SynC™

SynC · Editorial revision

Valve and Gate Actuators

Revision1
EditedOct 12, 2026
StatusCurrent
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Current revision. This is editorial revision 1, the current text of this standard. Read it on the standard's page.

SynC Standards Team — Specifier (Platform Standards) ✓ OfficialDiscloses employment SynC (SynC Platform Team)
Initial publication

1 Scope

NOTE This standard covers the device that moves an isolation valve or a slide gate when a person is not standing at it: the electric motor actuator, the pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or vane actuator, and the floor stand, bench stand, extension stem, and stem guides that bring a valve or gate's operation up to the floor a person stands on. (1.1)
NOTE The boundary of the work is the actuator from its mounting flange on the valve or gate to its power, control, network, air, or hydraulic connections, together with its integral controls and the signals it exchanges with the plant control system, and the manual operator from its connection at the valve or gate stem to the handwheel or crank on the operating floor. (1.2)
NOTE An actuator on an isolation valve spends its life waiting. It is asked to close a few times a year, on the day a pump trips or a main breaks, against a pressure the plant has not seen since the last time, and it is asked to do so by a controller that cannot see whether the valve moved. The parts that fail are a torque setting raised in the field until the valve twisted its own shaft, an enclosure that let a vault flood into the controls, and a stem that buckled because its guides were two feet too far apart. That is why this standard is prescriptive about sizing from the valve manufacturer's torque, the enclosure, and the stem geometry, and permissive about the interface, the duty, and the operator type the engineer legitimately selects by location. (1.3)
NOTE This standard is read with Common Work Results ProcessCommon Work Results for Process EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-process, the umbrella for the process discipline, which carries the submittal register, the factory test and witnessing policy, the manufacturer's field services, the nameplates, the spare parts basis, the anchorage basis, and the vibration and noise limits for every item of process equipment. Nothing in that standard is restated here. (1.4)
NOTE Every actuator on an isolation valve or a gate is furnished under this standard, whatever its motive power and however it is commanded, including the open, closed, and position signals it reports to the supervisory system. A valve that modulates against a process variable in a control loop is a control valve, and the valve, its actuator, and its positioner are furnished together under Control Valves And ActuatorsControl Valves and ActuatorsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-valves-and-actuators. (1.5)
NOTE The valve or gate the actuator moves is furnished under its own standard, which carries the body, the manual operator furnished with the valve, the mounting interface, and the seating, unseating, running, and dynamic torque or the stem thrust the actuator is sized from. The valve box and the buried extension stem of a buried valve stay with that valve's standard. This standard owns the actuator, the exposed extension stem, and the floor stand. (1.6)
NOTE Floor stands, bench stands, extension stems, and stem guides are furnished under this standard whether they operate a valve or a gate. On a slide gate, the gate manufacturer furnishes the threaded operating stem to the top of the stem guide nearest the gate, with a coupling at its end, and the stem thrust data, under Slide Gates And Stop LogsSlide Gates and Stop LogsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/slide-gates-and-stop-logs; the extension stem from that coupling to the operating floor, the guides along it, and the floor stand or bench stand at the top of it are furnished and set under this standard. (1.7)
NOTE The following are outside this scope and are governed by the standards named. (1.8)
  • Modulating control valves and the actuators and positioners on them: Control Valves And ActuatorsControl Valves and ActuatorsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-valves-and-actuators
  • The valve body, its manual operator, its mounting interface, and its torque data: Butterfly ValvesButterfly ValvesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/butterfly-valves, Eccentric Plug ValvesEccentric Plug ValvesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/eccentric-plug-valves, and Resilient Seated Gate ValvesResilient-Seated Gate ValvesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/resilient-seated-gate-valves; the gate, its stem, and its thrust data: Slide Gates And Stop LogsSlide Gates and Stop LogsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/slide-gates-and-stop-logs
  • The valve box and buried extension stem of a buried valve: the valve's standard, and on a site distribution main Water Distribution PipingSite Water Distribution PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/water-distribution-piping
  • The piping the valve sits in: Ductile Iron Process PipingDuctile Iron Process PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/ductile-iron-process-piping, Steel And Stainless Process PipingSteel and Stainless Steel Process PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/steel-and-stainless-process-piping, and Plastic Process PipingPlastic Process PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/plastic-process-piping inside the plant fence, Water Distribution PipingSite Water Distribution PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/water-distribution-piping and Site UtilitiesSite UtilitiesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/site-utilities for buried site water mains, and Sanitary Sewer SystemsSanitary Sewer Systems (Site)Resolves to the current adopted revision.sync/sanitary-sewer-systems for sewage force mains outside the station
  • The control narrative, the input and output list, the loop check, and the stroke record: Control Systems IntegrationControl Systems Integration and TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-systems-integration; the supervisory system: SCADA And HMI SystemsSCADA and HMI SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/scada-and-hmi-systems; the control network: Process Control NetworksProcess Control NetworksResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/process-control-networks; the controllers: Programmable Logic ControllersProgrammable Logic ControllersResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/programmable-logic-controllers
  • The power circuit, the disconnecting means within sight of the actuator, and the control and network wiring to the actuator: Common Work Results ElectricalCommon Work Results for ElectricalResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-electrical, Raceways And ConduitRaceways and ConduitResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/raceways-and-conduit, and Control Systems IntegrationControl Systems Integration and TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-systems-integration
  • The compressed air system that supplies pneumatic actuators, to the isolation valve at the actuator branch: Compressed Air SystemsCompressed Air SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/compressed-air-systems
  • HVAC damper and hydronic valve actuators: HVAC Controls InstrumentationHVAC Instrumentation and Control DevicesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-controls-instrumentation and Louvers And DampersLouvers and DampersResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/louvers-and-dampers
  • Building-service, fire service, and packaged-station valves and their actuators: Plumbing Piping ValvesGeneral-Duty Valves for Plumbing PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/plumbing-piping-valves, HVAC Piping ValvesGeneral-Duty Valves for HVAC PipingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hvac-piping-valves, Fire Protection PipingFire Protection Piping and SpecialtiesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-protection-piping, Underground Fire Service MainsUnderground Fire Service MainsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/underground-fire-service-mains, Fire PumpsFire PumpsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-pumps, Backflow PreventionBackflow PreventionResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/backflow-prevention, Packaged Pump StationsPackaged Pump and Lift StationsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/packaged-pump-stations, and Sump And Sewage PumpsSump and Sewage PumpsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/sump-and-sewage-pumps
  • Post-installed anchors for stands and brackets: Post Installed AnchorsPost-Installed Concrete and Masonry AnchorsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/post-installed-anchors; field-applied finish coats: High Performance CoatingsHigh-Performance CoatingsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/high-performance-coatings; valve tags: Mechanical IdentificationMechanical IdentificationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/mechanical-identification
NOTE A plant-wide hydraulic system that serves several actuators from a central power unit is not yet owned by a SynC standard; this standard covers the power unit furnished with and dedicated to its actuators. (1.9)

