Intellifaucet D250 - sticking valves

[Tom Kershaw]

I have an Intellifaucet D250 that has suffered from sticking valves (I'm in a hard water area - but all my darkroom water goes through a filter) recently - last weekend I soaked the hot and cold inlet lines with 6% acetic acid for 48 hours and when re-plumbed on Monday evening the machine worked perfectly. However today the valves have started sticking again.

I'm going to investigate further but has anyone else experienced this? - noting that when soaked in the vinegar the valves where in the closed position and perhaps I need to manually manipulate them somehow to dislodge some crud. As I'm in England I'd like to get the unit working again without posting off to the USA for servicing.

Tom

[Peter De Smidt]

Take the two black plastic circles off the top of the unit. Use a quarter or a screw driver to turn the valves. I do this when I shot off the Intellifaucet and the water doesn't stop. Turn the valves until they do. The faucet normally works fine for a while after that. I asked Hass if they could refurbish, but he seemed oddly resistant to the idea.

[Tom Kershaw]

Take the two black plastic circles off the top of the unit. Use a quarter or a screw driver to turn the valves. I do this when I shot off the Intellifaucet and the water doesn't stop. Turn the valves until they do. The faucet normally works fine for a while after that. I asked Hass if they could refurbish, but he seemed oddly resistant to the idea.

Thanks. I now have the unit partially disassembled (electronics board safely to one side) and have the whole "wet" pipe work of the unit now soaking in 6% acetic acid.

Tom

[Luis-F-S]

I'd still send to Hass for refurbishing. L

[mpirie]

What about soaking the valves in a sachet of kettle descaler?

Mike

[Bob Salomon]

Have you asked a plumber?

[Tom Kershaw]

I have now reassembled the D250 and all seems to be working fine.

[Peter De Smidt]

That's great, Tom. I'll have to give that a try as well.

[Tin Can]

Agree, but disappointed if Hass will not repair them

This year I ordered filters and a new power supply from Hass. I also wanted his special very low pressure one way valve but he shipped a normal one instead.

I had lost the original power supply, I will find it one day...

[Tom Kershaw]

That's great, Tom. I'll have to give that a try as well.

The whole process did take up a good chunk of time, but I've run the machine again just now after a couple of hours and still working. I'm planning some printing in the next few days so will see how it holds up with regular use.

[HMG]

A typical sediment or carbon-media filter will not reduce the hardness of water. RO might (I'm not sure) and a water softener will. There are cartridges for whole house water filters that claim to reduce hardness but I don't know how well they work.

[Tom Kershaw]

I was printing in the darkroom this afternoon and the Intellifaucet worked fine, I'm planning to do some more tomorrow, but signs are positive so far.

[Tom Kershaw]

Everything still seems to be working fine with the Intellifaucet.

[Peter De Smidt]

That's great, Tom!

[Luis-F-S]

Agree, but disappointed if Hass will not repair them

Odd, I just sent in a K250 I bought at auction to descale and refurbish as required. Dave gladly issued an RMA. L

[Tin Can]

I was referring to post 2 by Peter


Odd, I just sent in a K250 I bought at auction to descale and refurbish as required. Dave gladly issued an RMA. L

[Peter De Smidt]

It's not that he wouldn't repair them, but just that he did his best to talk me out of his doing so.

[Tin Can]

Perhaps a new one is cheaper than the repair

Lot's of thing like that

Hass does highly recomend his own filters, I am on my second set of Hass filters

I don't have a whole house filter or RO

I buy Walmart distilled water 10 gallons at a time, to drink, coffee, developer and fix. I use Hass water for stop and wash

My negs are clear, no dish soap or Photoflo ever

I won't drink my tap water






It's not that he wouldn't repair them, but just that he did his best to talk me out of his doing so.

[Luis-F-S]

I know in the past, he's talked me through simple things I could do to my K250 so I would not have to send it in, and he was right on the advice! The one I just got, I told him I wanted him to de-scale it and check the unit since it was bought as a backup and I probably would not install it any time soon and he very quickly gave me an RMA to send it in for a check. L

[Tom Kershaw]

The Intellifaucet valves have started sticking again today, so perhaps I need to soak them in acetic acid once a month or so as maintenance.

