Southworth PLM 250 User manual

Model# ___________________________________________
Serial# ___________________________________________
For equipment manufactured after May 1999.
Powered Dandy Owner’s Manual
PLM 250™
Elevating Powered Helper
February 2013
Southworth Products Corporation
P.O. Box 1380/Portland, Maine 04104-1380
Phone [phone] • FAX [phone]
www.southworthproducts.com
[email protected]

PLM 250
2 PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER
INTRODUCTION
Southworth’s PLM 250 has been designed to take the effort out of lifting and carrying. The PLM 250
conforms to ergonomic guidelines in order to make them as comfortable and safe as possible. The
battery that powers the platform is sealed for safety and can be recharged many times.
This manual contains information to acquaint you with the safe, proper use
and upkeep of the PLM 250. You should ensure that this manual is available
to personnel working with the PLM 250.
In the interest of safety please read the entire manual carefully and be familiar
with its contents before you use or service the PLM 250. If you have any
questions about any instructions in this manual, please contact your dealer
or Southworth Products Corporation.
The PLM 250 is tted with an identication plate located on the central cross member at the base of
the actuator. The identication plate is stamped with the model number, capacity and serial number;
this information should be provided when seeking spare part inquiries or technical support.
Southworth’s product warranty is shown on the back cover of this manual

SOUTHWORTH
Owner’s Manual
PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................... 2
SAFETY .............................................................................................................. 4
UNPACKING ........................................................................................................ 5
Transit Damage..................................................................................... 5
Hazardous Environments...................................................................... 5
High Cycle Applications......................................................................... 5
SPECIFICATIONS................................................................................................. 5
PARTS BREAK DOWN ......................................................................................... 6
OPERATION.......................................................................................................... 7
Platform Control .................................................................................... 7
 CasterConguration ............................................................................. 7
Brake..................................................................................................... 7
Direction Lock........................................................................................ 7
Battery................................................................................................... 8
BATTERY LIFE...................................................................................................... 8
CONTROL BOX .................................................................................................... 8
ACTUATOR ........................................................................................................... 9
LOAD CAPACITY .................................................................................................. 9
MAINTENANCE .................................................................................................. 10
Monthly................................................................................................ 10
Annually............................................................................................... 10
TROUBLE SHOOTING ....................................................................................... 10
ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS................................................................. 11
RETURN MATERIALS AUTHORIZATION (RMA) ............................................... 12
WARRANTY ........................................................................................................ 13
LIST OF FIGURES
Fig 1 PLM 250................................................................................................ 6
Fig 2 Pinch Points .......................................................................................... 7
Fig 3 Battery Pack & Control Box................................................................... 8
Fig 4 Labels and Precautionary Markings...................................................... 9

PLM 250
4 PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER
SAFETY
The safety of all persons operating, maintaining, repairing, or in the vicinity of the PLM 250 is of paramount
concern to Southworth. Therefore, throughout this manual, Southworth has identied certain hazards
which may occur in the use of the PLM 250 and provided appropriate instructions or precautions which should
be taken to avoid these hazards. In some cases, Southworth has also pointed out the consequences that
mayoccurif theseinstructions or precautions are not followed. Southworth uses the following system of identifying
the severity of the hazards associated with its products:
“DANGER” Immediate hazard which will result in severe personal injury or death.
“WARNING” Hazardous or unsafe practice which could result in severe personal injury
or death.
“CAUTION” Hazardous or unsafe practice which could result in minor personal injury
or property damage.
Please read and follow the instructions in this manual, including all safety instructions and
precautions, carefully and completely.