2 Referenced Standards

2.1 Actuators, operators, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
2.2 Where the Contract Documents, the adopted codes, and a referenced standard differ on the same matter, the most stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
Standard Title
AWWA C541 Hydraulic and Pneumatic Cylinder and Vane-Type Actuators for Valves and Slide Gates
AWWA C542 Electric Motor Actuators for Valves and Slide Gates
AWWA C504 Rubber-Seated Butterfly Valves, 3 In. Through 72 In.
AWWA C509 Resilient-Seated Gate Valves for Water Supply Service
AWWA C515 Reduced-Wall, Resilient-Seated Gate Valves for Water Supply Service
AWWA C517 Resilient-Seated Cast-Iron Eccentric Plug Valves
AWWA C560 Cast-Iron Slide Gates
AWWA C561 Fabricated Stainless-Steel Slide Gates
AWWA M49 Quarter-Turn Valves: Head Loss, Torque, and Cavitation Analysis
ISO 5211 Industrial Valves: Part-Turn Actuator Attachments
MSS SP-101 Part-Turn Valve Actuator Attachment: Flange and Driving Component Dimensions and Performance Characteristics
MSS SP-102 Multi-Turn Valve Actuator Attachment: Flange and Driving Component Dimensions and Performance Characteristics
NEMA 250 Enclosures for Electrical Equipment (1000 Volts Maximum)
NEMA ICS 2 Industrial Control and Systems: Controllers, Contactors, and Overload Relays Rated 600 Volts
NEMA MG 1 Motors and Generators
NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (Articles 430 and 500 through 504)
NFPA 820 Standard for Fire Protection in Wastewater Treatment and Collection Facilities
UL 508A Industrial Control Panels
ANSI/ISA-7.0.01 Quality Standard for Instrument Air
ASTM A36 / A36M Carbon Structural Steel
ASTM A123 / A123M Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Iron and Steel Products
ASTM A126 Gray Iron Castings for Valves, Flanges, and Pipe Fittings
ASTM A276 / A276M Stainless Steel Bars and Shapes
ASTM A536 Ductile Iron Castings
ASTM B584 Copper Alloy Sand Castings for General Applications

3 Submittals

3.1 Action Submittals

3.1.1 The Contractor shall submit the following for the Engineer of Record's review and return before any actuator or operator under this standard is released for manufacture:
  • Product data for each actuator type and size, identifying the governing standard, the output motion, the duty rating, the rated torque or thrust, the stroke time, the motor voltage and phase, the enclosure type, and the materials of the housing, the output drive, and the exposed fasteners
  • A sizing calculation for each actuator, stating the seating, unseating, running, and dynamic torque or the stem thrust furnished by the valve or gate manufacturer, the margin applied, the supply voltage or pressure the output was computed at, the rated output selected, and the maximum torque or thrust the valve or gate withstands
  • The valve or gate manufacturer's written confirmation, for each actuated valve or gate, that the selected actuator's rated output and its torque or thrust limit settings do not exceed the maximum the valve or gate withstands
  • Dimensioned drawings of each actuator mounted on its valve or gate, showing the mounting flange designation, the adapter and coupling, the orientation of the motor and the local controls, the handwheel, the conduit entries, and the clearances for operation and removal
  • Wiring diagrams for each electric actuator and each solenoid-operated actuator, showing the power circuit, the integral or separately mounted starter and control transformer, every terminal, and every signal exchanged with the plant control system
  • The network interface data for each networked actuator, identifying the protocol, the register or object map, the device address plan, and the configuration file
  • Pneumatic or hydraulic schematic for each cylinder and vane actuator, showing the solenoid valves, speed controls, filter regulator, accumulator, and trip valve, with the air or fluid consumption per stroke and the supply pressure the sizing is based on
  • Floor stand, bench stand, extension stem, and stem guide drawings for each operated valve and gate, showing the stem diameter and thread, the stem length between supports, the guide spacing and the slenderness ratio it produces, the stand height, the gear ratio, and the operating effort at the rated thrust
  • Listing certificates for the actuator electrical assembly and, where separately mounted, the control panel
  • A factory test procedure and a field test record form identifying the torque or thrust test, the stroke test, the limit and torque settings record, and the signal verification
Action Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Actuator product data by type and size
☑ Sizing calculation from the valve or gate manufacturer's torque or thrust data
☑ Valve or gate manufacturer's confirmation of the actuator output and settings
☑ Dimensioned mounting drawings with clearances
☑ Wiring diagrams
☐ Network interface data
☐ Pneumatic or hydraulic schematic with consumption
☑ Floor stand, extension stem, and stem guide drawings with slenderness ratio
☐ Listing certificates
☑ Factory test procedure and field test record form
3.1.2 Manufacture of an actuator shall not begin until the submittal covering it and the valve or gate it mounts on have both been returned by the Engineer of Record.
3.1.3 The sizing calculation and the valve or gate manufacturer's confirmation shall be submitted together for each actuated valve or gate, and a sizing submittal that states a torque or thrust figure other than the one the valve or gate manufacturer furnished shall be returned without review.
NOTE The actuator is sized by one party from a number another party owns, and the two submittals arrive months apart on most projects. Reviewing them together is what catches an actuator sized from a catalog torque for a valve of the same size and a different seat, which is the usual origin of an actuator that stalls at the first full-pressure closure or twists the shaft of a valve it overpowers. (3.1.4)

3.2 Closeout Submittals

3.2.1 The Contractor shall submit the following at substantial completion, before the actuators and operators are accepted:
  • Certified factory test reports for every actuator, identified by serial number and by the tag of the valve or gate it mounts on, recording the torque or thrust test, the stroke test, and the electrical or hydrostatic test with their results
  • The as-left settings record for every actuator, stating the open and closed limit settings, the open and closed torque or thrust settings, the stroke time in each direction, the configured network address and parameters, and the solenoid and speed-control settings
  • Field test records for every actuator and every stand, recording the stroke under local and under remote control, the agreement of the open and closed signals and the position signal with the actual position, the fail-safe action where applicable, the stem alignment check, and the operating effort at each stand
  • Operation and maintenance data for each actuator and operator type, including the setting procedure, the declutch and manual operation procedure, the lubrication, and the seal and solenoid replacement procedure
  • A record of the torque or thrust limit setting on each actuator countersigned by the valve or gate manufacturer's representative or compared in writing to the manufacturer's confirmation
  • Warranty documentation
Closeout Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Certified factory test reports by serial number and tag
☑ As-left limit, torque or thrust, stroke time, and network settings record
☑ Field test records for every actuator and stand
☑ Operation and maintenance data
☑ Torque or thrust setting record reconciled to the valve or gate manufacturer's limit
☑ Warranty documentation

4 Quality Assurance

4.1 Manufacturer Qualifications

4.1.1 Electric actuators shall be the product of a manufacturer that has produced actuators to AWWA C542 for not less than five years and has actuators of the same design and size range in water or wastewater service in North America.
4.1.2 Cylinder and vane actuators shall be the product of a manufacturer that has produced actuators to AWWA C541 for not less than five years.
4.1.3 Where the parties disagree whether a listed installation is of the same design and size range, the Engineer of Record shall make the initial determination.
4.1.4 The manufacturer shall furnish an affidavit of compliance with AWWA C542 for each electric actuator design and with AWWA C541 for each cylinder and vane actuator design furnished.
4.1.5 Replacement motors, control modules, switches, seals, solenoid valves, and stem nuts shall be available from the manufacturer for not less than fifteen years after shipment.

4.2 Single-Source Responsibility

4.2.1 Electric actuators on the project shall be the product of a single manufacturer, and cylinder and vane actuators on the project shall be the product of a single manufacturer.
4.2.2 Floor stands, bench stands, extension stems, stem guides, and their gear boxes on the project shall be the product of a single manufacturer, whether they operate a valve or a gate.
4.2.3 Each actuator shall be mounted on its valve or gate by the valve or gate manufacturer, with the stops, the limits, and the torque or thrust settings set and the assembly cycled through full travel before shipment, whichever party furnishes the actuator.
NOTE One actuator manufacturer on a plant means one setting tool, one spare control module, one wiring convention, and one representative at startup. Mounting at the valve factory puts the stop and limit settings with the only party that knows the seat it is setting them against; an actuator mounted in the field is set by a crew that cannot see the seat and has no number for it. (4.2.4)

4.3 Listing

4.3.1 The electrical assembly of each electric actuator, including the motor, the integral starter and controls, and the local control station, shall be listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory as an assembly.
4.3.2 Separately mounted actuator controls shall be furnished in a control panel listed to UL 508A under Industrial Control PanelsIndustrial Control PanelsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/industrial-control-panels.
4.3.3 Solenoid valves, limit switches, and position transmitters on cylinder and vane actuators shall be listed for the location in which they are installed.

