
Level cut excavations
Doug Sparkes is the owner of family run business Level Cut Excavations in Hastings, Victoria. His company can do any kind of earth moving or excavation and specialise in screw piles and bored piers.
Doug uses the Digga PD12 fitted with a standard double pin hitch connected to his 5.5 tonne Kubota excavator. To install screw piles to a max torque of 11,268Nm Doug had the Digga ECV retrofitted to his drive.
Digga ECV
Also known as the swoosh valve, the ECV turns a standard auger drive into a screw anchor drive. In doing so, it protects the gearbox and motor in your drive from the rapid decompression of oil and pressure build up after achieving required torque.
By the time installation torque is reached and the operator stops the machine, the screw pile has built up rotational energy - similar to a rubber band on a wind up model aeroplane. This can cause the pile to momentarily 'kick back' and force the energy back up the screw pile through the drive shaft, the gear box and the hydraulic motor. This action effectively turns the motor into a high speed pump, generating cavitation of the motor which causes motor failure and potentially expensive replacement costs. The valve allows this energy to release, avoiding the build-up and protecting the drive unit.

Read more about the Digga Energy Control Valve here.
Customer approved
As Doug is using this auger drive regularly in residential builds the PD12 fitted with the ECV was a practical and cost effective solution for him.
We spoke to Doug about his Digga PD12 drive. He explained,