SOUTHWORTH
Owner’s Manual
PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER 5
UNPACKING AND SET-UP OF THE PLM 250
1) Cut the banding straps and remove the PLM 250 from the box. (Make sure all of the parts are included before the box is discarded.
when such hazards exist.
HIGH CYCLE APPLICATIONS
The PLM 250 is designed for intermittent use.
For high cycle operations, the following should be observed:
1) The PLM 250 is designed to achieve a
minimum life of approximately 10,000 cycles. For
intermittent use, this equates to many years of service.
2) The PLM 250 linear actuator should not exceed six (6)
full cycles per hour. The recommended duty cycle for the
actuator motor is 10%. This means that the motor should
not be operated for more than 6 minutes of every hour.
Figure 1.)
2) Attach the handle to the PLM 250 by sliding the two threaded
ends of the handle into the pockets that are welded to the
base frame. Using the lock washers and the nuts, secure
rmly.
3) Locate the battery control box assembly. Attach the assembly
to the handle using the 4 self tapping screws, making sure the
control box is to the right and the battery box is to the left. This
allows the actuator to plug into the control box.
4) Make all the correct electrical connections
(gure 3).
TRANSIT DAMAGE
Inspect the PLM 250 for signs of damage in transit,
paying particular attention to the electrical cabling. If there is
evidence of damage, contact your Southworth dealer before
using the PLM 250.
HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS
The PLM 250’s electrical equipment is not suitable for use in
ammable or explosive environments and must never be used
SPECIFICATIONS
Capacity 500 lbs
Platform Size 19-5/8” x 31-1/2”
Lowered Height 14-1/4”
Raised Height 32-1/2”
Vertical Travel 19”
Weight 20 lbs
Dimensions (L x H x W) 38” x 37” x 19-5/8”
Casters 5”
Rise Time 36 Seconds

PLM 250
6 PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER
Figure 1. PLM 250
PARTS BREAK DOWN
PARTS Part #
Platform & Frame 3060649
Directional Caster 5905969
Brake Caster 5905970
Front Caster 5905968
Battery Pack 5905918
Battery Mounting Bracket 5905920
Control Box 5905917
Hand Control 5905958
Actuator 5905916
Decal Kit 3055607
Hand Control
Platform and Frame
Handle
Battery Pack
Control Box
Bottom Pivot
Direction Lock Caster
Brake Caster
Power Lead
Actuator
Center Pivot
Rollers
Lockwasher and Nut
Lockwasher and Nut

SOUTHWORTH
Owner’s Manual
PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER 7
OPERATING THE PLM 250
PLATFORM CONTROL
The position of the platform is controlled with a push button
switch located on the hand control. The PLM 250 can be raised
by pressing the UP button on the switch or lowered by pressing
the DOWN button on the switch.
WARNING!
As the PLM 250 platform moves up and
down, “pinch points” are created where
the scissor legs cross, where the legs
meet the base and platform and in the
path on which the rollers travel. When
operating the PLM 250, be careful to
ensure that nobody becomes caught in
the moving parts. (gure 2)
CASTER CONFIGURATION
The PLM 250 is supplied with four swiveling casters. One of
the rear casters is tted with a brake and the other rear caster
has a direction lock.
BRAKE
The brake prevents the caster from both swiveling and rolling.
Press the lever located on the top of the caster to engage the
brake.
CAUTION!
The brake is an important safety device.
Please ensure it is engaged when the
PLM 250 is unattended. Attempt to nd
level ground whenever possible.
DIRECTION LOCK
The direction lock prevents the caster from swiveling but allows
the caster to roll as usual. Use it when pushing the PLM 250 in
a straight line to provide greater stability.
Figure 2.
PLM 250 Pinch Points

PLM 250
8 PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER
BATTERY
The PLM 250 is supplied with a 24 volt battery pack which snaps
easily on to the control box. This allows for a quick exchange
of battery packs if needed. The control box is mounted to the
handle of the PLM 250 for easy access. The control box includes
a quick disconnect hand control, and an internal charger.
WARNING!
The battery contains lead acid and should
not be punctured or damaged. Seek urgent
medical advice if acid contacts skin or clothing.
Ensure that the battery is disposed of safely and
according to local regulations.
WARNING!
There is a ventilation hole in the back on the
battery pack. This hole must remain clean and
unblocked to ensure that positive pressure
within the control box is released.
CAUTION!
Because of the batteries self-discharge, over
time you can not expect the battery to be fully
charged. When you receive your PLM 250 it is
recommended that you charge the battery
immediately. The initial charge needs to be for
a minimum of 24 to 48 hours. After this rst
initial charging, there is a maximum charging
time of 6 hours to reach the batteries full
charge capacity.
BATTERY LIFE
The life of the battery is determined on the amount of usage
between charging. This is best explained as follows:
• 100% discharging depth: If the battery is totally discharged,
there is approximately 180 charging cycles available.
• 50% discharging depth: If the battery is 50% discharged,
there is approximately 400 charging cycles available.
• 30% discharging depth: If the battery is 30% discharged,
there is approximately 1200 charging cycles available.
Therefore it is recommended to recharge the battery as
frequently as possible. Doing this will ensure the longest battery
life available.
CONTROL BOX
Your control box is equipped with some special features. It
has an internal charger with a 10 ft. charging cord, a soft start
and stop function which eliminates jumping of the actuator and
table. There is a unique acoustic alarm feature that tells you
when the battery is at 50% capacity. The hand control, which
is clearly marked with UP and DOWN buttons, comes with a
24” coil cord.
Figure 3. Battery Pack and
Control Box

