All About Valves

Archive for the ‘Water Valves’ Category

I need to turn off the supply of water to my shower. I found the back access panel, opened it up and am looking at the Valves to turn off the supply of water. They are very hard to turn either way, but I dont know which way to turn them, to turn off the supply of water.

Just remember: Righty tighty, lefty loosey (except for explosive gas). To the right is tight — off.

ideally one on each faucet and one on the main main one on the toilet

Hello all
Does anybody know of some hardware and/or software that will let me control a number of liquid valves and sense temperatures with probes away from the PC. I’m sure that there must be something out there somewhere???
I’ve done the usuall googleing but with no luck.
Thanks In Advance Rich
Hello all
Does anybody know of some hardware and/or software that will let me control a number of liquid Valves and sense temperatures with probes away from the PC. I’m sure that there must be something out there somewhere???
I’ve done the usuall googleing but with no luck.
Thanks In Advance Rich

All I need to do is open and close a valve(6inch) allowing liquid to be added into tank (computer controlled) and a tank under that tank with water in it that is fed by a hot water supply that is running past it. Valves can divert hot water into the lower tank when it cools to say 35c to up the temp to 37c again. This keeps the upper tank at 37c. Maybe theres a lego machines software out there???

This must be achivable with a simple program that has allready been written?

TA

Rather than get all complicated with control valves and switches, why don’t you just add a heating element and temp controller to the top tank? This will have the advantage of having zero moving parts and would be more reliable.

However if you really want to go the valvle route you need to start with the design of the pipe system and understand exactly how it is going to operate before you try to automate it. For example these valves you want to control, are they going to be electrically operated or pneumatic. Will the valves need to modulate to control flow or will full on or full off flow control do? Same for temp sensing, do you need to read temperature into your controller or can you use a temp switch which provides ON/Off input to the control system

These simple question will help determine your control strategy and minimized the complexity of the controller and system.

Having a PC control a critical system is not recommended. I would recommend a small micro/nano sized PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) which has limited Input/Ouput capability but has the advantage of being robust and stand alone. Analog input are available for these small PLC’s and some micro PLC’s have the ability to add additional function modules (Temperature input, Digital Output, Digital Inputs)

Some brands of micro PLC’s are Keyence, GeFanuc, Unitronics.

The Unitronics brand has teh advantage of providing some free software which allows communication between the PLC and a PC for exchange of information and data logging directly in to a spreadsheet.

When I turn hot water on all the way I get very low flow but cold water has good flow,this is at the spout before I swtch to shower,It is at both my bathrooms also the sink flow is good on both hot and cold.

Maybe a "low flow" shower head?

Everyone wants to find that magic weight loss program that allows him or her to lose weight easily. Often you will find that you have to give up something to lose weight, however, you should never have to give up your health. Some weight loss methods can be very hazardous to your health.

It may seem tempting to follow an easy weight loss plan but you need to be sure that you understand the plan and the risks that can be associated with these types of plans.

Some people have turned to prescription pills to help them lose weight. Some people use amphetamines to help them lose weight, but most doctors do not want to give these types of prescriptions for weight loss.

These prescriptions only suppress your appetite and your habits are not changed, so when you go off the medication you tend to quickly gain back the weight you lost. These prescription diet pills can also be addictive and can cause many side effects such as sleeplessness, heart problems, hypertension, and hallucinations.

Ephedra is an herb that many have turned to, to try to lose weight. It is an Asian herb and is found in a variety of weight loss products. Ephedra does suppress appetite. However, over 70 deaths have been associated with taking Ephedra. This can be a dangerous way to lose weight and you do not want to harm your health, or even die, trying to lose weight.

Another weight loss supplement is called Fen-phen and was very popular in the 90′s. Fen-phen is Phentermine Fenfluarmine-phentermine. Together they ended up causing damage to Valves in the hearts and were implicated in deaths to that effect. Now you can still purchase weight loss products that contain Phetermine by itself, however there are a variety of side affects that include hypertension, dizziness, headaches, irregular heartbeat, and insomnia.

