Deadman Technology Should Be Updated

Tired of constantly repairing or replacing those inlet/outlet valves on your blast pot?

Maybe concerned the guillotine pinch valve technology that protects your operator looks more 1822 than 2022?

This Primed Insight addresses these concerns, and as a bonus – can also help increase your blasting efficiency, safety, and profitability.

If you’re still using these inlet/outlet valves… or a guillotine-style pinch valve, we’re going to assume it’s because you didn’t realize their tedious inefficiencies are not the only option.  In fact, in this decade they’re the worst options.  They’re slow, wasteful, and dangerous.

These outdated valves are big money-makers for the spare parts business – because they are literally designed to wear out.  The fact you’re constantly needing to repair and replace them, should help validate our claim.

Full Disclosure:  BlastOne does sell these.  Not because we like them – but because so many contractors still use them.  But our brand promise is to promote Superior Equipment.  And these are far from it.

• They cost you 15-20 psi (22-30% efficiency)
• As mentioned, they’re designed to wear out
• They take nearly 30 seconds for each start-up and shut-down, which is just wasting abrasive and, on the shut-down, is dangerous to your operators
• These are flip-phone technologies – when what you really want is a 5G Iphone 13.

Let’s start with first principles.  A dead-man has two primary functions. 

• Shut off the air supply
• Shut off the abrasive entering that air supply.

The quicker this is done, the safer it is for your operators.  The quicker this is done the less abrasive is wasted. The quicker this is done, the more efficient your system.

So, what’s the latest greatest 5G level of dead-man technology?

Let’s begin with three rules of thumb:

• First, a single valve will always be faster and more efficient than two valves.
• Second, if your project allows for it, electric will always be faster than pneumatic.
• And third, pressure hold pots are more efficient at shutting off air and abrasive than pressure release.

So, if you’re looking for the very best… a system that increases your efficiency, safety, and profitability you can do no better than the following:  An electric relay system paired with a TeraValve. 

Now in certain circumstances the Thompson 2 metering valve would be recommended over the TeraValve and if you’re interested in knowing when and why, this primed insight will help explain it.

Now it’s pretty easy to get from where you currently are to an electric TeraValve set-up.

For those needing a complete overhaul, we offer a TeraValve retrofit kit with electric deadman.  This conversion will update your blast pot to the latest and greatest technology that will improve your pressure, save you 10% in your abrasive costs, and better protect your operators from an accident or mishap.

For blast pots already having a TeraValve – we offer a simple Pneumatic-to-Electric Deadman conversion kit.

And for those with an electric deadman – but needing the TeraValve – we can take care of that as well.

Here’s the big take-away question:

If owning a flip-phone was provably more dangerous than owning an iphone… if it cost more in terms of long distance calls, your monthly bill, replacement batteries, and electric chargers… if it needed to be frequently repaired and it dropped more calls or provided shoddy service… would you still stick with it?

That’s exactly what’s happening by sticking with these outdated technologies.  They are costing you more money and are riskier to the safety of your workers.

If you’re interested in blasting efficiency, safety, and profitability – it’s time to upgrade.