5 Service Conditions

5.1 Actuated Valves and Gates

5.1.1 The valves and gates to be power actuated, the motive power of each actuator, and the duty of each shall be as indicated on the valve and gate schedules.
5.1.2 The valves and gates to be operated through a floor stand, a bench stand, or an extension stem, and the operating floor each is operated from, shall be as indicated on the valve and gate schedules.
NOTE Which valves are actuated, and with what, is a property of each location on the project, and a standard that asserts it has decided the control philosophy. The schedules carry it per tag, and this standard carries what every actuator of a given type has in common. (5.1.3)

5.2 Ambient Conditions

5.2.1 Actuators and operators installed outdoors or in an unheated structure shall be rated for continuous operation across the range from Site Ambient Temperature MinimumSite Ambient Temperature MinimumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-minimum to Site Ambient Temperature MaximumSite Ambient Temperature MaximumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-maximum.
5.2.2 Where Site Ambient Temperature MinimumSite Ambient Temperature MinimumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-minimum is below the lowest temperature the actuator manufacturer rates its standard lubricant and seals for, the actuator shall be furnished with the manufacturer's low-temperature lubricant and seals.

5.3 Enclosure Type

5.3.1 The enclosure of each electric actuator, its local control station, and the electrical devices on each cylinder and vane actuator shall be rated under NEMA 250 to the type indicated in the datasheet.
Actuator Enclosure Typeselect
Type 4
Type 4X
Type 6
Type 6P
Type 7
5.3.3 Actuators installed outdoors shall be in enclosures rated Type 4 or higher.
5.3.4 Actuators installed in a wastewater wet well, a headworks, a solids handling area, a chemical room, or another space with a corrosive atmosphere, and actuators subject to washdown, shall be in enclosures rated Type 4X.
5.3.6 Actuators installed in a wet well or in a chamber that holds liquid in normal operation shall be in enclosures rated Type 6P.
5.3.7 Actuators installed in a location classified under NFPA 820 or under NFPA 70 Articles 500 through 504, as shown on the hazardous area classification drawings, shall be in enclosures listed for the class, division, and group of that location.
NOTE A vault below the water table floods, and an actuator rated for rain fills with water on the first flood and loses its controls on the second. The groundwater elevation is a project fact, and the enclosure rating follows it. (5.3.8)
5.3.9 Electric actuators shall be double sealed, with the terminal compartment sealed from the control and switch compartments so that the controls remain sealed to the enclosure rating while the terminal cover is removed.

6 Actuator Selection and Sizing

6.1 Output Motion

6.1.1 Each electric actuator shall deliver the output motion indicated in the datasheet.
Electric Actuator Output Motionselect
Multi-turn
Quarter-turn
Derived — the valve or gate type: multi-turn on a gate valve, a slide gate, or a rising-stem valve, and quarter-turn on a butterfly, plug, or ball valve (by default)
6.1.2 Quarter-turn valves shall be driven by the arrangement indicated in the datasheet.
Quarter-Turn Drive Arrangementradio
○ Direct quarter-turn actuator
○ Multi-turn actuator driving a quarter-turn worm gearbox
Manufacturer's standard (by default)
NOTE A direct quarter-turn actuator carries the full seating torque in its own gearing and is the compact arrangement of small and medium butterfly and plug valves. A multi-turn actuator on a worm gearbox multiplies a smaller motor's torque through the gearbox and holds the disc wherever it stops, and it is how the large sizes are driven, where a direct actuator of the required torque does not exist or costs more than the two parts. Each manufacturer draws the line at a torque that depends on its own range, which is why the arrangement follows the manufacturer's selection for the torque, and the submittal states it. (6.1.3)
6.1.4 Where a multi-turn actuator drives a quarter-turn gearbox, the gearbox shall be furnished by the actuator manufacturer or the valve manufacturer, shall be rated for the actuator's stall torque, and shall be sealed to the enclosure type selected.

6.2 Duty

6.2.1 Each actuator shall be rated for the duty indicated in the datasheet, under the duty definitions of the governing actuator standard.
Actuator Dutyradio
● Open-close duty
○ Inching and positioning duty
○ Modulating-capable duty under supervisory control
NOTE Open-close duty is a full stroke in each direction a few times a day at most, which is what nearly every isolation valve and gate does, and it is rated by the time the motor runs for one stroke. Inching duty is the repeated short movement of a gate or a valve that is positioned by hand from the control room, as a sluice gate that is set to a level and left, and it is rated by the number of starts the motor takes in an hour without overheating. Modulating-capable duty is the continuous repositioning of a valve that follows a setpoint sent by the supervisory system, as a flow-splitting valve set by the operator, with a start-per-hour rating an order of magnitude above open-close duty and a motor built for it. A valve that follows a setpoint computed by a control loop is a control valve and is furnished under Control Valves And ActuatorsControl Valves and ActuatorsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-valves-and-actuators. (6.2.2)
6.2.3 Each electric actuator shall be rated for not fewer than the starts per hour indicated in the datasheet without exceeding its motor temperature limit.
Rated Starts per Hourrange
starts/h
603006001200
Derived — the duty selected in this datasheet, per the rating AWWA C542 assigns to that duty (by default)
NOTE Applying an open-close actuator to a valve that is repositioned every minute overheats its motor within the first season; applying a modulating-rated actuator to a valve closed twice a year buys a motor and a gear train the valve never uses. The rating follows the duty rather than the valve. (6.2.4)

6.3 Torque and Thrust Sizing

6.3.1 Each actuator shall be sized from the seating, unseating, running, and dynamic torque or the stem thrust the valve or gate manufacturer furnishes for the valve or gate it mounts on, at the rated differential pressure and velocity of the valve or at the maximum seating head of the gate.
6.3.2 The rated output of each actuator shall exceed the largest torque or thrust the valve or gate manufacturer furnishes by not less than the margin indicated in the datasheet.
Actuator Rated Output Margin over the Required Torque or Thrustrange
%
102550100
NOTE The torque a valve needs rises after it has sat closed in sludge, after its seat has taken a set, and after its bearings have taken grit, and the figure the valve manufacturer publishes is for a new valve. A margin of 25 percent is the figure most waterworks specifications carry on a quarter-turn valve, and 50 percent is common on a slide gate, where the stem friction and the sediment load on the gate are harder to predict than the seat torque of a valve. A margin of zero is the position of an Owner that replaces its valves on a schedule and sizes against a manufacturer's figure that already carries one. A margin of 100 percent is bought on a valve whose failure to close drains a plant, and it is what makes the limit on the maximum shaft torque below the controlling number. (6.3.3)
6.3.4 The rated output of each electric actuator shall be delivered with the supply voltage at the actuator terminals at the low limit AWWA C542 sets.
6.3.5 The rated output of each cylinder and vane actuator shall be delivered at the supply pressure the actuator is sized at under the Supply Pressure article of this standard, with the spring, where furnished, at the position of lowest net output.
6.3.6 The rated output and the stall torque or thrust of each actuator, and the torque or thrust limit settings on it, shall not exceed the maximum torque or thrust the valve or gate manufacturer states the valve or gate withstands.
6.3.7 Where no actuator in the manufacturer's range meets the margin indicated without exceeding the maximum the valve or gate withstands, the Contractor shall report the conflict to the Engineer of Record in writing before the actuator is selected, and the Engineer of Record shall direct the resolution.
NOTE The maximum shaft torque is the number that protects the valve from its own actuator. An electric actuator sized with a generous margin and a torque limit set at the top of its range twists a stub shaft out of a disc on the first stall, and the valve manufacturer is the only party who knows where that limit is. The conflict between the margin and the limit is real on a large valve, and it is settled by the Engineer of Record rather than by whichever submittal arrives last. (6.3.8)