Some people have turned to home remedies to help purge away weight and have used laxatives to do this. Using laxatives in this way, which is not their intended use, can actually cause irregular heart rate, low potassium, and even damage to the pancreas. Some people not only have used laxatives to purge their systems but some have begun forcing themselves to vomit or have used enemas to help purge their system. These methods can all be very dangerous leading to vitamin deficiencies and damage to the esophagus.

Many people have also used smoking as a way to control their weight. Some people have been afraid to quit smoking because they were afraid of weight gain. Smoking can be very detrimental to your health and to equal the bad effects of smoking you would have to gain over 100 pounds to equal them. If you want to lose weight you need to find a way to deal with any cravings for food you may have instead of turning to cigarettes.

Diuretics have also been used to help people with weight loss. Diuretics get rid of fluids in the body and it often gets rid of fluids that you need such as electrolytes. You can actually end up dehydrated and it can lead to water retention. If you continually use diuretics you can end up with severe kidney problems and this could result in kidney failure or heart failure, which can kill you.

Remember that while weight loss can help you improve your health, losing weight in an unhealthy manner can lead to many other medical problems. Your health is important and so is losing weight, but you need to be sure that you find a way to lose the weight in a healthy way. Often consulting with your doctor can help you find a healthy way to lose weight.

Yuki Shoji
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/avoid-these-dangerous-weight-loss-methods-102177.html

I saw an outlet feeding maybe a dishwasher. The water lines under the sink criss crossed near the outlet and the pipes in the wall that fed the water lines with cutoff Valves right there inside the wall, were very close to the outlet. Any codes cover that?

Any recept that’s within 3′ of a water supply has to be either a GFI itself, or on a GFI protected circuit. That would be about the only one I can think of.

Indoor climate control in cold regions is very important. As per ergonomics the floor temperature should range between 19 to 29 degrees C and the air temperature should range between 20 to 24 degrees C for maximum efficiency.

There are two types of indoor climate control namely convection type and radiant type. Convection type heats the air then air is moved around the interiors. Convection type uses systems like radiators, blowers and fireplaces. Radiant heating systems heat the floor using air, liquid or electricity.

A radiant system is a modern and superior system to a convection type system. The convection system heats the air and does not heat the floor whereas the ideal system should heat the floor more than the air. In a convection system the air tends to escape as it becomes lighter and moves towards the ceiling. Further convection systems can be harmful to people suffering from allergies or asthma as air is circulated. A convection system is not aesthetically good to look at, whereas the radiant systems go underneath the floor and are invisible.

Air Type Floor Heating System

In this system the air is heated in a central radiator and passed through pipes underneath the floor. However air heating systems are not popular because they are unable to retain heat over time. Hence they are used only where little heat is required such as mildly cold regions.

Water or Liquid Type Floor Heating System

In this type warm water is circulated in pipes laid under the floor. Usually 5/8-inch tubes are used. The water is heated in a boiler and circulated by means of thermo siphon. Thermo siphon is a natural system to flow water in tubes. A small pump is used to purge air bubbles trapped in the tubes. There are cutoff Valves in case you want to heat a particular room and not other rooms. The tubes usually have a life of 100 years and require very little maintenance. The same system can be used to circulate chilled water if the weather becomes hot. This system is the most common and electricity savings of 40 to 15% are common.

Electricity Type Floor Heating

In this type of system electric coils are laid underneath the floor. The main advantage of this system is the floor build up. It can be as low as 3 millimeters. The coils are installed on an insulation board like marmox and then the flooring is tiled over using tile adhesives. This system has faster warm up times compared to other systems. Floor heating systems can be installed on almost any type of floor such as concrete, tile, vinyl, linoleum, ceramic tiles, hardwood etc. Ceramics are most commonly used as they have higher thermal mass and good aesthetics.

