Water Panel

[Adam Touffay]

What's an excellent setup to easily regulate water temp, flow rate, and have filtration for the darkroom. I have seen water panels and wonder which is best and are there feasible alternatives.

[Gem Singer]

Is this for a commercial photo lab or a home darkroom?

[Greg Blank]

There are three makes that I am aware of:

Delta/ usually built into their Plastic sinks.

Lawler Faucet
http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?query=Lawler&x=0&y=0&ac.ui.pn=search.Search

Intelli faucet.
http://www.hassmfg.com




What's an excellent setup to easily regulate water temp, flow rate, and have filtration for the darkroom. I have seen water panels and wonder which is best and are there feasible alternatives.

[Richard Wasserman]

I vote for the Intellifaucet. It couldn't be easier to use and it's very accurate and stable, just set the temperature you want and walk away.

[jeroldharter]

Hass Intellifaucet, low flow version.

[wfwhitaker]

If you're not looking for automation, a simple mixing valve with a thermometer at the output can work well and cost a lot less than a fancy thermostatic mixing valve. In this photo of my old sink (http://wfwhitaker.com/tech/sink_2.jpg) from several years ago, you can see I have three kinds of mixing valves. I wasn't sure what I wanted then, either, so I ended up trying more than I needed. There's a Hass Intellifaucet just left of the Gra-Lab timer, a mechanical thermostatic mixing valve at the right end of the sink and, in the middle of all that mess, there's a copper monstrosity that I made out of fittings from the hardware store. The big round thermometer came off Ebay. I threaded and sweated the rest of it together and gave it the big long snout with the hose quick-release to get the water out where I needed it. Since I lived alone and there were no other demands on the plumbing, that manual mixing valve worked really very well and was what I used 90% of the time. The Hass is truly set and forget and there were times its reliability was useful if I needed to leave the room. The mechanical thermostatic valve on the right was simply to feed print and film washers. It worked fine, too, but without the convenient discrete settings of the Hass. You pay your money and take your choice. But it doesn't always have to cost a lot. Whenever I get a darkroom up and running again, I plan to have the copper creation back in its place. For black & white manually-processed film and paper, it works pretty well.

[Adam Touffay]

Is this for a commercial photo lab or a home darkroom?

This is for a home b&w darkroom.

[Peter De Smidt]

I also vote for the Hass Intellifaucet, low flow version. Mine's been going strong for 10 years.

[Dan Fromm]

My fish room's automatic water changing system uses a Powers Fotopanel. Its been running since early 1981. Seems much the same as the Hass Intellifaucet others recommend.

[Jimi]

I don't know if this panel is sufficient for your needs, I don't have any firsthand experience with it, but here goes: http://www.rosyproducts.com/water_temperature_mixing_panel.htm

[resummerfield]

Another vote for the Hass Intellifaucet, low flow version. I converted about 10 years ago from the Delta panel, and I couldn't be happier!

[Adam Touffay]

Should I go with a water panel such as a Delta, made by Cal Stainless, or by Leonard?

Or should I go the mixing valve/temp regulator route made by any of the above?

What are the differences between the two methods and their pros and cons?

[ic-racer]

Just out of curiosity, what will you be using the tempered water for?

When I built my current darkroom, 9 years ago, I left dedicated wall space for a water panel...I'm still waiting for a case where I need it in B&W processing with a Jobo.

[Neil_4793]

Hi All: I think you'll notice the Rosy product is a self confessed shower value. That's what I had in my last darkroom. A pressure balanced rotary shower value (ask for a rough-in as you don't need the fancy trim kit and spigot). This was recommended to me by my plumber friend is employed at a large University. He said he always carried a spare value in his truck as he pointed out the fancy outfits always died on a weekend during a critical project. He also indicated the shower values never disappointed. I will be installing one in my new darkroom next week. KISS method and plumbing I can handle.

Cheers,
Neil in Da Burg

[Keith Pitman]

I have two -- both obtained at bargain prices. If you're patient you can probably find a good deal. Both are Powers. The one on the left is used for mixing solutions, and miscellaneous duties. The one on the right is used for print washers. It has a flowmeter attached, and two branches: one branch has a solenoid valve controlled by the Gra-Lab that will turn the print washer off based on the time set. Useful when my wife calls me for dinner!

[Turner Reich]

Buy the best and end the quest: Hass Intellifaucet. In dollars US, $545.00 not cheap but it will last a long time and save lots of grief over incorrect temperatures.

[rdenney]

Just out of curiosity, what will you be using the tempered water for?

When I built my current darkroom, 9 years ago, I left dedicated wall space for a water panel...I'm still waiting for a case where I need it in B&W processing with a Jobo.

When I processed 4x5 in deep tanks using hangars, temperature control was critical for the wash water in particular. I'm one of those who likes to keep black-and-white processes within a half degree, having learned the hard way early on.

By the way, for American readers not familiar with one of the more confusing Britishisms: "Value" = "valve". The shower valve might be inexpensive, but if I was building a darkroom again, I'd spring for the better value of the Hass.

Rick "who learned that corresponding with friends from the UK about tuba valves" Denney

[Blair Ware]

I just got a note from Dave Hass, that the current Hass D250 is capable of low flow right out of the box.

[jeroldharter]

Check out my post #418 as well as post #502 of a different setup on this link:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum43/10966-darkroom-portraits-11.html

[Keith Pitman]

I had a Hass. It may have been defective, but it would not hold the temp, so I got rid of it. I've been very satisfied with the Powers units, even though they are "analogue." One came with my sink which cost me $400, plus a drive to Wyoming; the other I got for $50 and it was new and unused.

[Adam Touffay]

Thanks a lot to everyone who responded to my novice's question. Looks like I'll go with a Haas and lead in 5 micron filters.

[Kirsten Flo]

I don't need the hot water or fancy electronic panel. It's scorching hot in south Texas and I just need to go in there and chill. It's an ancient panel that is broken and I don't want to buy another one. All i need is some cold water with jets running. How hard is it to do it. I've already pulled the panel and will be hooking everything up without the panel and heater and see if the pump will work rigged up. I can't see how this wouldn't work.

[Nathan Potter]

The Intellifaucet is very useful if the incoming water temperature is both above and below the temperature needed at the output so that the auto mixing can toggle between hot and cold. But it cannot chill, which as Flo points out in Texas and other semi tropical climates is a big problem. In Austin summer water temperature reaches 85 degree F so no straight mixing valve, auto or manual is useful. One needs an industrial chiller, an ice bath or other alternative to operate effectively at a darkroom temperature of 68 to 75 degrees F. I recently set up a liquid peltier cooler (250 watt capacity) driven by a commercial 24 volt, 15 amp DC supply. It works as a cooler but of limited flow rate (delta 10 degrees F at 0.5 liters per minute). So I really need about a 500 watt unit for the hottest months.

In MA the Intellifaucet worked perfectly using well water at 58 degrees F.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[rdenney]

TIn Austin summer water temperature reaches 85 degree F so no straight mixing valve, auto or manual is useful.

I had this problem in San Antonio, too. I couldn't process in July through early September, and the rest of the year ran between 72 and 75 from the cold tap.

In college (College Station) we retasked a water fountain to work as a chiller, and it worked quite well.

Rick "whose water comes from the well here in Virginia at 56 degrees" Denney