The PlayStar Adventure Tunnel is a residential playground accessory designed for children aged two to ten, with a maximum weight capacity of 105 pounds. It is intended for single-family residential use only and should not be installed or used in public assembly places such as schools or parks. The tunnel provides an additional play element that connects to existing PlayStar playsets, enhancing the overall play experience.
Function Description:
The Adventure Tunnel serves as a connecting passage between two elevated play surfaces or between a playset deck and a ground-level activity. It allows children to crawl through an enclosed space, adding an element of exploration and adventure to their play. The tunnel is designed to integrate with various PlayStar playset models, requiring specific modifications depending on the playset's deck height (48" or 60") and existing features.
Important Technical Specifications:
- Age Range: 2 to 10 years
- Maximum Weight: 105 pounds
- Tunnel Opening Compatibility: 21½" opening (requires modification for 48" or 60" high decks)
- Materials: Primarily lumber (2"x4", 1"x4", 2"x6" boards) and a plastic tunnel component. Hardware includes hex bolts, lock nuts, deck screws, truss head screws, and washers.
- Construction: Requires at least two adults capable of heavy lifting. Assembly involves pre-drilling, countersinking, and securing boards with screws and bolts.
- Safety Standards: Designed to comply with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Home Playground Safety Standard.
Usage Features:
- Integration with Playsets: The Adventure Tunnel is designed to attach to existing PlayStar Build-It-Yourself® (BIY) and Ready-To-Assemble® (RTA) playsets. Compatibility charts are provided to guide users on specific playset models and required modifications.
- Deck Height Options: The tunnel kit accommodates playsets with either 48" or 60" high decks, with specific lumber requirements for each.
- Activity Options: Depending on the playset model and tunnel placement (left or right exit), various accessories like climbing walls, climbing steps, slides, or play handles can be added or reinstalled at the tunnel exit.
- Customization: The manual provides detailed instructions for modifying existing playset structures to create the necessary 21½" opening for the tunnel. This may involve removing and relocating vertical panels or boards.
- Anchoring: Playset anchors are required at the base of the tunnel to secure it to the ground, preventing movement and ensuring stability. These anchors should be placed below the shock-absorbing surfacing material.
Maintenance Features:
The manual emphasizes the importance of regular maintenance to ensure the safety and longevity of the playground equipment.
- Annual Maintenance Checklist (Beginning of Play Season):
- Tighten all hardware.
- Lubricate all metallic moving parts.
- Check protective coverings on bolts, pipes, edges, and corners; replace if loose, cracked, or missing.
- Check all moving parts (swing seats, ropes, cables, chains) for wear, rust, or deterioration; replace as needed.
- Check metal parts for rust; sand and repaint with non-lead-based paint if found.
- Check wood members for deterioration and splinters; sand down splinters and replace deteriorating members.
- Reinstall plastic parts (swing seats, etc.) removed for cold season.
- Rake and check depth of loose-fill protective surfacing materials; replace as necessary.
- Twice a Month Maintenance (During Play Season):
- Tighten all hardware.
- Check protective coverings on bolts, pipes, edges, and corners; replace if loose, cracked, or missing.
- Rake and check depth of loose-fill protective surfacing materials; replace as necessary.
- Once a Month Maintenance (During Play Season):
- Lubricate all metallic moving parts.
- Check all moving parts (swing seats, ropes, cables, chains) for wear, rust, or deterioration; replace as needed.
- End of Play Season (or when temperature drops below 0° F):
- Remove plastic swing seats and other items as specified by the manufacturer and store indoors or do not use.
- Rake and check depth of loose-fill protective surfacing materials; replace as necessary.
- Warning Labels: Owners are responsible for maintaining the legibility of all warning labels.
- Cleaning: Plastic components should be cleaned with warm water and mild dish soap.
- Disposal: When the playset is retired from service, it should be disassembled and disposed of in a way that eliminates unreasonable hazards, following local disposal requirements.
- Protective Surfacing: Essential for reducing serious head injuries. Loose-fill materials (wood mulch, engineered wood fiber, shredded/recycled rubber mulch) should be maintained at a minimum depth of 9 inches for equipment up to 8 feet high. Poured-in-place surfaces or rubber tiles must meet ASTM F1292 standards for impact attenuation.
- Placement: Surfacing must extend at least 6 feet in all directions from the equipment. For to-fro swings, it must extend a distance equal to twice the height of the top bar from which the swing is suspended, both in front and behind.
- Head Entrapment: Gaps between boards must not exceed 3½" to prevent head entrapment.
- General Safety Rules for Children: Teach children not to walk near moving items, twist swing chains, swing empty seats, stand on swings, use equipment improperly, get off equipment in motion, climb when wet, or attach unauthorized items (jump ropes, clotheslines, etc.) that could cause strangulation. Remove bike or sports helmets before playing.
- Adult Supervision: Recommended for children of all ages.
- Weight Limits: Only one child per planned activity, with a maximum weight of 105 pounds.
- Clothing: Children should wear well-fitting, full-enclosure footwear and avoid loose-fitting clothing, drawstrings, scarves, capes, or ponchos that could cause strangulation.
- Installation: Follow instructions, do not alter design. Place on level ground, at least 6 feet from obstructions. Anchor playsets securely. Tighten all bolts and remove sharp edges. Do not use until properly installed with surfacing in place.
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