6.4 Stroke Time

6.4.1 The stroke time of each actuator from fully open to fully closed and from fully closed to fully open shall be as indicated on the valve and gate schedules.
6.4.2 Where the process and instrumentation diagrams show a valve whose closure is timed to limit surge, the actuator shall close within the tolerance of the stroke time stated for that valve, and the closing time shall be adjustable over the range the surge analysis requires.
NOTE A pump discharge valve that closes too fast sends a pressure wave up the force main, and one that closes too slowly lets the column reverse through the pump. The surge analysis sets the time, the schedule carries it, and the actuator is selected for it rather than for the fastest stroke the catalog offers. (6.4.3)

7 Electric Actuators

7.1 Motor

7.1.1 The motor of each electric actuator shall be an integral part of the actuator, designed for actuator duty, and rated for the duty and the starts per hour selected under this standard.
7.1.2 Motors shall be supplied at the voltage and phase indicated in the datasheet.
Motor Voltage and Phaseselect
480 V, 3Φ
208 V, 3Φ
240 V, 3Φ
575 V, 3Φ
120 V, 1Φ
240 V, 1Φ
24 V DC
Per drawings — the electrical one-line diagram and the motor and equipment schedules (deferred by default)
7.1.3 Motor windings shall be insulated with a Class F or higher insulation system and shall be protected by thermostats embedded in the windings that interrupt the control circuit on overtemperature.
7.1.4 Three-phase actuators shall be furnished with automatic phase rotation correction, so that the motor runs in the commanded direction whatever the phase sequence of the supply, and with phase-loss protection that stops the motor and reports the fault.
NOTE A reversing actuator wired with two phases swapped drives the valve closed on an open command, and the first time that is discovered is during a loss-of-power event when the valve was supposed to open. Automatic phase correction removes the field-wiring error from the set of ways the actuator can fail. (7.1.5)
7.1.6 Motors shall be rated for the actuator's own stall torque, so that a stall against the valve seat or an obstruction, held for the time the torque protection takes to act, does not damage the motor.

7.2 Gearing and Manual Operation

7.2.1 The gear train of each electric actuator shall be totally enclosed, lubricated for life with a lubricant the manufacturer rates for the enclosure orientation furnished, and self-locking or fitted with a brake so that the valve or gate holds its position on loss of power.
7.2.2 Each electric actuator shall be furnished with a handwheel that is engaged by a declutch lever, that is disengaged automatically when the motor is energized, and that does not rotate during motor operation.
7.2.3 The effort at the handwheel rim to operate the valve or gate against its rated differential pressure or seating head shall not exceed the limit AWWA C542 sets, through a reduction gear where the output torque requires one.
7.2.4 Multi-turn actuators on rising-stem valves and gates shall be furnished with a bronze stem nut conforming to ASTM B584, replaceable without removing the actuator from the valve, and with thrust bearings that carry the full stem thrust in both directions.
7.2.5 Multi-turn actuators on rising-stem valves and gates shall be furnished with a stem protection tube, closed at the top, of a length that encloses the stem through its full travel.

7.3 Integral Starter and Controls

7.3.1 The reversing starter and the controls of each electric actuator shall be arranged as indicated in the datasheet.
Starter and Controls Arrangementradio
● Integral reversing starter and controls within the actuator enclosure
○ Separately mounted reversing starter and controls in a control panel, with the actuator furnished with motor, switches, heater, and local control station
NOTE An integral starter arrives wired, tested, and listed with the actuator, draws its control power from the motor circuit through its own transformer, and leaves one power circuit and one signal cable to pull, which is why it is what nearly every actuator in water and wastewater service is furnished with. A separately mounted starter is the arrangement of an Owner that standardizes its starters in the motor control center, of a classified location where the controls are moved out of the hazardous area, and of a high-temperature location where the electronics are moved away from the motor, and it hands the reversing interlock and the torque and limit wiring across a trade boundary. (7.3.2)
7.3.3 Integral reversing starters shall consist of two contactors conforming to NEMA ICS 2, mechanically and electrically interlocked, with a control transformer fed from the motor supply and fused on the secondary.
7.3.4 Where separately mounted controls are selected, the control panel shall be furnished under Industrial Control PanelsIndustrial Control PanelsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/industrial-control-panels, and the actuator shall be furnished with a local control station at the actuator having the functions of the Local Control Station article of this standard.
7.3.5 Where separately mounted controls are selected, the torque and limit signals and the motor thermostat shall be wired to the panel so that the panel stops the motor at the limit, on overtorque, and on overtemperature without passing through the supervisory system.

7.4 Local Control Station

7.4.1 Each electric actuator shall be furnished with a local control station on the actuator having open, stop, and close controls and a local, off, and remote selector, operable without opening the enclosure.
7.4.2 The local, off, and remote selector shall be lockable with a padlock in each of its three positions.
7.4.3 In the off position, the actuator shall not respond to local or remote commands, and the handwheel shall remain operable.
7.4.4 In the local position, the actuator shall respond to the local controls only and shall report the selector position to the supervisory system as not in remote.
7.4.5 The stop control shall stop the actuator in any position from either local or remote operation.
7.4.6 Each electric actuator shall be furnished with a local display of the valve or gate position, continuous from fully open to fully closed, readable from the operating floor without opening the enclosure, and with open and closed indicating lights in the colors indicated in the datasheet.
Open and Closed Indication Colorsradio
● Red open, green closed
○ Green open, red closed
NOTE Red for open and green for closed is the convention of the water and wastewater industry and of most plant supervisory displays, where red means a path is open and energy is flowing. The reverse is the convention of some industrial and power plants and of Owners whose existing plant was built to it, and a project in such a plant follows the plant so that one color means one thing across the floor. (7.4.7)

7.5 Setting Method and Position Sensing

7.5.1 The limit and torque settings of each electric actuator shall be set by the method indicated in the datasheet.
Limit and Torque Setting Methodradio
● Non-intrusive setting through the local controls or a handheld setting tool without removing a cover
○ Setting by mechanical cams and switches inside the switch compartment
NOTE Non-intrusive setting leaves the enclosure sealed in the vault where the setting is done, and it is how the actuators of the manufacturers that serve this market are built. Setting by cams inside the switch compartment is the older construction, still furnished on small quarter-turn actuators, and it opens the enclosure to the atmosphere of the vault every time a limit is adjusted. (7.5.2)
7.5.3 Each electric actuator shall sense position and torque by the means indicated in the datasheet.
Position and Torque Sensingradio
○ Absolute position encoder and electronic torque sensing
○ Geared limit switches and mechanical torque switches
NOTE An absolute encoder records position without power and without a battery, so the actuator reports its true position after an outage and after manual operation, and electronic torque sensing reports the torque the valve is taking on every stroke, which is the trend that predicts a seized bearing. Geared limit switches and mechanical torque switches are the construction of AWWA C542's older editions and of the small quarter-turn actuator, and they carry no record of what the valve took. Both are furnished in current product lines, and the choice follows what the Owner's maintenance staff will read and keep. (7.5.4)
7.5.5 Each electric actuator shall retain its position indication and its settings through loss of power and through manual operation.
7.5.6 Limit sensing shall be adjustable over the full travel of the valve or gate and shall be settable to within one turn of the actuator output at the open and closed positions.
7.5.7 Torque sensing shall act in both directions of travel, shall be adjustable from not more than 40 percent to 100 percent of the rated torque, and shall stop the motor and report an overtorque condition when the setting is reached.
7.5.8 The torque sensing shall be bypassed during the unseating portion of the stroke where the valve's unseating torque exceeds its running torque, for an adjustable travel from the seat, and shall be active for the remainder of the stroke.
NOTE A valve that has sat closed under pressure takes more torque to unseat than to run, and a torque setting low enough to protect the valve in mid-stroke trips on every unseating. The bypass lets the actuator pull the disc off the seat and then protects the valve for the rest of the travel, which is why it is an adjustable distance rather than a switch. (7.5.9)

