Thermostatic Water Temperature Control

I am thinking about adding a thermostatic water control system to my current darkroom, which I am currently renovating. I am considering 3 different models, the Delta 1 Model 25 Control Panel, the Delta 1 Eco Basic Water Control Unit and the Arkay Reg 3 Water Control Panel.

I would appreciate any feedback or recommendations.

Thanks

dangkhoa said:

I am thinking about adding a thermostatic water control system to my current darkroom, which I am currently renovating. I am considering 3 different models, the Delta 1 Model 25 Control Panel, the Delta 1 Eco Basic Water Control Unit and the Arkay Reg 3 Water Control Panel.

I would appreciate any feedback or recommendations.

Thanks

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I went for the Intellifaucet system 10 years ago and never regretted it.What a burden off my shoulders; always within a degree even if someone else in the house flushes the toilet or takes a shower!

I investigated such controls when I built a darkroom in California, San Francisco bay area. The controls I found required water temperatures 10 degrees F higher (for hot) and colder (for cold) than the regulated temperature. Since my ground water didn't get cold enough in the summer to meet that requirement, I did not install one. Measure your ground water temperature in the summer and winter and see if it falls within the specifications required of the regulator you are considering. No sense in spending the lolly if it can't work as intended.

I use a Honeywell Thermostatic Valve that cost me about $100. Mine is always set at 21 degrees for black and white processes but it is easily adjustable. I put a small dial thermometer in the line just after the output.

voceumana said:

I investigated such controls when I built a darkroom in California, San Francisco bay area. The controls I found required water temperatures 10 degrees F higher (for hot) and colder (for cold) than the regulated temperature. Since my ground water didn't get cold enough in the summer to meet that requirement, I did not install one. Measure your ground water temperature in the summer and winter and see if it falls within the specifications required of the regulator you are considering. No sense in spending the lolly if it can't work as intended.

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Good point! Most summers, our ground water can reach as high as 90 degrees F. This year, we have had a cooler summer and the ground water only reached about 80 degrees F. Many people here who live in the country and have deep wells get 70 degrees F year round but must (or should) double filter the water........Regards!

oldtimermetoo said:

Good point! Most summers, our ground water can reach as high as 90 degrees F. This year, we have had a cooler summer and the ground water only reached about 80 degrees F. Many people here who live in the country and have deep wells get 70 degrees F year round but must (or should) double filter the water........Regards!

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Chillers are available (think water cooler) but not usually needed for color processing. Assuming you can keep your darkroom between 65 degrees and 80 degrees F (not doing the math but about 18-25C) just store jugs of water in the darkroom for your BW film processing.

I am finally getting a mixing valve together for my fall darkroom makeover but I got by for a really long time without one.

adelorenzo said:

I use a Honeywell Thermostatic Valve that cost me about $100. Mine is always set at 21 degrees for black and white processes but it is easily adjustable. I put a small dial thermometer in the line just after the output.

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looks like a great alternative to the $1k solutions but, I doubt that it reacts very fast to incoming water temp changes. The Intellifaucet does that within seconds without operator intervention. You can set it once and walk away without having to worry about temp changes even with fluctuations in hot or cold water supply.

RalphLambrecht said:

looks like a great alternative to the $1k solutions but, I doubt that it reacts very fast to incoming water temp changes. The Intellifaucet does that within seconds without operator intervention. You can set it once and walk away without having to worry about temp changes even with fluctuations in hot or cold water supply.

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I don't think that Honeywell unit is pressure balanced. Nor, for it's intended application, does it need to be. That may or may not be an issue in any particular darkroom, but most likely will be.

Greg Davis said:

I wanted a Delta Model 800, but could not justify the $1000 price tag, so I bought the same valve, filters, thermometer, and pipe fittings for less than $200 and assembled it myself. Works great.

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And thats all you need do. Nothing in the models I have looked at would justify the price. Even the hospital specked industrial quality types arent that expensive, well maybe if the come a stainless steal lock up box.

I have had an Intellifaucet installed in 1991 in the university Darkroom I manage - has always worked flawlessly; has never required any repairs or tweaking.

To the OP

I have had quite a few darkrooms and today I have the best solution for water control.. I use very long 20 ft red rubber hoses connected to a normal shower head control you can get at Home Depot. the head can have a thermostate between the input and the hoses.
It also can have a splitter for two hoses.... at the end of each hose I have on one a shutoff valve (Home Depot) the other I have just cut the hose.

This situation is perfect for me as one can walk the hose around the room if needed , clamp the hose to different areas, the hose is heavy duty rubber and one is actually tough enough to walk on .. $150 bucks at most , I would never , never again buy a high price water panel and would never ever hardwire plumbing to a sink again..
I use this system each day and when needed drag the hoses into a second sink in a second room to work,,,

I have an Intellifaucet which has worked flawlessly. Bought it off eBay. My water comes from a 20,000 gallon above ground rain water capture system and in Texas that water gets a bit warm, so I also have a chiller. together, they do the job.

Bob Carnie said:

To the OP

I have had quite a few darkrooms and today I have the best solution for water control.. I use very long 20 ft red rubber hoses connected to a normal shower head control you can get at Home Depot. the head can have a thermostate between the input and the hoses.
It also can have a splitter for two hoses.... at the end of each hose I have on one a shutoff valve (Home Depot) the other I have just cut the hose.

This situation is perfect for me as one can walk the hose around the room if needed , clamp the hose to different areas, the hose is heavy duty rubber and one is actually tough enough to walk on .. $150 bucks at most , I would never , never again buy a high price water panel and would never ever hardwire plumbing to a sink again..
I use this system each day and when needed drag the hoses into a second sink in a second room to work,,,

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Pictures? Sounds interesting.

I'm in the same "thermostatic water control won't help me, I'm in Texas" boat. Our tap water is rarely cool enough to where a water control would be useful.

Plus, the only times I really need accurate temp are for B&W film developing, and I use distilled water for pre-wash and developer and final rinse. I just stick a jug in the fridge an hour or two before I start to run the film, and mix cold distilled with room temp to get a liter of 20°. It stays stable for an hour or so, whatever I don't use goes back in the jug. I just use whatever-temp water for print processing or washing (developer in a tray gets to room temp and stabilizes by the time I'm really printing), and a tray warmer for lith developer.

I sometimes use water from our drinking water tap (filtered) and haven't had problems with that (TF-5 doesn't get the old-socks smell like it does with tap water, and our tap water can get really rusty at times). But I don't click the shutter unless I'm pretty sure I'll want to print that neg, so I don't go through piles of film and I like the security of distilled, especially for final photoflo rinse. If I ever move back to Michigan, I might want a faucet solution.