apostolakisl Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 I only want On and Off. Best regards, Gary Funk On = pulses happening off = no pulses You still need to count pulses or at least measure the length of time since the most recent pulse to know flow vs no flow
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) But why not just use a simple flow switch? No pulses. The water is flowing and it's on. Best regards, Gary Funk Edited October 5, 2016 by GaryFunk
Teken Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 I believe lots of this comes down to how much do you want to spend. What are you willing to compromise on in terms of long term use vs reliability. Lastly, my belief is anything a person uses must continue to operate in a fail safe mode regardless of any HA integration. The HA aspect simply offers alert notification, additional program logic, and a measure of fail over. Regardless of what type of hardware is in use always test, validate, and follow up.
Scottmichaelj Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 I know this is getting a bit off topic and not even 100% certain if it would work but the Hunter Hydrawise has a valve that monitors water leaks etc. Not sure if you can retrofit this to a hose bib. Just tossing it out there. https://www.hydrawise.com I been looking at this for my own irrigation to replace my EZFlora and get some protection for leaks. I been looking at trying to get more info on the API. Carry on and sorry to interrupt.
apostolakisl Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) But why not just use a simple flow switch? No pulses. The water is flowing and it's on. Best regards, Gary Funk There is this. http://www.bonanza.com/listings/G3-4-Male-Threaded-1-30L-min-Magnetic-Type-Water-Flow-Switch-Flowmeter-DC-250V/255554134?goog_pla=1&gpid=18283950120&keyword=&goog_pla=1&pos=1o2&ad_type=pla&gclid=CjwKEAjwydK_BRDK34GenvLB61YSJACZ8da3fG9YS46Nr4D0Yg0LNFoqufg7byqa1idm9mMnPMe5ExoCQuPw_wcB Brass made in China, probably not code in US. I saw similar ones on amazon and there were complaints about it not be NPT and about water flow restriction. You would need an IO linc to make this thing communicate. If it were me, I would go with a pulse counter and a CAI board. That combo would be cheaper and you would get the added info of flow rate, even if it didn't really matter. It would be a very simple program to write on CAI to post to a variable the current flow rate. Every 5 seconds or so it could post a REST value to a variable showing the flow rate, in the event that the flow rate changed. You wouldn't have it keep posting "0" every 5 seconds, only if it changed. I know this is getting a bit off topic and not even 100% certain if it would work but the Hunter Hydrawise has a valve that monitors water leaks etc. Not sure if you can retrofit this to a hose bib. Just tossing it out there. https://www.hydrawise.com I been looking at this for my own irrigation to replace my EZFlora and get some protection for leaks. I been looking at trying to get more info on the API. Carry on and sorry to interrupt. That is what I speaking of a ways back. If I were going to get this, I would install it on the main house feed and get the benefit of a whole house water protection. Edited October 5, 2016 by apostolakisl
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 I want to know when hot water is flowing in any of the three showers. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk
apostolakisl Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 If you use a tankless water heater you can put a synchrolinc on the water heater power supply. All the tankless models I have seen have a fan running while the burner is on which a syncrholinc would be able to monitor.
Teken Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 I want to know when hot water is flowing in any of the three showers. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk To what end?
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 If you use a tankless water heater you can put a synchrolinc on the water heater power supply. All the tankless models I have seen have a fan running while the burner is on which a syncrholinc would be able to monitor.That won't work because I won't know which bathroom is in use. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) To what end?To end children from turning a shower into a sauna by taking 30 minute showers. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk Edited October 5, 2016 by GaryFunk
Teken Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 To end children from turning a shower into a sauna by taking 30 minute showers. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk LMAO . . . Sorry Dad, but you have about 18 years of that happening . . .
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 LMAO . . . Sorry Dad, but you have about 18 years of that happening . . . No I don't. I'm stopping it. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk
Teken Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 No I don't. I'm stopping it. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk Well, much success to you if you can. On a more serious note I've been working with the Aquanta team to finalize their HWT controller. In your use case with this device you could literally turn off the hot water. Keeping in mind when I say turn off it simply kills the power so what ever hot water is in the tank would still be used until fully depleted. To physically turn off the flow of water the device you're considering must be hot water approved. I don't recall what the criteria is to certify a piece of metal is hot water approved but there is a spec for it.
