For many Wood's Powr-Grip® customers, working in the wet is unavoidable: Installations have to be done in every kind of weather, and stone working normally involves wet conditions. Workers may legitimately wonder whether Powr-Grip products are meant to be used in these environments. The answer is that Powr-Grip makes hand-held vacuum cups and below-the-hook vacuum lifters that are specially designed to deal with wet working conditions.

There are two aspects of wet conditions which should be considered when using Powr-Grip products: the resistance of the product to water damage and slippage that could occur when you are lifting loads that have wet surfaces. As for vacuum-attaching products that resist water damage, Powr-Grip offers both vacuum cups and vacuum lifters:

The N4000 is an economical vacuum cup for use with flat load surfaces. It features a flat, 8" [20 cm] vacuum pad and a lightweight ABS pump and handle. All the components are rust-resistant, to withstand wet working conditions. This vacuum cup is also available with a concave vacuum pad, to lift loads with curved surfaces.

The N4300 vacuum cup combines Powr-Grip's ABS plunger, durable metal handle and a flat, 8" [20 cm] vacuum pad. The result is an ideal vacuum cup for handling stone products: The ABS plunger does not rust in wet conditions, and the metal handle resists grit and contaminates that are common in stone working facilities.

With a press-on design for quick attachment to smooth, nonporous surfaces, the G609 Grifter suction cup allows for quick and easy handling of tiles and similar objects. Its all-rubber construction prevents rust in wet working conditions.

When it comes to below-the-hook vacuum lifters, no product on the market today is designed to be completely water-tight. Submerging a vacuum lifter or using it in heavy rain may damage its components, so these and similar conditions should be avoided. However, the exterior surfaces of a Powr-Grip vacuum lifter can tolerate exposure to mist. In addition, most Powr-Grip vacuum lifters can attach to wet load surfaces without causing damage to the vacuum system, because the diaphragm-style vacuum pumps and other components they use are highly resistant to water damage.

Within the Powr-Grip lines of vacuum lifters, only the vacuum pumps used in high-flow, AC power systems are especially susceptible to water damage. Consequently, we install dual, in-series air filters on these vacuum lifters to prevent water from entering the pumps through the vacuum system. Since wet conditions are typical of stone working, Powr-Grip provides dual air filters as a standard feature on all AC lifters designed for handling stone, including our MT5HV11AC, PT10HV11AC and MT Series Stone Lifters in AC voltages. Furthermore, dual filters are available as an option on all Powr-Grip AC vacuum lifters, so please contact your Technical Sales Representative, if you would like help to determine whether you need this feature.

The second issue that workers in wet conditions must address is the slippage that could occur when lifting wet loads. Moisture on contact surfaces of the load or vacuum pads can diminish slip resistance, thereby reducing the effective lifting capacity of the vacuum cup or vacuum lifter. However, users can take steps to counteract this effect: They should keep the contact surfaces of the load and vacuum pads clean and dry, whenever possible. A vacuum pad's ability to resist slippage is reduced by contamination, wear, age and exposure to sunlight, as well as the condition of the load. Vacuum pads that have surface contamination must be thoroughly cleaned, while those that exhibit wear, stiffness or glaze must be replaced. In addition, all vacuum pads should be replaced on a regular basis (preferably after no more than two years) to ensure that slip resistance is not compromised. If you have questions about the slip resistance of your Powr-Grip product, please contact your Technical Sales Representative for more information.

Whenever you are confronted with wet working conditions, Powr-Grip offers vacuum cups and vacuum lifters that can help you get the job done. Our selection of water-resistant products includes something for almost every application. With proper maintenance and attention to circumstances, a wet environment should not prevent you from using Powr-Grip products in your workplace.

Byron LaRue has more than 10 years of experience writing and translating literature about glass, stone and general materials handling. He is currently serving as the Senior Staff Writer for Wood's Powr-Grip