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Maintaining the Dairy Drafter/Sort Gate

You should check and maintain your Dairy Drafter/Sort Gate to keep it in good working order.

Updated over a week ago

Follow these guidelines to check and maintain the Dairy Drafter/Sort Gate.

Daily

Check power is on.

Check air pressure is set between 450 and 600 kPa (4-6 bar) at idle.

  1. Open the pneumatic enclosure box and locate the air regulator.

  2. Check that the air pressure is set between 450 and 600 kPa (4-6 bar) at idle:

🛑 Do not exceed 700 kPa (7 bar) as this could result in injury to animals.

Clean Dairy Drafter

Hose to remove mud/manure

Monthly

Check beam sensors are clean.

Wipe with a cloth to remove mud/manure.

Top up the oil in the lubricator reservoir.

  1. Open the pneumatic enclosure box and locate the lubricator:

  2. Using a flat-head screwdriver, turn the screw on the top of the lubricator anti-clockwise to loosen it:

  3. Hold the lubricator reservoir in your hand and turn it anti-clockwise to release it:

  4. Fill the reservoir to Max with 46-grade mineral oil or other oil suitable for pneumatic systems.

Drain any water which has accumulated in the air filter/pneumatic regulator.

  1. Open the pneumatic enclosure box and locate the air regulator.

  2. Purge water from the reservoir at the bottom of the air regulator by turning the knob clockwise:

💡To set it to purge water automatically, turn the knob anticlockwise.

Check gates are firm.

Check that all gates are correctly adjusted with a firm fit. Turn off the air pressure and move the gates manually. They should move freely.

Test the emergency stop button.

  1. With the Dairy Drafter fully operational, press the emergency stop button.

  2. Immediately, you should hear the air line depressurise. None of the gates will function and they will seem ‘floppy’.

  3. At the end of this test, stand clear of the drafting gates, turn the emergency stop button clockwise then press Start to reset it.

🛑 As soon as the emergency stop button is reset, the air line will immediately repressurise and the gates will snap back into position. If any part of your body is near the drafting gates, there is a risk of becoming trapped.

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Troubleshooting a Dairy Drafter/Sort Gate

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