7.6 Closing Seat Method

7.6.1 Each electric actuator shall close its valve or gate by the method indicated in the datasheet.
Closing Seat Methodradio
○ Torque-seated, the motor stopped by the torque sensing at the seat
○ Position-seated, the motor stopped by the limit sensing before the mechanical stop
Derived — the valve or gate type: torque-seated on a wedge or resilient-seated gate valve, position-seated on a butterfly, plug, or ball valve with mechanical stops and on a slide gate (by default)
7.6.2 Where a valve is position-seated, the actuator shall not drive the valve into its mechanical stop, and the closed limit shall be set so that the actuator stops before the stop is reached.
7.6.3 Where a valve is torque-seated, the closing torque setting shall be the value the valve manufacturer states for drip-tight closure and shall not exceed the maximum the valve withstands.

7.7 Heater and Wiring

7.7.1 Each electric actuator shall be furnished with an anti-condensation heater in the control compartment, energized whenever the motor is not running and powered from the actuator's control transformer or from a separate circuit as the wiring diagram shows.
7.7.2 The terminal compartment of each electric actuator shall be furnished with numbered terminals corresponding to the wiring diagram, with not fewer than four spare control terminals, and with conduit entries threaded for the conduit sizes the wiring diagram shows and plugged with threaded plugs until wired.
7.7.3 Conduit entries shall be furnished in the quantity the wiring diagram requires for separate power, control, and network conduits, and a power conductor and a signal conductor shall not share an entry.
7.7.4 Internal wiring of each electric actuator shall be stranded copper, identified at each end to match the wiring diagram, and rated for the temperature inside the enclosure with the heater and the motor at their limits.

8 Interface to the Plant Control System

8.1 Hardwired Signals

8.1.1 Each actuator shall provide the hardwired signals indicated in the datasheet to the plant control system, as isolated contacts or as the analog signal stated, wired to its terminal compartment.
Hardwired Signals to the Plant Control Systemcheckbox
☑ Open limit contact
☑ Closed limit contact
☑ Selector in remote contact
☑ Actuator available or common fault monitor relay
☐ Overtorque in open direction contact
☐ Overtorque in close direction contact
☐ Motor thermostat trip contact
☐ Intermediate position contact, adjustable
☐ 4-20 mA position transmitter
8.1.2 The open and closed limit contacts shall report the position of the valve or gate, not the state of the command, and shall change state only when the valve or gate reaches the limit.
8.1.3 The monitor relay shall drop out on loss of control power, on loss of a phase, on motor overtemperature, on selector not in remote, and on any fault the actuator detects in its own controls, and shall be wired as a normally energized contact to the plant control system.
8.1.4 Where a 4-20 mA position transmitter is selected, it shall be powered from the actuator, isolated from the control circuit, and scaled so that 4 mA is fully closed and 20 mA is fully open unless the input and output list under Control Systems IntegrationControl Systems Integration and TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-systems-integration states otherwise.
8.1.5 The points each actuator exposes, their tags, and their mapping to the input and output list shall be as required under Control Systems IntegrationControl Systems Integration and TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-systems-integration.

8.2 Remote Command Interface

8.2.1 Each actuator shall accept remote commands from the plant control system through the interface indicated in the datasheet.
Remote Command Interfaceselect
Hardwired discrete open, close, and stop commands
Hardwired discrete commands with a 4-20 mA position command
Modbus RTU over RS-485
Modbus TCP
PROFIBUS DP
EtherNet/IP
PROFINET
FOUNDATION Fieldbus H1
DeviceNet
8.2.3 Where a network interface is selected, it shall be the protocol selected under Process Control NetworksProcess Control NetworksResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/process-control-networks, and the actuator shall be furnished with the interface module, the device file, and the configuration that protocol requires.
8.2.4 Where a network interface is selected, the open and closed limit contacts and the monitor relay shall also be furnished as hardwired contacts unless the input and output list under Control Systems IntegrationControl Systems Integration and TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-systems-integration states that the network carries them alone.
8.2.5 Where a 4-20 mA position command is selected or the duty is modulating-capable, the actuator shall be furnished with an integral positioner that drives the valve to the commanded position with an adjustable deadband and reports the achieved position.
8.2.6 Where the process and instrumentation diagrams show an emergency shutdown or a safety trip to an actuator, the actuator shall be furnished with a hardwired emergency input that overrides local and remote control and the selector position, and that drives the valve or gate to the position shown for that trip.
8.2.7 Commands received over a network and commands received as hardwired signals shall not both be active on one actuator unless the control narrative under Control Systems IntegrationControl Systems Integration and TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-systems-integration states which governs.

9 Cylinder and Vane Actuators

9.1 Motion and Construction

9.1.1 Pneumatic and hydraulic actuators shall conform to AWWA C541 and shall be of the cylinder or vane type the actuator manufacturer rates for the torque or thrust and the duty selected.
9.1.2 Quarter-turn cylinder and vane actuators shall convert cylinder motion to rotation by the mechanism indicated in the datasheet.
Quarter-Turn Motion Conversionselect
Rack and pinion
Scotch yoke
Vane
Manufacturer's standard (by default)
NOTE A rack and pinion delivers the same torque at every point of the stroke, which suits a valve whose torque is governed by running friction, and it is the construction of small and medium pneumatic actuators. A scotch yoke delivers its highest torque at the ends of the stroke, where a seated valve needs it, and less in mid-travel, which lets a smaller cylinder seat a large butterfly or plug valve. A vane actuator is a single rotating vane in a sealed housing with no linkage at all, compact and with few parts, and it is built in the smaller torque ranges. Each manufacturer builds its range around one or two of these, and the choice follows the torque curve of the valve against the manufacturer's selection, which the submittal states. (9.1.3)
9.1.4 Cylinders shall be rated for not less than the supply pressure the actuator is sized at, with a design margin the governing actuator standard requires, and shall be cushioned at both ends of the stroke.
9.1.5 Piston rods shall be stainless steel conforming to ASTM A276 / A276M or hard-chrome-plated steel, and shall be fitted with a rod wiper and a rod seal replaceable without removing the cylinder from the valve.
9.1.6 Cylinder barrels, end caps, and tie rods shall be of a material the manufacturer rates for the enclosure type selected under this standard, and fasteners exposed to the atmosphere shall be stainless steel.
9.1.7 Linear actuators on slide gates and rising-stem valves shall be furnished with a rod coupling to the gate or valve stem that carries the full thrust in both directions and that is pinned or keyed against rotation.