[scheinfluger_77]

Is there any way to use a small wire brush to remove the scale?

[Luis-F-S]

Have you Emailed Hass to ask for their recommendation? They're usually very helpful info@hassmfg.com

[Fred L]

The Intellifaucet valves have started sticking again today, so perhaps I need to soak them in acetic acid once a month or so as maintenance.

Wonder if it's related to hardness of water ? Also, do you have CLR where u are ? It's for clearing Calcium, Lime and Rust (CLR) and possibly a stronger alternative to acetic acid.

[Tom Kershaw]

Is there any way to use a small wire brush to remove the scale?

When I dissembled the unit there was very little actually visible that would indicate problems. I'll try soaking with a stronger acetic acid solution next, I only used 6% on the previous occasion.

[mpirie]

Maybe kettle descaler sachets would be better (it may be a stronger acid, unless you have glacial acetic?).

Mike

[Tom Kershaw]

My acetic acid is 60%. I'll try this afternoon / evening and leave to soak overnight.

[Tin Can]

Good luck!

I read on the Hass site, valves are SS 301 with teflon seals and guides

Could a valve stem be bent? Perhaps from teflon tape upstream, or other debris induced after the filters?

I use HASS filters but did make a mistake using black iron fittings after the filters, all SS fittings are very expensive

I notice a bit of rust in my HASS water output when sitting for even a couple days

I can see it as brownish water in a 6" flow in clear tubing right after turning on the flow. Gotta be rust...

a bit of rust could inbed in teflon or bend a valve...

[Tom Kershaw]

Well this is odd, I've just done a darkroom session and had no issues with the sticking valves; I'll monitor the situation.

[catalinajack]

Instead of acetic acid try some phosphoric acid. It can be had at Home Depot and is sold as an etcher for concrete. Boaters (I live on a 44-foot boat) use it to descale hoses and plumbing of sea critters. Think barancles and shellfish. Phosphoric acid dissolves them completely and does no harm to the plumbing.

Some day we will back back living in a dirt house. All of my darkroom equiment is in storage waiting for that day.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk

[Bob Salomon]

Instead of acetic acid try some phosphoric acid. It can be had at Home Depot and is sold as an etcher for concrete. Boaters (I live on a 44-foot boat) use it to descale hoses and plumbing of sea critters. Think barancles and shellfish. Phosphoric acid dissolves them completely and does no harm to the plumbing.

Some day we will back back living in a dirt house. All of my darkroom equiment is in storage waiting for that day.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk

Is Home Depot in the UK?

[catalinajack]

Is Home Depot in the UK?Nope, but I'll bet one can find phosphoric acid in many places.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk

[MrFujicaman]

Odd as it sounds, try denture cleaning tablets.

[David Hass]

Hi Tom

Sticking valves are frequently caused by buildup of calcium from hard water or rust deposits.

We are happy to repair any units, no matter how old. However, you can usually fix this quite easily yourself and save a ton of money.

Uninstall the unit and lay down in a sink or tray. Plug the inlet pipes. Pour a mild acid solution into the outlet pipe until full. Solutions can include Lime Away, CLR, citric acid solution or even stop bath solution. Let soak for a few hours, rinse with fresh water and reinstall.

This has been very successful for almost all of my customers.

Dave Hass
Hass Manufacturing Company
371 NY Highway 351, Averill Park, NY 12018 USA
Tel 518-674-8151 Email info@hassmfg.com



I have an Intellifaucet D250 that has suffered from sticking valves (I'm in a hard water area - but all my darkroom water goes through a filter) recently - last weekend I soaked the hot and cold inlet lines with 6% acetic acid for 48 hours and when re-plumbed on Monday evening the machine worked perfectly. However today the valves have started sticking again.

I'm going to investigate further but has anyone else experienced this? - noting that when soaked in the vinegar the valves where in the closed position and perhaps I need to manually manipulate them somehow to dislodge some crud. As I'm in England I'd like to get the unit working again without posting off to the USA for servicing.

Tom

[Tin Can]

Thank you!

and Welcome to this forum!