Keith George
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/the-basics-of-floor-heating-70032.html

Pumps are typically either vacuum or centrifugal. Vacuum pumps, the most common system used by septage haulers, have the following advantages: Iiquid does not flow through the pump, which reduces wear; the pump is less likely to freeze; and the tank contents can be discharged under pressure. Vacuum pumps should be equipped with a water trap to prevent dispersion of aerosols. Because liq-uid moves through the pump, centrifugal pumps are more likely to clog and wear more readily from grit and debris. Centrifugal pumps are typically open-impeller or recessed-impeller for handling solids. Both types of centrifugal pumps have a maximum suction lift of about 27 ft (8 m). Some truck-mounted tanks are equipped with high-level automatic shutoff controls to prevent overfilling. Pump capacities are typically at least 400 gal/min (1,500 Umin). Hoses should be of high-vacuum black rubber or synthetic material, with a minimum diameter of 3 in. (8 cm). Hoses should also be capable of being drained and capped to minimize spillage. Haulers typically carry at least 100 ft (30 m) of hose. Discharge Valves on the hauler trucks should be drip tight, and a discharge nipple should accommodate a quick-disconnect coupling. Other equipment includes a device for breaking up the scum layer (e.g., a long-handled fork), shovel, soil probe for locating the septic tank, and other tools to either measure accumulations or perform other tasks in the field. A squeegee and suction wand attachments should be carried ‘”The Pumper,” a monthly publication aimed at the liquid waste hauler industry, produces an annual directory of equipment suppliers that is free with a subscription to “The Pumper.” to help clean up any spills. Lime should also be available to apply to areas where septage has been spilled.

Mobile septage dewatering systems, originally developed in Europe, are now available in the United States. Withthese systems, septage is pulled from the septic tank into one compartment on the truck; filtrate is returned to the septic tank. Polymer or lime is added to the septage during transfer to a dewatering tank, where solids are concentrated. A sludge solids content of 15 to 20 percent is reportedly achievable for polymer and lime systems, respectively Mobile dewatering systems offer: Lower transportation costs due to fewer trips to the disposal site, greater truck capacity, lower volumes of material requiring further treatment and disposal. These advantages are best suited to areas with many septic tanks and long travel distances to the discharge site. Disadvantages include more complex operational requirements and high equipment investment costs.

After the septic tank has been located and the access hatches exposed, the inlet and outlet baffles or tees are examined for such problems as damage, loose connections, and plugging. Broken pipes or baffles should be replaced or repaired. If the liquid level in the tank is higher than the outlet pipe, this may indicate clogging in the outlet pipe or in the drainfield. Next, the scum mat is manually broken up to facilitate pumping. Before this is done, the liquid level in the septic tank first is lowered below the invert of the outlet, which prevents grease and scum from being washed into the drainfield. After the scum mat is broken up, the contents of the tank are removed. Normally, the vacuum/suction hose draws air at a point where 1 to 2 in. (2.5 to 5 cm) of sludge remains over the tank bottom; this materialshould be left in the tank. Washing down the inside of the tank is unnecessary unless leakage is suspected and the inside must be inspected for cracks, If internal inspection is warranted, fresh air should be continuously blown into the tank for at least 10 min.

Displace toxic gases or oxygen-deficient air. The interior can then be inspected from the surface with a flashlight. A septic tank should never be entered without first testing the air for oxygen content, lower explosive limit, and hydrogen sulfide. This is accomplished using electronic “triple gas detectors,” available from suppliers of industrial safety equipment. Septic tanks are considered confined spaces and are subject to confined-space entry regulations published by the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA Standard 1910.146). Anyone entering a septic tank should wear a safety harness connected to an aboveground hoist. Two additional workers should be topside to assist the inspector in the event of problems. Your state or local agency responsible for occupational health and safety should be contacted regarding any additional regulations regarding confined-space entry in their jurisdiction. In the event of a spill, septage should be immediately cleaned up. Hydrated lime should be sprinkled over the area of the spill, and a squeegee and a suction wand attached to the end of the vacuum hose are useful tools for cleanup. For large spills, a second pumper truck may be necessary; companies with one truck should reach an agreement with another company to assist in emergency spill cleanup.