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 I'm pulling all the copper out of my house and putting in Pex. This will allow me to place flow sensors and shut off valves on any run I want. Yes, I know exactly what I'm doing and since I don't want my house flooded I will be using all proper equipment. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk
Teken Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 I'm pulling all the copper out of my house and putting in Pex. This will allow me to place flow sensors and shut off valves on any run I want. Yes, I know exactly what I'm doing and since I don't want my house flooded I will be using all proper equipment. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk I have no doubt of your sincerity but wanted to affirm if you intend to interrupt the hot water supply to end devices please ensure that piece of hardware is certified to do so. You don't want to find out 12 months later the valve seized because the material isn't hot water approved.
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 I have no doubt of your sincerity but wanted to affirm if you intend to interrupt the hot water supply to end devices please ensure that piece of hardware is certified to do so. You don't want to find out 12 months later the valve seized because the material isn't hot water approved.I'm three steps ahead of you. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk
Teken Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 I'm three steps ahead of you. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk Maybe 1.25 steps as I have giraffe legs . . .
apostolakisl Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) I'm pulling all the copper out of my house and putting in Pex. This will allow me to place flow sensors and shut off valves on any run I want. Yes, I know exactly what I'm doing and since I don't want my house flooded I will be using all proper equipment. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk I have to wonder why you would remove copper lines? Pex isn't better than copper, it is just cheaper, both for the materials and for the installation, so it pretty much has taken over new construction. But if your copper is already paid for and installed, I don't know why you would switch it out. Are you tearing out walls and and have to move the plumbing? I'm sure you are annoyed by your kids wasting hot water, but I'm also thinking that putting a shut off valve to each bathroom is going to cost way more than any savings on your hot water bill. The cheapest valves I have seen are the ones SH sells for $100/ea and you still need a flow monitor and an interface to get that signal to ISY. . . .probably another $100. So $200 per shower times however many showers. I only spend $500 on propane for my entire family of 5 every 2 or 3 years (usually buy about 300 gallons at about $1.75/gal). Any valve for residential use will be rated for hot water use. The flow switch . .. who knows, each one will have its own deal. Edited October 5, 2016 by apostolakisl
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 Pex is way better than copper. It eliminates all T-junctioms and elbows; thus increasing water flow and pressure. I have a ranch style house with an open basement. Since I'm building out the basement I'm adding Pex as new plumbing and at the same time replacing all the copper. I do not have to open any walls. Cost of water and gas is not an issue. I'll use an Arduino to communicate with the ISY. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) I have to ...Testing bug in Tapatalk I have to wonder why the user name apostolakisl breaks Tapatalk. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk Edited October 5, 2016 by GaryFunk
Teken Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 Another benefit depending upon material type is higher burst strength. ========================= The highest calling in life is to serve ones country faithfully - Teach others what can be. Do what is right and not what is popular.
apostolakisl Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 Testing bug in Tapatalk I have to wonder why the user name apostolakisl breaks Tapatalk. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk Didn't know it did that.
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 Another benefit depending upon material type is higher burst strength.Yes. Pex can handle freezing where copper can't. Also, copper joints tend to start failing after about 50 years. Pex is all single piece runs. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk
G W Posted October 5, 2016 Author Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) Didn't know it did that.quote name=""a" post="190894" timestamp="1475685801"I have to Yes. Tapatalk sees it as apos and it shouldn't. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk Edited October 5, 2016 by GaryFunk
apostolakisl Posted October 5, 2016 Posted October 5, 2016 Pex is way better than copper. It eliminates all T-junctioms and elbows; thus increasing water flow and pressure. I have a ranch style house with an open basement. Since I'm building out the basement I'm adding Pex as new plumbing and at the same time replacing all the copper. I do not have to open any walls. Cost of water and gas is not an issue. I'll use an Arduino to communicate with the ISY. Short and to the point. Best regards, Gary Funk Not sure how it gets rid of T's since those are for turning 1 line into 2. It does reduce the number of elbows, but the turn radius on pex still requires the use of elbows in a lot of locations.. It is my opinion that the crimping on of fittings in pex is less secure than copper. I have never had a solderd fitting come apart, I did have a pex fitting come apart in a wall in my house. The metal band snapped, for reasons I can not explain. Fortunately I had a water sensor pick that up and it kept the damage to a bare minimum. I have had pin hole leaks in copper. I have never had that in pex. If burst pressure is an issue, God help you. Both copper and pex will never come close to bursting at 60psi, so something would be very very wrong if you are having to worry about that. Personally, I love pex, mostly because it is good stuff and is cheaper, but if cost were no concern, I would have put copper in my house.
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