SOUTHWORTH
Owner’s Manual
PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER 9
ACTUATOR
The PLM 250’s actuator is one of its best features. You can
hardly tell it’s running because of its low noise level that’s below
45db. It has built-in end-stop switches for protection against dead
heading or damaging the actuator. The operating mechanism is
a simple screw jack that’s driven by an internal DC motor.
LABELS AND PRECAUTIONARY
MARKINGS
#1 2986306 – Danger
#2 2998429 – SOUTHWORTH
#4 2998433 – 500 lb Capacity
#5 5904642 – SOUTHWORTH
#6 2986968 – Name Plate
LOAD CAPACITY
The load capacity is stamped into the identication plate located
on the central cross-member, at the base of the actuator and
capacity stickers on either side of the table. (gure 4) The PLM
250 contains an overload protection device that may cut power
to the unit if overloaded. If this occurs, make sure that the PLM
250 is not loaded beyond its capacity. The device will reset
within a matter of seconds and power will be restored. The load
capacity is based on the load applied centrally and uniformly
to the platform.
CAUTION!
Do not overload the PLM 250, as this may
damage the unit.
CAUTION!
Do not let loads signicantly overhang
the platform, as this could result in the
platform being overloaded, and cause the
PLM 250 to tip over.
Figure 4.
Labels and
Precautionary Markings

PLM 250
10 PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER
PROBLEM
PLM 250 will not raise.
PLM 250 is slow to raise
or will not raise to the
top.
PLM 250 will not lower.
POSSIBLE CAUSES
1) Power is not supplied to the
actuator.
2) Batteries are discharged.
3) An electrical fault may exist or the
actuator may have burned out.
1) Batteries are discharged.
2) A fault may exist with the motor/
switch.
1) Power is not supplied to the
actuator.
2) Batteries are discharged.
REMEDY
Check whether the power cable
is plugged in.
Recharge the batteries.
Contact Southworth Customer
Service Dept. 1-800-743-1000.
Recharge the batteries.
Contact Southworth Customer
Service Dept. 1-800-743-1000.
Check whether the power cable
is plugged in.
Recharge the batteries.
MAINTENANCE
The PLM 250 requires minimal maintenance. The PLM 250 is
designed for a life of approximately 10,000 cycles after which
a new actuator may be required.
Daily inspection: Make sure there are no foreign objects in the
way of the rollers and the scissor legs. Make sure all wires are
plugged into the control box.
MONTHLY MAINTENANCE
1) Check all welds, making sure they are intact, no cracks
or broken spots.
2) Turn the PLM 250 on its side and check that the caster
bolts are tight. If the caster with the direction lock requires
tightening, engage the direction lock and ensure that the
castor is pointing straight ahead before tightening.
3) Check that the cotter pins on the actuator pivot bolts are
in place.
4) Inspect the cable and plug for signs of damage.
5) Inspect the battery control box assembly for obvious signs
of abuse.
6) Use a clean rag to wipe the paths along which the rollers
travel.
7) Lubricate (WD-40) pivots and roller pins.
ANNUALLY OR 3000 CYCLES
1) Dismantle.
2) Lubricate (WD-40) pivots and roller pins.
3) Clean.
4) Reassemble.
TROUBLE SHOOTING
The PLM 250 should provide years of trouble-free service.
However, in the event you experience difculties with the PLM
250 , the following may help you identify the problem.
You may, of course, contact Southworth’s Customer Service
Dept. at 1-800-743-1000.