9.2 Fail Position

9.2.1 The position each cylinder and vane actuator drives its valve or gate to on loss of air, hydraulic pressure, or control power shall be as indicated on the process and instrumentation diagrams.
9.2.2 Actuators whose fail position is open or closed shall achieve it by the means indicated in the datasheet.
Fail-Safe Means for Fail-Open and Fail-Closed Actuatorsradio
○ Spring return
○ Double-acting cylinder with an accumulator and a trip valve
NOTE A spring drives the valve to its fail position with no stored fluid and no valve to stick, and it is the fail-safe means of small and medium pneumatic actuators, at the cost of a cylinder roughly twice the size, because the air has to compress the spring on every stroke. An accumulator holds a charge of fluid that a trip valve releases to the cylinder on loss of signal, and it is the means of hydraulic actuators and of large pneumatic actuators where a spring of the required force would not fit on the valve, at the cost of a charge that leaks down and has to be monitored. Neither is the norm across the sizes this standard covers. (9.2.3)
9.2.4 Actuators whose fail position is the last position shall be double-acting and shall hold position on loss of motive power by a lock-up valve on each cylinder port.
9.2.5 Where an accumulator is furnished, it shall hold a charge sufficient for not fewer than two full strokes to the fail position after loss of supply, shall be furnished with a pressure gauge and a low-charge switch wired to the plant control system, and shall be charged and tested before the actuator is put in service.
9.2.6 Spring-return actuators shall be furnished with a spring cartridge that is removable as a unit without releasing the spring, and the cartridge shall be marked with the warning the manufacturer requires.

9.3 Supply Pressure

9.3.1 Each pneumatic actuator shall be sized to deliver its rated output at the supply pressure indicated in the datasheet, which is the lowest pressure the air supply delivers at the actuator.
Pneumatic Actuator Sizing Supply Pressurerange
psig
40608090100120150
Per drawings — the process and instrumentation diagrams and the compressed air system schedule (deferred by default)
9.3.2 The air supply to each pneumatic actuator shall be furnished under Compressed Air SystemsCompressed Air SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/compressed-air-systems to the isolation valve at the actuator branch, and the air shall meet ANSI/ISA-7.0.01 at the actuator.
9.3.3 Each pneumatic actuator shall be furnished with a filter regulator with a gauge, mounted at the actuator, set to the actuator's rated pressure, and with the tubing and fittings from the branch isolation valve to the actuator in stainless steel or in the material the actuator manufacturer rates for the enclosure type selected.
9.3.4 The air consumption of each pneumatic actuator per stroke, and the consumption of its positioner where furnished, shall be reported in the submittal for the sizing of the air supply.
9.3.5 Each hydraulic actuator shall be supplied from the source indicated in the datasheet.
Hydraulic Power Sourceradio
○ Self-contained power unit mounted on or beside the actuator, one per actuator
○ Dedicated power unit furnished with the actuators, serving a group of actuators
○ Existing plant hydraulic supply
9.3.7 Where a power unit is furnished under this standard, it shall be furnished by the actuator manufacturer, rated for the actuator's pressure, furnished with a reservoir, a filter, a relief valve, a pressure gauge, a low-level switch, and a low-pressure switch wired to the plant control system, and filled with a fluid the actuator manufacturer rates for Site Ambient Temperature MinimumSite Ambient Temperature MinimumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-minimum.
9.3.8 Where a power unit is furnished under this standard, its operating pressure shall be the actuator manufacturer's rated pressure for the actuator it serves, stated in the submittal.

9.4 Solenoid Valves and Speed Controls

9.4.1 Each cylinder and vane actuator shall be furnished with a solenoid-operated directional valve mounted on the actuator, sized for the stroke time selected, with a manual override, and rated for the enclosure type selected.
9.4.2 Solenoid coils shall be rated for continuous energization and shall be supplied at the voltage indicated in the datasheet.
Solenoid Coil Voltageradio
○ 120 V AC
○ 24 V DC
○ 24 V AC
NOTE A 120 V AC coil is driven from the control circuit of a motor control center or a control panel without a power supply and is what most plant control panels in water and wastewater service switch. A 24 V DC coil is driven directly from a controller output module and a panel power supply, which is the arrangement of a plant whose control panels are built around direct current I/O, and it is the voltage of an intrinsically safe circuit in a classified location. A 24 V AC coil is the voltage of building controls and of an Owner whose existing solenoids are built to it. The choice follows the control panel design rather than the actuator, which is why none is the norm. (9.4.3)
9.4.4 Each cylinder actuator shall be furnished with an adjustable flow control in each direction of travel, so that the stroke time in each direction is set independently to the value on the schedule.
9.4.5 Each cylinder and vane actuator shall be furnished with open and closed limit switches mounted on the actuator and actuated by the actuator output, and with the hardwired signals selected under the Interface to the Plant Control System section of this standard.
9.4.6 Each cylinder and vane actuator shall be furnished with a local control station having open, close, and local, off, and remote functions operating the solenoid valve, and with a visual position indicator on the actuator output.
9.4.7 Each cylinder and vane actuator shall be furnished with a manual override that operates the valve or gate with the supply isolated, by a declutchable handwheel through a jackscrew or gearbox or by a hand pump on a hydraulic actuator.

10 Mounting Interface

10.1 The mounting flange and the drive connection between each actuator and its quarter-turn valve shall conform to ISO 5211 or MSS SP-101, and between each actuator and its multi-turn valve to MSS SP-102, or shall be of the valve manufacturer's design where the valve size exceeds the range of those standards.
10.2 The adapter and the coupling between the actuator and the valve or gate shall be furnished by the valve or gate manufacturer, machined to the actuator manufacturer's drive dimensions, rated for the actuator's stall torque or thrust, and of stainless steel or of a coated ferrous material the valve manufacturer rates for the enclosure type selected.
10.3 Each actuator shall be mounted in an orientation the actuator manufacturer rates for its lubricant, with the local controls and the display facing the operating floor or the access side shown on the mounting drawing, and the orientation shall not be changed in the field without the manufacturer's written agreement.
10.4 The open and closed stops of a quarter-turn valve shall be set by the valve manufacturer before the actuator's limits are set, and the actuator's limits shall be set so that the actuator stops within the stops rather than on them.
10.5 Where an actuator is mounted on a floor stand or a wall bracket rather than on the valve or gate, the stand or bracket shall be furnished under the Manual Operators section of this standard and shall be rated for the actuator's stall torque or thrust and its weight.
NOTE A mounting adapter machined in the field, or a coupling welded to a shaft, carries no rating and no responsibility, and it is the part that shears on the first stall. The dimensioned interface standards exist so that a valve from one factory and an actuator from another meet on a flange both have drawn, and the adapter between them is drawn by the party that owns the valve's shaft. (10.6)

