has time to gain an initial set. When only water starts to run out of the discharge point, this means the mixer is clean.
Silo Control Panel
See below for an illustration of the control panel:
Helpful Hints
In addition to observing the cleaning procedure and to ensure trouble-free usage of the dry silo system, here are some more helpful hints.
- The butterfly valve must be closed when starting the mixer in the morning, if the valve is open prior to the mixer being started material will fall straight into the mixer unit, meaning the motor will be under duress when started.
- When cleaning the silo at the end of daily operation it is advisable to run the silo through 3 complete mixing silos until clear water runs from the mixer unit.
Take care of the equipment that Metsel provide to your site. Any damage to instrumentation or switches on the mixer/control panel could interfere with the normal operation of the silo system, resulting in unnecessary downtime and loss of productivity for your site. Ensure that forklift or telehanders used for loading and transporting mortar, avoid contact with the silo and mixer at all times.
Once a week, it is advised that you inspect the silo mixing chamber. The procedure will be demonstrated by the Metsel engineer at the initial training session. If there is any build-up on the screw or on the inside of the chamber, please remove it with a wire brush. Contact Metsel if any wearing parts (e.g. scrapers) need renewing. The engineer will attend your site to replace any worn parts and will conduct a mixer/control panel service.