What causes fault code CONV-SPIRAL1 (Spiral Conveyor — Chain Tension / Gap Fault)?

Chain stretch from normal wear — spiral chain elongates over time. Take-up cylinder air pressure too low — not maintaining chain tension. Product jammed between slats — forced chain apart. Slat broken or missing — gap sensor detecting oversized gap. Drive chain or belt between motor and spiral input shaft slipping

How do I fix fault code CONV-SPIRAL1?

Check take-up cylinder air pressure — typically 40-60 PSI depending on manufacturer. Inspect chain tension by pressing on the chain mid-span — should deflect less than 1 inch. Walk the spiral and inspect all slats — look for broken, cracked, or missing slats. Check for product jammed between slats or in the chain path. If chain is excessively stretched, remove links per manufacturer procedure — maintain minimum bend radius. Lubricate chain per manufacturer schedule — spiral chains require frequent lubrication due to continuous bending

Spiral Conveyor — Chain Tension / Gap Fault

CONV-SPIRAL1

Spiral elevator or lowerator conveyor chain tension out of specification or gap between slats has exceeded maximum allowable distance.

high conveyor

conveyor spiral elevator chain tension slat gap

Probable Causes (ranked)

Chain stretch from normal wear — spiral chain elongates over time
Take-up cylinder air pressure too low — not maintaining chain tension
Product jammed between slats — forced chain apart
Slat broken or missing — gap sensor detecting oversized gap
Drive chain or belt between motor and spiral input shaft slipping

Fix Steps

1 Check take-up cylinder air pressure — typically 40-60 PSI depending on manufacturer
2 Inspect chain tension by pressing on the chain mid-span — should deflect less than 1 inch
3 Walk the spiral and inspect all slats — look for broken, cracked, or missing slats
4 Check for product jammed between slats or in the chain path
5 If chain is excessively stretched, remove links per manufacturer procedure — maintain minimum bend radius
6 Lubricate chain per manufacturer schedule — spiral chains require frequent lubrication due to continuous bending

Field Trick

Spiral conveyor chains wear faster on the inside of the spiral because the inner links travel a tighter radius. When measuring chain wear, always measure on the inside of a curve, not on a straight section. That's where it will fail first.

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