AquaticSuppliers.com     Cafepress Store

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 24

Thread: Looking for solenoid valves

  1. #1
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Posts
    96

    Default Looking for solenoid valves

    I'm looking for normally closed solenoid valves. It must be able to accept water flow in both directions, and be able to handle normal household water pressure. Does anyone know who might carry them?

    Thanks

    Jeff

  2. #2
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Posts
    105

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Hi Jeff
    They can be found where I love to shop..... in the trash.
    Old discarded washing machines are a great resource that are often overlooked. They have the nc soliniod valve you are looking for, also they all have a peasure switch you can use as a pump actuator or to have your solinoid valve open or close. most have two sets of contacts so you could have the low level points activate the valve to fill your holding tank and when its full shut down and power another line to a timer hooked to your pump to do your W/C 20 some hours later.
    Or if you want to spend the bucks a rainbird sprinkler control panel would also do the job. they have all the valves and timers you would need for a large scale operation.

    This is on my never ending to do list.


    Jeff

  3. #3
    Gold Member FischAutoTechGarten's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Green Valley, Arizona, USA
    Posts
    1,231
    Real Name
    Peter

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Washing Machines. That's just good common horse sense. I pulled a few out myself. However, I often get red hats on Ebay so cheap that I've never used the ones from the washer.

    Good 120V Red Hat valves can be had on Ebay for about $5 to $10 a piece. I usually look for the guy who is selling a half a dozen or so of them.

  4. #4
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Posts
    96

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Peter - What size red hats are you able to get for that price? I'm hoping to get 3/4 ", but they seem to be much more expensive. Is there a specific supplier that you work with?

  5. #5
    Gold Member FischAutoTechGarten's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Green Valley, Arizona, USA
    Posts
    1,231
    Real Name
    Peter

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    I generally get 1/2" ones on Ebay.

    I have 3 or 4 of 1/4" ones that I was going to use for CO2 and the like. However, I don't think I'll use them now.

    However, I would like to source a few 3/4" ones myself for drain cycles.
    If I find a lot of them @ 3/4" I'll bid on them and sell you a few of them.

    Unfortunately, doesn't appear to be much on Ebay this week for RedHats.


  6. #6
    Registered Member ronrca's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Near Edmonton, Alberta
    Posts
    3,003

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Hmmm! Im looking for 1" solenoid valves for a decent price! Anyone know where I get can some under $100?

    My intend is filling/draining tanks. The pipe Im using is 1" PVC! Any other methods perhaps?

    Thanks!

  7. #7
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Posts
    96

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    The 3/4" ones are cheaper/easier to come by. I'm using 3/4" and using a self priming pump to drain/fill the tanks. The flow is good because the pump keeps the pressure high.

  8. #8
    Registered Member ronrca's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Near Edmonton, Alberta
    Posts
    3,003

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Thanks! I actually found what Im looking for! I just have to look in the right place! LOL!

    http://www.dripirrigation.com/cgi-bi...944+1051139245

    $19 for a 1" PVC solenoid valve!

    I like that 1" pipe just because I can get a better flow rate!

    Of course!!!!!! Home Depot! How can I forget! LOL!

  9. #9

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    ronrca,
    Remember, most of those irrigation valves require water pressure to open up. I looked into irrigation valves, but found nothing that would just open up and let water to drain out of tanks. Not enough pressure from the tank to the valve. Even if it started with enough pressure (i.e. high tanks, or lots of tanks), the pressure would drop as the water lowered in the tanks. I found that solenoid valves or motorized ball valves were the only way to go. But I'm open to any suggestions. ;D
    Thanks,
    Lance Krueger

  10. #10
    Registered Member ronrca's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Near Edmonton, Alberta
    Posts
    3,003

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Really? I didnt know that these valves require pressure to operate! I am under the assumption that its just a solenoid valve that using electric pulses to open/close! I'll have to check into that!

    Thanks for informing me!

