After working on a cattle station the founder of Flowjack Timothy Stewart started a business producing spare parts for large troughs and float valves traditionally used on large cattle stations.
Mr Stewart said Flowjack initially produced flexible float arms to suit large 7.6cm and 10.2cm float valves.
“I realised there was a need for the flexible float arm for smaller float valves when in a dry year my father was having trouble with cattle repeatedly bending the float arm on his only float valve, causing the valve to open and overflow the trough leading to a substantial waste of water,” he said.
“I replaced the valve with a Flowjack float valve and prototype flexible float arm, and he’s had no more problems.”
The flexible float arm has been refined and is now used in QLD, WA and the NT.
“While most customers use the flexible float arm to guard against damage from cattle, one customer is using it to guard against damage from wild pigs and another from his horses.”
Another innovation from Flowjack is the optional manual shut off device that can be fitted to the valve and used to manually shut the flow of fluid through the valve regardless of the fluid height in the trough or tank.
“This can be a cost effective alternative to purchasing another type of valve (e.g ball valve or gate valve) to perform this function.”
He said Flowjack valve heads are designed to be simple, strong, easy to maintain and reliable, are cast or fabricated from 316 stainless steel and are available in 2.5cm to 10.2cm sizes.
“All valves are also available with standard rigid float arms which work well if your float arm and float are well protected.
“We can also supply elbow float arms which have a bend in them, which avoid the cost and complication of a float chain on applications where the trough inlet is approximately less than 200mm below the surface.
“Where a float chain is required we produce a heavy duty float chain kit that uses a split pin and nylock nut on connections to guard against it working loose.”
For enquiries please visit www.flowjack.com.au