Darkroom Tempering Valves

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Hi,

I am piecing together a darkroom in my basement and am currently looking at what I need to do for plumbing. One item I am thinking about is a tempering valve (to control/regulate temperature and water pressure flow).

What brand/type of tempering valves do folks tend to put (if any) in their darkrooms. Are there any "features" which are a "must have"? Are there big differences in brands?

Many Thanks, Robert

-- Robert Ruderman (ruderman@seanet.com), March 11, 2000

Answers

Get a catalog from Delta 1 [see ad in Shutterbug].

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), March 12, 2000.

You have two options: 1) a mechanical valve 2) an electronically controlled valve.

After watching two friends struggle with poor control with mechanical valves, I went the electronic route and bought a Hass Intellifaucet D250 - somewhat more expensive but wonderful to use.

I'd highly recommend that you buy a Hass.

-Paul

-- Paul Butzi (butzi@halcyon.com), March 12, 2000.


or you can be really cheap and custom build one more or less from plans at www.darkroomsource.com.

Thats what I'm doing. I just bought most of the hardware today and have it dry-assembled in from of me. The only part I dont quite have figured out yet is the thermometer. I cant find a stand-alone thermometer designed with this purpose in mind, and I'm not sure how to get a simple dial thermometer to stay in there under pressure. Calumet has a thermometer pipe fixture that might solve the problem, but I'd rather find another cheaper way.

Wayne there and keep if there.

-- Wayne (wsteffen@mr.net), March 12, 2000.


Check your cold water temperature during the coldest part of the year. (Let the faucet run a long time to get the temperature in the ground.) Mine is about 65 degrees F. (San Francisco area.) The mixing valve I looked at needed the cold and hot water temperatures at least 10 degrees away (in opposite directions, of course) than the regulated temperature. I didn't get one because it wouldn't work because my cold water was too warm.

Make sure you check this out before you buy something.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), March 21, 2000.


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