  11. #11

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Ronrca,
    Yeah, just go back to your link you posted and look at the specs on that valve you listed. Takes 10-150 pounds of pressure. At most, you might only get a couple of pounds of pressure out of 1" PVC, so the valve wouldn't even open. And as the tanks and pipes drain down, the pressure would be even less. I went into a Ewing Irrigation store and talked to their expert there, and we spent a couple hours going through catalogs and looking at valves there, and he finally gave up. He gave me a bunch of possible options, but when we really thought about it, none would work. At least for not just draining water from overflows in tanks. The only option I've found is large orifice solenoid valves by Berkert that run a couple hundred bucks for a 1" valve. I've thought about washing machine parts, etc., and it looks like the only thing I can come up with is the $200 option. Smaller valves are much cheaper, but would take way too long to drain. I actually wanted a 2" solenoid valve, but these are REALLY EXPENSIVE, so I'm down to the compromise of a 1" valve. I ruled out motorized ball valves since the solenoids are supposed to be more reliable, from what an owner of a fire sprinkler company told me.
    Lance Krueger

  12. #12
    Registered Member ronrca's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Near Edmonton, Alberta
    Posts
    3,003

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Hmmm! I see what you are talking about, 10-150psi! The only thing I dont understand then is why does it use power (DC or AC) to open/close! When I read about the operating pressure (psi) on a solenoid valve, I think of the design pressure that the valve can handle as opposed to operating the open/close of the valve. The power part actually operates the valve (open/close). However, the 'flow control' may sense low pressure and override the power signal! I'll have to test that out I guess!

    Using these valves I actually got from:
    http://waynesworldangelfish.com/auto...er_changes.htm

    ;D

    I heard you about other solenoid valves! If I have to spend a couple hundred bucks on 1 valve, forget it! So, I'll have to buy one and see what happens!

    Thanks!

  13. #13
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Posts
    96

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Also the flow will only go one way! I would not mind trying out the motorized ball valves. Anyone know who sells them?

  14. #14

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Ronrca,
    I really don't know too much of how they work, but from what I understand, these types of irrigation valves use a diaphram to open/close the valve. The water has to have enough pressure to move the diaphram out of the way to get the water buy. I think the electricity is used only to keep the valve closed, then to open it, the electrical current is interrupted, and the pressure of the water gets the water out of the valve.
    I think I've read that on Waynes World Angelfish, and from what I remember, they only use these types of valves to fill up water storage barrels from the incoming water line. They are fine if you're hooking them up to fill up something with water pressure. But they don't work in a drain application, unless you wanted to hook up a pump just before the irrigation valve to shoot the water through. That could be an option, but again, you've got more expense with the pump.

    DiscusJeff,
    I've seen the motorized ball valves at Aquatic ecosystems. But I've been told that they aren't nearly as reliable as Solenoid valves. So I'm not considering them myself, anymore. For the time savings on not having to do water changes, the $200 is not that big of a deal to me personally.
    Hope this helps,
    Lance Krueger

  15. #15

    Default Re:Looking for solenoid valves

    Another thing, I am planning to drill two holes in each of my tanks, and running two separate lines. One hole will be for my automatic water changing system, where each tank is drilled halfway down, then from a bulkhead, I run an elbow, with 1" PVC to a Tee on the bottom tanks (I have my tanks stacked two high, one above the other) bulkhead to the floor where a PVC will run behind all my tanks. All my tanks in my fishroom will drain into this bottom 1" line. This floor pipe will run one way, and end at the solenoid valve, just before it hits the drain. All of this is gravity flow. I'll have a digital light timer that will turn the solenoid off and on. Then, the second hole drilled in the tank will be set up in the exact same way as the other line, except there will be no solenoid, and will act as an overflow. I will either put this hole at one of the top corners, or if I drill it halfway down, I'll put an elbow and standpipe in the tank to regulate the water level. By running two lines, (one hooked up and regulated by the solenoid valve, and one just an overflow), I'll not have to regulate each valve of incoming water into each tank. Just get it close. Plus, if my solenoid valve ever malfunctions, or there's a power outage before the clean water from my storage barrels gets to the tanks, I'll have the overflows installed which will be a fail-safe to keep the floor dry. This will also allow me to do flushes (if I choose), and even a drip system if I want.
    My aged tap water will be heated and aerated, and then a pump on a digital lamp timer will feed the new water to an overhead PVC pipe system, that will use globe valves to put the clean water into each tank. These globe valves are much more accurate than ball valves in adjusting them.
    A few more thoughts. I'll be able to put an elbow and standpipe in the bulkhead hooked up to the solenoid line any time I want to take a tank out of the draining process (i.e. when medicating a tank), and close it's globe valve for the new water. Or you could put a ball valve on each tanks drain, but an elbow and standpipe only when you need it will be cheaper.
    Just some of my unproven thoughts. Though I will hopefully be able to test this soon, as I get one piece after another done on this project.
    Lance Krueger

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Cafepress