SOUTHWORTH
Owner’s Manual
PLM 250 — ELEVATING POWERED HELPER 11
Ordering Replacement Parts
Southworth has carefully chosen the components in your unit to be the best available for the purpose.
Replacement parts should be identical to the original equipment. Southworth will not be re-
sponsible for equipment failures resulting from the use of incorrect replacement
parts or from unauthorized modications to the machine.
Southworth will gladly supply you with replacement parts for your Southworth lift. With your order, please
include the model number and the serial number of the unit. You will nd these numbers on the name
plate.
To order replacement parts, please call the Parts Department at [phone]. Parts are shipped
subject to the following terms:
• FOB factory.
• Returns only with the approval of our parts department.
• Payment net 30 days (except parts covered by warranty).
• Freight collect (except parts covered by warranty).
Parts replaced under warranty are on a “charge-credit” basis. We will invoice you when we ship the
replacement part, then credit you when you return the assumed substandard part, and we verify that it
is covered by our warranty. Labor is not covered under warranty for Parts orders.
Parts Department
Southworth Products Corp
P.O. Box 1380
Portland, ME 04104-1380
Telephone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
[email protected]

RETURN MATERIALS AUTHORIZATION
(RMA) PROCEDURES
The Southworth Return Authorization (RMA) Procedure is provided as a courtesy to our customers in the event a product or
a component may need to be returned.
If a customer wishes to return a Southworth product, the rst step in the process is to request an RMA number from the
Customer Service Department. This request must be made on or before the thirtieth (30th) calendar day following the date
of Southworth’s invoice for the merchandise being returned.
The RMA number must appear on the outside of any packaging material for a return to be
accepted and processed at Southworth manufacturing facility. Customers shipping returns back to Southworth, from the
continental US, Canada or Mexico have thirty (30) days from the effective date of the RMA to have the merchandise arrive
freight prepaid at Southworth. If the RMA number is missing or expired (beyond 30 days) it may be refused at Southworth. If
any RMA is expired, contact the Customer Service Department before returning to Southworth.
All RMA’s are subject to the appropriate restocking fees. All credits issued are less restocking fees as applicable, plus any
assessed outbound/inbound in-transit damages.
Return addresses: please refer to your RMA for the specic address to which your product should be returned. South-
worth has multiple facilities and returning goods to other than the designated location will result in goods being refused.
Please contact the Customer Service Department at anytime regarding questions to this procedure.
Southworth Products Corp
P.O. Box 1380
Portland, Maine 04104
PH: 1-800-743-1000 or 1-207-878-0700 FAX: [phone]
www.SouthworthProducts.com

Southworth Products Corp warrants this product to be free from defects in material
or workmanship for a period of 1 year of single shift usage from date of shipment,
providing claim is made in writing within that time period. This warranty shall not cover
modied designs for special applications, failure or defective operation caused by
misuse, misapplication, negligence or accident, exceeding recommended capacities,
failure to perform required maintenance or altering or repairing, unless alteration is
authorized by Southworth Products Corp. Except as set forth herein, there are no
other warranties, express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and
tness for a particular purpose, all of which are hereby excluded.
Southworth Products Corp makes no warranty or representation with respect to the
compliance of any product with state or local safety or product standard codes, and
any failure to comply with such codes shall not be considered a defect of material or
workmanship under this warranty. Southworth Products Corp shall not be liable for
any direct or consequential damages arising out of such noncompliance.
Southworth Products Corp’s obligation under this warranty is limited to the replace-
ment or repair of defective components at its factory or another location at Southworth
Products Corp’s discretion. This is buyer’s sole remedy. Except as stated herein,
Southworth Products Corp will not be liable for any loss, injury or damage to persons
or property, nor for direct, indirect, or consequential damage of any kind, resulting
from failure or defective operation of said product.
This warranty may be altered only in writing by Southworth Products Corp, Portland,
Maine.
SOUTHWORTH PRODUCTS CORP
P.O. Box 1380, Portland, ME 04104-1380
Telephone:(800)743-1000•(207)878-0700
Fax: [phone]
www.SouthworthProducts.com
1 YEAR WARRANTY

For more information, contact Southworth Products
Telephone [phone] Fax [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Southworth is the world class supplier of products designed to improve productivity and enhance
safety. Our staff has over 400 years of engineering experience. If one of our standard products
does not meet your needs, our engineers can custom design equipment specifically suited to your
material handling application.
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