Addition of any chemical or biochemical agents to the septic tank, such as disinfectants, microorganisms, and enzymes, is discouraged. Such formulations offer little or no benefit and may even be detrimental to the operation of the septic tank and drainfield. For instance, agents that emulsify grease allow its discharge to the soil absorption system, where the emulsion may break at the soil infiltrative surface and cause increased rates of clogging or pass through the soil to ground water. Other
agents are formulated of strong alkaline compounds that can pass through a tank and destroy soil structure. The most detrimental formulations contain chlorinated hydrocarbons, which can pass through the tank and soil to contaminate ground water. Fortunately, many commercial products do little to affect performance of either tanks or soil systems. Although no known benefits have been demonstrated to date, the possibility of an effective formulation in the future cannot be ruled out.

Scott Byers
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/pumping-your-septic-tank-58290.html

Hi, the water pressure in our rental property is really slow. We have a apex water valve that is connected to our water meter, can I adjust it to make the pressure better ? Or do I have to get a plumber. Thanks M

yes get a plumber reason if you adjust the pressure to high above 32pounds your seals in your washing machine will fail and you could end up paying a lot more then the cost of a plumber ,,should it let go when no one is home you could be coming home to your new pool.. on some systems there are filters ,,,, maybe yours is just plugged !

If you ever searched for a pressure cooker, you probably stumbled upon one of Fagor models. There isn’t big marketing hype standing behind them, but they took their share of the market by offering solid, long lasting products that will serve you without a mistake. This is their greatest value and that make Fagor pressure cooker to be a choice for many house makers. 

Besides satisfied housewives, there are being used by professionals too. Healthy and tasty meals that can be prepared with Fagor are what attract people to use them again and again. The best thing is that it’s more then easy to use it. Even the average cook becomes a professional with a little help from Fagor. 

Safety features that are preventing anything unexpected to happen are consisted of spring valve with an auto pressure release. If any extra pressure appears, the valve will automatically release the steam to put everything back to normal. For more details please login on www.cooking-chinese-style.com. You don’t even have to be near this pressure cooker and watch over him. Do your chores or spend some time with your family until the meal is ready. 

Besides steam valve, there is another design trait that helps with controlling pressure. The exterior mirror finish and aluminum base are providing proper heat distribution to Fagor pressure cooker. The base is made just right so there isn’t extra heat coming from the sides of a cooker, through the walls instead of the bottom. 

Another safety mechanism is the lid that is closed tightly until all the pressure is being released. After your food is prepared, pressure cooker needs some time to release that pressure so you can serve the food. It would not be good to open the lid if there is pressure inside. This is what is very important to remember, so don’t be confused when it won’t open. It’s just a safety mechanism to protect you. 

Pressure cookers from Fagor come with a steamer basket and a trivet. Steamer basket is a place for food; it never comes in contact with water or any liquid. It is positioned right above the trivet. To build a pressure inside the basket, cooking liquid must reach a boiling point while the cooker is closed properly. Many times people do not close it properly and they can’t reach the boiling point, thinking that their pressure cooker is broken. 

When the liquid inside boils and releases steam, that steam can’t escape and build up a pressure in stainless steel container. You can also login to www.bread-machine-cookbook.com. Sometimes the valve will release a bit of pressure when necessary. The food is being cooked on steam inlay and under the pressure, which provides a healthy meal and a much faster prepared meal. You will need 70% time less to prepare any kind of food with Fagor pressure cookers. 

After the cooking is finished, we need to remove the cooker from the burner and wait for pressure to drop. The contents inside will continue to cook until the level of temperature drops. To do that, put some cold water on the lid to release the pressure or you can wait for the pressure to be released by itself. Other option is to use Valves that will release pressure themselves – all Fagor pressure cookers are equipped with one.

rimmy
http://www.articlesbase.com/recipes-articles/fagor-an-excellence-cooker-603716.html