Water Temperature Regulators

[proslambanomenos]

Building my own darkroom, and need advice on water temp regulators. What are the differences and how do they work? For example, I see that BH sells a Delta 15 for ~$210, 25 for $370, an Eco model for $270, and these are just a few of the Delta brand models. I see there are a few other brands. Unfortunately, I can't find any information on the web for what the differences are or how they work.

Thanks,
Austin

 

[Mike A]

If you have some minor plumbing skills I would save some cash and buy a bath & shower faucet at your local home improvement center. I was in the same predicament a while back and a number of members made this suggetstion, I lucked out and aquired a Leedal mixer for next to nothing from a generous APUG'r.
Good luck with your project.
Mike A

 

[Peter De Smidt]

I highly recommend the Hass Intellifaucet with the low flow option. You can read a review at www.butzi.net .

 

[Mike Kennedy]

Always wanted a mixer BUT the installation cost was beastie.
I use a good thermometer and tell everyone NOT to flush when I,m in the ZONE.

Mike

 

[avandesande]

I would probably spend the money on a good fast(thermocouple) thermometer instead. you probably will end up measuring the temperature anyway.

 

[Early Riser]

I own the Hass and recommend it. A few suggestions if you get one. Filter the hot and cold water intakes before the Hass and have the plumber use unions shut off valves in the installation so the Hass can be removed for cleaning.

 

[proslambanomenos]

Thanks all. I was hoping for some specific information on these Delta models. Do any of you have any experience working with them? They seem to be a little less expensive than the Hass, although I have no question the Hass is superb, based on everyone's comments. Also, in response to some of your comments:

"If you have some minor plumbing skills I would save some cash and buy a bath & shower faucet at your local home improvement center."

- I don't understand this recommendation. Would you mind explaining what you mean a little more?

"I highly recommend the Hass Intellifaucet with the low flow option."

- What does low flow do, just restrict water output? why would you prefer that option (other than for water conservation)? Can you not control flow speed after the temp control? In other words, is the flow at a fixed rate?

" I use a good thermometer and tell everyone NOT to flush when I,m in the ZONE."

- Ha ha--fortunately, my home has a water manifold that is supposed to regulate hot/cold ratio to keep flow and temp from deviating very much.

"good fast(thermocouple) thermometer instead"

- is this an 'inline' thermometer? the type that fastens to the faucet? or are you referring to a handheld thermometer?

"Filter the hot and cold water intakes before the Hass and have the plumber use unions shut off valves in the installation so the Hass can be removed for cleaning."

- excellent suggestion--i know i wouldn't have thought of this until much later, when attempting to perform routing cleaning and maintanance.

 

[Dave Starr]

++"If you have some minor plumbing skills I would save some cash and buy a bath & shower faucet at your local home improvement center."

- I don't understand this recommendation. Would you mind explaining what you mean a little more?++

I'm not the person that said the above, but - - - - Are you planning on doing any of the plumbing yourself? Have you ever done minor plumbing jobs like adding a faucet? If so, you can get a shower control valve from a large home center and use it as a temperature regulator. I use a Delta brand that cost me about 60 bucks. I can control the temperature to within a degree or 2 with no problems. It's cheaper than the "dedicated darkroom" controls. For example, the Hass is $500.00!

If you want, look here for a picture of my faucet setup.
Dead Link Removed

 

[wfwhitaker]

All thermostatic mixing controls are intended to work within a specific flow rate range. Many models intended for industrial applications are designed for flow rates which are greater than what a home darkroom requires. In order to achieve the rate they require would waste water. The low-flow-rate Hass is intended to work within a range of flow rates which is more suitable for a home-type darkroom.

I have both the Hass unit and a Leedal mechanical unit. For B&W, if I had it to do over again, I would save the money and simply use a good manual mixing valve. A thermostatic mixing valve is good for automated color processes, but for good ol' black and white manual processing, I've found it really isn't necessary.

 

[donbga]

Thanks all. I was hoping for some specific information on these Delta models. Do any of you have any experience working with them? They seem to be a little less expensive than the Hass, although I have no question the Hass is superb, based on everyone's comments. Also, in response to some of your comments:

"If you have some minor plumbing skills I would save some cash and buy a bath & shower faucet at your local home improvement center."

- I don't understand this recommendation. Would you mind explaining what you mean a little more?

"I highly recommend the Hass Intellifaucet with the low flow option."

- What does low flow do, just restrict water output? why would you prefer that option (other than for water conservation)? Can you not control flow speed after the temp control? In other words, is the flow at a fixed rate?

" I use a good thermometer and tell everyone NOT to flush when I,m in the ZONE."

- Ha ha--fortunately, my home has a water manifold that is supposed to regulate hot/cold ratio to keep flow and temp from deviating very much.

"good fast(thermocouple) thermometer instead"

- is this an 'inline' thermometer? the type that fastens to the faucet? or are you referring to a handheld thermometer?

"Filter the hot and cold water intakes before the Hass and have the plumber use unions shut off valves in the installation so the Hass can be removed for cleaning."

- excellent suggestion--i know i wouldn't have thought of this until much later, when attempting to perform routing cleaning and maintanance.

My advice to you is not to purchase this type of temp control unit, my experience with several different brands over the years has been very similar, which is not very positive.

In short go for the Haas unit.

Don Bryant

 

[KarenB]

It is not the Delta that you have mentioned, but I have the following:

Delta Water Temp II with Temperature Lock (approx $59 B&H)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...867&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

I have attached (I hope) a photo of how it is plumbed. It's not a very good photo, but I have a filter in line after the thermometer. I bought all of the other parts at a hardware store. It's not very pretty and I don't know if this is the right way to do plumbing for a darkroom, but it has worked for me and I'm quite happy with the cost and functionality of the Delta. No it doesn't automatically correct the water temperature, but I keep my eye on it and it doesn't really vary much unless I spend too much time in the darkroom and start running out of hot water. I must note, however, my darkroom is in a separate building from my home where the darkroom is the only use of water on that hot water tank.

Karen

 

[Mike A]

++"If you have some minor plumbing skills I would save some cash and buy a bath & shower faucet at your local home improvement center."

- I don't understand this recommendation. Would you mind explaining what you mean a little more?++

I'm not the person that said the above, but - - - - Are you planning on doing any of the plumbing yourself? Have you ever done minor plumbing jobs like adding a faucet? If so, you can get a shower control valve from a large home center and use it as a temperature regulator. I use a Delta brand that cost me about 60 bucks. I can control the temperature to within a degree or 2 with no problems. It's cheaper than the "dedicated darkroom" controls. For example, the Hass is $500.00!

If you want, look here for a picture of my faucet setup.
Dead Link Removed

Well put Dave, sorry for the cryptic post.
Mike A

 

[Jeffrey A. Steinberg]

When you say Hass Low Flow flow option, are your referring to Model D250 or Model 250 modified?