11 Manual Operators

11.1 Floor Stands and Bench Stands

11.1.1 Each valve and gate operated from a floor above it shall be furnished with the stand type indicated for that location in the datasheet.
Operator Stand Typeselect
Handwheel floor stand
Crank-operated geared floor stand
Bench stand
Wall bracket with handwheel
Floor stand prepared for an electric actuator
Per drawings — the valve and gate schedules (deferred by default)
11.1.2 Floor stands shall be of the pedestal type, with the stem passing through the pedestal to a lift nut carried in thrust bearings, and with the handwheel or crank at the height above the operating floor indicated in the datasheet.
Handwheel or Crank Height Above the Operating Floorrange
in.
303642
NOTE Thirty-six inches puts the handwheel at the waist of a standing operator and is the height the stands are cast to, which is why it is the default. A lower stand is set where a crank is swung and the operator leans into it, and a higher one where the stand sits in a curb or a sump lid raises the floor. (11.1.3)
11.1.4 Bench stands shall be of the low type for mounting on a curb, a bench, or an operating platform, with the same lift nut and thrust bearing construction as a floor stand.
11.1.5 Geared stands shall be furnished where the operating effort at a plain handwheel would exceed the limit of this standard, with a gear ratio that brings the effort within that limit and with a removable crank or a handwheel.
11.1.6 The effort at the handwheel rim or the crank handle to operate the valve or gate against its rated differential pressure or its maximum seating head shall not exceed the value indicated in the datasheet.
Operating Effort at the Handwheel or Crankrange
lb
25406080
Default: Not more than 40 lb
NOTE Forty pounds is the effort the AWWA slide gate standards limit a crank or handwheel to, and it is the figure most gate and floor stand specifications carry, which is why it is the default. Eighty pounds is the handwheel figure the AWWA valve standards use, and it is selected where the stands operate valves rather than gates and the Owner's crews are used to it. A lower figure buys a higher gear ratio and more turns, and it is set where the operators work from a platform or where the Owner standardizes on it. (11.1.7)
11.1.8 Each stand shall be furnished with a position indicator showing the valve or gate position continuously from fully open to fully closed, readable from the operating position.
11.1.9 Each stand on a rising stem shall be furnished with a transparent stem cover, closed at the top, of a length that encloses the stem through its full travel, with the open and closed positions marked on it.
11.1.10 Each stand shall be furnished with the direction of rotation to open cast or stamped on the handwheel or the pedestal, matching the direction selected under the standard governing the valve or gate it operates.
11.1.11 Where a stand is prepared for an electric actuator, the actuator shall be mounted on the stand pedestal by the stand manufacturer, with a declutchable handwheel on the actuator, and the pedestal shall be rated for the actuator's stall thrust and weight.
11.1.12 Floor stands and stem guides shall be of the material indicated in the datasheet.
Floor Stand and Stem Guide Materialselect
Cast iron, ASTM A126 Class B, shop coated
Ductile iron, ASTM A536, shop coated
Fabricated steel, ASTM A36 / A36M, hot-dip galvanized to ASTM A123 / A123M
Fabricated stainless steel
11.1.14 Lift nuts and stem guide bushings shall be bronze conforming to ASTM B584, and thrust bearings shall be of a type the stand manufacturer rates for the stem thrust in both directions.
11.1.15 Shop coating on ferrous stands and guides shall be the stand manufacturer's epoxy system, applied over blast-cleaned metal, and stainless steel surfaces shall not be coated.
11.1.16 Where the plant finish scheme assigns a field-applied finish coat to operators, the shop coating shall be compatible with the finish coat system furnished under High Performance CoatingsHigh-Performance CoatingsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/high-performance-coatings, and the stand manufacturer shall state the surface preparation the finish coat requires.

11.2 Extension Stems and Stem Guides

11.2.1 Extension stems that bring the operation of an exposed valve or gate to a floor above it shall be of the material indicated in the datasheet.
Extension Stem Materialselect
Type 304 stainless steel, ASTM A276 / A276M
Type 316 stainless steel, ASTM A276 / A276M
Carbon steel, hot-dip galvanized to ASTM A123 / A123M
11.2.3 Threaded portions of extension stems shall be machine-cut Acme or stub Acme threads, and the stem shall be furnished in one piece or in sections joined by threaded couplings pinned through the stem.
11.2.4 Extension stems shall be designed for the full stall torque or thrust of the actuator or the full rated effort of the stand, whichever operates them, with the ratio of the unsupported length between guides to the radius of gyration of the stem not exceeding 200.
11.2.5 Stem guides shall be furnished so that no unsupported length exceeds the length the slenderness limit permits, shall be bronze bushed, shall be adjustable in two directions, and shall be anchored to the structure by brackets of the material selected for the stands.
NOTE A stem that is too slender between its guides buckles under the thrust it takes to seat the gate it operates, and a guide that is not adjustable is set a quarter inch off line and binds the stem at every turn. The slenderness limit sets the guide spacing, the guides set the alignment, and the two together are what let a crank on the operating floor seat a gate forty feet below it. (11.2.6)
11.2.7 Where a stem cannot run in a straight line from the valve or gate to the stand, the stem shall be furnished with universal joints or with a bevel gear box at each change of direction, rated for the stem torque and enclosed against the atmosphere.
11.2.8 Where the stem of a valve is extended, the extension shall be coupled to the valve's operating nut or stem with a socket that engages the nut over its full depth and is pinned so that it cannot lift off, and the valve's standard shall govern the nut it engages.
11.2.9 Where the stem of a slide gate is extended, the extension shall couple to the gate stem at the coupling the gate manufacturer furnishes under Slide Gates And Stop LogsSlide Gates and Stop LogsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/slide-gates-and-stop-logs, matched to the diameter and thread of that stem, and the extension shall be of a diameter not less than the gate stem's.
11.2.10 Extension stems through a floor, a grating, or a slab shall pass through a sleeve or a stem guide at the opening, and the opening shall be furnished under the standard governing that floor or grating.

11.3 Chainwheels

11.3.1 Chainwheels furnished separately from a valve's own operator shall be of the type that clamps to the rim of the existing handwheel, with a chain guide that keeps the chain on the wheel, and shall be rated for the operating effort of the valve.
11.3.2 Chainwheels shall be furnished with a galvanized or stainless steel chain looped to within 3 ft of the operating floor, and the chain shall be guided so that it cannot leave the wheel.
NOTE A chainwheel furnished with a valve's own operator is furnished under that valve's standard; this article covers the chainwheel bought separately for a valve whose standard furnished a handwheel and whose location on the schedule puts that handwheel out of reach. (11.3.3)

12 Factory Testing

12.1 Actuator Production Tests

12.1.1 Each electric actuator shall be tested at the factory to demonstrate its rated torque or thrust in both directions at the low voltage limit of the governing standard, and the test shall record the torque or thrust at which the torque sensing stops the motor at the settings shipped.
12.1.2 Each electric actuator shall be stroked at the factory through full travel in each direction, and the stroke time, the operation of the limits, the torque sensing, the local controls, the display, the heater, and every signal contact shall be verified against the wiring diagram.
12.1.3 Each electric actuator shall receive an insulation resistance test of the motor and the control circuit before shipment, with the result recorded.
12.1.4 Each networked electric actuator shall be tested at the factory with its interface module communicating under the selected protocol, and the configuration shipped shall be recorded.
12.1.5 Each cylinder and vane actuator shall be hydrostatically tested at the factory at the pressure and for the duration AWWA C541 prescribes, with no leakage, and shall be stroked through full travel at the sizing supply pressure with the stroke time in each direction recorded.
12.1.6 Each spring-return and accumulator-equipped actuator shall be tested at the factory to demonstrate the fail position stroke on loss of supply.
12.1.7 Each assembled actuator and valve or gate shall be cycled at the valve or gate factory through full travel under the actuator with the settings shipped, and the drip-tight closure of the valve under the actuator shall be verified where the valve's standard requires a seat test.
12.1.8 Each floor stand and bench stand shall be operated at the factory through full travel of its lift nut, and each geared stand shall have its gear ratio and operating effort at rated thrust verified.
12.1.9 An actuator that fails a factory test shall be corrected and retested at the manufacturer's cost before shipment, and the retest shall be recorded.
12.1.10 Certified test reports identifying each actuator by serial number and by the tag of the valve or gate it mounts on shall be furnished before shipment, and no actuator shall be shipped without one.
12.1.11 The witnessing of factory tests, the notice given, and the attendance costs shall be on the basis selected under Common Work Results ProcessCommon Work Results for Process EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-process.
NOTE The torque test is the one that matters, because an actuator's nameplate torque is a design figure and the torque sensing is what the valve is actually protected by. A test that records where the sensing tripped, at the settings the actuator shipped with, is the number the field record is compared to on the day the valve stalls. (12.1.12)

