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Thread: Budget temp valve

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    21

    Budget temp valve

    Hi all.
    Any recommendations on a budget temp valve for B&W?
    I will set it at 68F/20C and likely never move it.
    I would like a valve that I can control temp and volume separately.
    At Home Depot they have shower valves with 'scald guard' and other valves that claim to be able to keep the temperature to within 1F. They are certainly budget, being in the $100 range. My only concern is that they may be optimized to work best around 100F and not work well at 68F.
    Thanks for any recommendations.
    Regards, David

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    226

    Re: Budget temp valve

    I use a device called a thermometer well, made by Pfaff/Flo-Temp. it attaches right to the faucet head and includes a photo thermometer. Then I can use the regular faucet valves to control both temperature and flow.

    I don't know if these are being made any more, but I see them occasionally on the bay. I got mine there for ten bucks.

    Brian

    PS: Here's what it looks like:

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    21

    Re: Budget temp valve

    Thanks Brian.
    That is similar to what I am using now.
    I want to go 'upscale' though and have an active temp control system.
    The better shower controls with scald guard should do it. I was hoping to hear from someone who might have some experience with them or something similar.
    Regards, David

  4. #4

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Fort Smith, NT, Canada
    Posts
    47

    Re: Budget temp valve

    Hello David,

    There are two main ways to control water supply temperature fluctuation in a shower valve. One uses spring-loded plungers which increase or reduce the water volume from the hot or cold supply lines when the supply pressure changers. This works fairly well for a shower, say when someone flushes the toilet and the cold water pressure drops, causing the shower water to become hotter in an unregulated valve, or when say the washing machine calls for hot water, dropping the hot water supply pressure and causing the shower water to become colder.

    The second type of valve is usually called a thermostatic tempering (mixing) valve, and comes in various sizes, flow rates, temperature ranges, and safety standards. They actually adjust the mixture depending on the temperature and pressure of the hot and cold water supply. I use a number of them in my home and darkroom, because I heat my house and domestic hot water supply with a wood-oil combination boiler. The boiler can range from about 50 degrees F to over 212 (it is pressurized). There are various systems to deal with boiler overheating. However, since the domestic hot water supply can vary from approx. 120 - 210 degrees F, I use both Watts and Honeywell certified valves. See here:

    http://www.watts.com/pro/search.asp?...static&x=0&y=0

    and here:

    http://customer.honeywell.com/Honeyw...-CCFB4218DD64}

    These valves should be installed with check valves on both supply lines (even if they have integral ones).

    I use one similar to this:

    http://customer.honeywell.com/honeyw...M100C1070-US-1

    for my photo wash water (it is a slightly different model). These will control water temperature very well unless there are extremes in supply pressure or temperature. However, while they have a fast response, and in my experience are stable withing a degree or two (very slow drift) they are not in the same league as the Intellifaucet which I have used, but do not own. I also have a Powers Fotopanel, which works fine, but is rather cumbersome and so I don't use it any more.

    If I did not already have an installed system, I would buy an Intellifaucet.

    Hope this helps.

    Cheers,
    Clarence

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    1,952

    Re: Budget temp valve

    Quote Originally Posted by Clarence Rhymer View Post
    If I did not already have an installed system, I would buy an Intellifaucet.
    I agree with Clarence. An accurate reliable water temperature control valve isn't inexpensive unless you run across a deal. You basically get what you pay for. Cheap solutions can work ok until someone changes the water flow somewhere else in your abode.

    Don Bryant

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Lunenburg, N.S.
    Posts
    24

    Re: Budget temp valve

    Hi: Dave in T.O.
    I just went through this same search for a second time as the result of a move. My last valve was a Moen shower value recommended my my neighbour an institutional plumber. He carries these a a regular item in his emergency repair kit for a large university. My Moen set up with the water supply in my modern home ( the first place) worked great. Not a glitch. I only do B&W at home (previously ran a commercial c-41, E-6 lines with the good gear). My new darkroom, in a 120+ year old heritage hovel, plumbed alittle in the 60's, 80's and 2005 combined with a Delta shower valve has proven not to be as smooth a supplier of tempered water as previously enjoyed. What works in one situation may not in another. The situation is under control, just not perfect. I can live with it. If you have the money and it's that important...then get the "good gear". If not rig something up, if your good at that kind of thing.
    Cheers,
    Neil
    Remember what Red Green says about Handy and Hansome.

  7. #7
    Photographer
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Pine Junction, CO
    Posts
    992

    Re: Budget temp valve

    Here is an item number from Ebay: 260491365439. This seller had eight new Powers Fotopanels selling for $75 each with shipping. I don't think he sold them all. You might check and see if he has any left.
    Keith Pitman

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    CA Central Coast
    Posts
    613

    Re: Budget temp valve

    I gave up on magic valves long ago-one of those periodic drought things. I control temp for film by filling a multi-quart Rubbermaid [or equal] tub. I can get the temp to what I want, like say 72 degrees, in a very short time by adding hot or cold tap water, or, in Julaugust when tapwater is 75 or more, tossing a few icecubes in. by doing this I control the amount of water I use per the Ilford wash recommendations- I then know exactly how many complete changes of water all the film area gets. I also use the pre-rinse for stop, agent. Wash water that doesn't get reused for rough rinsing between fix and clear goes into a bucket and out onto the plants. I keep a thermometer hanging in the tub to see if it drifts, but the mass of the water is sufficient to be stable while I use it up. Replenishing and tempering for washing is done while the film is fixing. Is $10 or less cheap enough? + water savings

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    791

    Re: Budget temp valve

    I use a similar technique. The chems are in empty plastic peanut butter jars, marked for either 35mm or Combi tank. Our water is always fairly cool, how much below recommended temps depends on the time of year. I run the hot water until it reaches max temp at the faucet (120F), then using an infrared therm. trained at the stream, bleed in cold water until it reaches 70F. Then I put a stopper in the sink and fill it about half the height of the chem containers. I let them sit a bit to adjust their temps and go from there. As mentioned, the mass of water is great enough to maintain a constant temp throughout the processing.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    21

    Re: Budget temp valve

    Thanks to all the replies.
    I am going to look into the FotoPanels which I think is fine for my needs.
    Being in Canada, the did not show up on an ebay.ca search.
    I bought one a month ago on ebay and it turned out to be a piece of junk.
    The seller canceled their ebay account and disappeared but luckily for me PayPal covered the loss.
    Regards, David

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