13 Installation

13.1 Setting and Connection

13.1.1 Each actuator shall be received mounted on its valve or gate, and an actuator shipped loose shall be mounted by the valve or gate manufacturer's representative at the site, with the stops, the limits, and the settings set as the factory record states.
13.1.2 Each actuator shall be installed with the clearance the manufacturer's drawing shows for the handwheel, the declutch lever, the local controls, the cover removal, and the actuator removal, as shown on the piping plans and sections.
13.1.3 Power-actuated valves shall be supported independently of the connected piping under the standard governing that piping, so that the weight of the actuator is not carried by the valve flanges or the valve shaft.
13.1.4 Power and control wiring to each electric actuator shall be installed and terminated under Conductors And CablesConductors and CablesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/conductors-and-cables, Instrumentation And Control CableInstrumentation and Control CableResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/instrumentation-and-control-cable, and Control Systems IntegrationControl Systems Integration and TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-systems-integration, through separate conduit entries for power, control, and network conductors, and with each conduit entry sealed to the enclosure type selected.
13.1.5 A disconnecting means within sight of each electric actuator shall be furnished under Common Work Results ElectricalCommon Work Results for ElectricalResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-electrical and NFPA 70 Article 430.
13.1.6 The heater of each electric actuator shall be energized as soon as the power circuit is available and shall remain energized throughout construction.
13.1.7 Air and hydraulic connections to each cylinder and vane actuator shall be made with the tubing and fittings furnished with the actuator, sloped to drain condensate, and the supply shall be blown down before connection.
13.1.8 The torque or thrust settings of an actuator shall not be raised in the field above the values the valve or gate manufacturer confirmed, and a valve or gate that does not seat at those settings shall be reported to the Engineer of Record rather than driven harder.
NOTE A valve that will not seat is a valve with a problem the actuator cannot fix: debris on the seat, a disc off its stop, a stem that is bent. Raising the torque setting closes the valve once and breaks it the second time, which is why the setting is a number the valve manufacturer owns and the field reports against. (13.1.9)

13.2 Stands and Stems

13.2.1 Each floor stand, bench stand, and wall bracket shall be set plumb and level on a surface the structural drawings show for it, anchored with stainless steel anchors furnished under Post Installed AnchorsPost-Installed Concrete and Masonry AnchorsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/post-installed-anchors or cast-in anchors furnished under the standard governing the structure, and grouted where the manufacturer's drawing shows grout.
13.2.2 Extension stems shall be installed plumb or in the line the drawings show, with every stem guide set so that the stem turns through its full travel without binding, and the stem alignment shall be checked with the stem at the fully open and the fully closed positions.
13.2.3 Stem guides shall be set at the spacing the approved drawing shows, and a guide shall not be omitted or relocated without the stand manufacturer's written agreement.
13.2.4 Each stem shall be lubricated through its full threaded length with the lubricant the stand manufacturer specifies before the first operation.

13.3 Field Testing

13.3.1 Each actuator shall be stroked after installation through full travel under local control and under remote control from the plant control system, and the Contractor shall record the stroke time in each direction, the operation of the limits and the torque sensing, the agreement of the open and closed signals and the position signal with the actual position, and the operation of the handwheel or manual override with the actuator de-energized.
13.3.2 Each cylinder and vane actuator shall be tested after installation to demonstrate its fail position on loss of supply and on loss of control power, and the accumulator charge where furnished shall be verified.
13.3.3 Each stand shall be operated after installation through full travel of the valve or gate, and the Contractor shall record the number of turns, the operating effort at the handwheel or crank, and the agreement of the position indicator with the actual position.
13.3.4 An actuator whose stroke time, limits, torque settings, or signals do not match the factory record, or a stand whose operating effort exceeds the limit of this standard, shall be corrected by the Contractor before the valve or gate is placed in service.
13.3.5 The loop check of each actuator's signals and the stroke record under the control narrative shall be performed under Control Systems IntegrationControl Systems Integration and TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/control-systems-integration after the field test under this standard is complete.
13.3.6 The field test of each actuator and stand shall be witnessed, noticed, and repeated after a failure under the field test rules of Common Work Results ProcessCommon Work Results for Process EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-process, and the Contractor shall bear the cost of correcting a failure and of the retest.
NOTE The field test proves the actuator against the valve as installed; the loop check proves the controller against the actuator. Running the loop check first produces a control system test that fails on a valve whose limit was set at the factory for a stop that moved in shipment. (13.3.7)

14 Delivery, Storage, and Handling

14.1 Actuators shall be shipped mounted on their valves or gates, with the conduit entries plugged, the covers sealed, the handwheel in place, and the valve or gate in the position its standard designates for shipment.
14.2 Actuators and stands shall be lifted by the valve or gate body, by the lifting points the manufacturer designates, or by slings around the pedestal, and shall not be lifted by the actuator, the handwheel, the stem, or the local control station.
14.3 Electric actuators shall be stored indoors, dry, with the covers sealed, and where stored longer than thirty days the heater shall be energized from a temporary circuit or the control compartment shall be furnished with the desiccant the manufacturer specifies.
14.4 Extension stems shall be stored and transported straight, supported along their full length, and a stem that has been bent shall be replaced rather than straightened.
NOTE A stem that was straightened looks straight and binds in its guides at every turn, and an actuator that sat a season in a vault with its heater off arrives at startup with its electronics corroded. The lifting rule exists because a valve lifted by its actuator carries its own weight through the actuator's mounting bolts, and the limits that were set at the factory are the first thing to shift. (14.5)
14.6 The Contractor shall bear the cost of repairing or replacing an actuator, a stand, or a stem damaged in delivery, storage, or handling.

15 Warranty

15.1 The Contractor shall warrant each actuator, each stand, and each extension stem against defects in materials and workmanship for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of substantial completion.
Actuator and Operator Warranty Periodrange
years
1235
Default: Not less than 1 years
15.2 An actuator that cannot deliver its rated output at the voltage or pressure it was sized at, that admits water past its enclosure to the rating selected, that loses its settings or its position record, or whose controls or interface fail, and a stand or stem that binds or exceeds the operating effort limit, within the warranty period, shall be repaired or replaced by the Contractor at no cost to the Owner.
15.3 The Contractor shall bear the cost of draining the line, of entering a vault or a wet well, and of repairing other work disturbed, where a warranted repair requires them.
15.4 The warranty administration, the fresh term on a repaired item, and the assignment of the manufacturer's warranty shall be as required under Common Work Results ProcessCommon Work Results for Process EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/common-work-results-process.

16 Spare Parts

16.1 The Contractor shall furnish the spare parts indicated in the datasheet, packaged, labeled with the actuator type and size they fit, and delivered to the Owner before substantial completion.
Spare Parts Furnishedcheckbox
☑ One handheld setting tool for each electric actuator family furnished
☐ One control module or circuit board set for each electric actuator size family
☑ One set of fuses and indicating lamps for each electric actuator type
☑ One solenoid valve for each type and coil voltage furnished
☐ One cylinder seal kit for each cylinder size furnished
☐ One stem guide bushing set for each stem size furnished
☐ One lift nut for each floor stand size furnished
16.2 Spare parts shall be the products of the actuator or stand manufacturer and shall be interchangeable with the parts installed.
NOTE The setting tool is the one spare an actuator plant cannot run without, because without it a limit cannot be moved after a seat is replaced. A control module per size family is held where the plant is remote from the manufacturer's service, and a solenoid per type is the part that fails first on a cylinder actuator. (16.3)