I am using gate valves to control my water flow, they are noisy so I built an enclosure for them, but as one would imagine my flow goes up and down with the changes in my house water pressure, I would like to be able to install an adjustable flow control device on each of the discharge lines, after my solenoid's and flow meters, it would be much easier to install in these lines and it would keep pressure on the heat exchanges to minimize mineral deposits. Can anyone recommend reasonably priced flow controllers, I have 3/4 copper pipes?
Re: Fow control devices I used one like this in a different application - never had a problem with it. http://www.westsidewholesale.com/double ... -_-na-_-na
Re: Fow control devices Hi and welcome. A pressure reducing valve will even out your pressure fluctuation caused by domestic water usage. Have you tried throtling on the incoming side? Sometimes the solution is that simple to stop the "roar" Eric Sackett weberwelldrilling.com
Re: Fow control devices Eric I hate to have to say this but throttling the water on the input side is a good idea, I will try it, and regulating my pressure to below my cut in pressure is a good idea also, only pain is I will need two pressure controllers because of the way they are plumbed. Thanks for the help. Mark R.
Re: Fow control devices I was only able to throttle the entering water flow on one unit, it is single stage so I do not have to worry about low flow on second stage, I had to throttle both the in and out valves to get the flow real quite, but it is quite, flow has a 1 gpm delta between cut in and cut out pressure of well switch, this causes a 4 degree change in my delta T on water temps. I will have to install pressure regulators soon I guess.
Re: Fow control devices If you regulate a constant pressure from the well pump, you won’t have a temperature change, because the well pump will no longer be cycling on and off. Constant pressure will not only give you steady flow to the heat pump but, eliminating the pump cycling will keep your well pump from being prematurely destroyed. Then if you use a globe style valve, like a sprinkler valve with flow control, it will throttle the flow rate to the heat pump much quieter.
Re: Fow control devices Good discussion, as this is an area I haven't nailed down. My design plan right now uses the ball valves for flow control, with the option to splice in flow controllers when I have flow nailed down with the system running. I've been looking at the simple flow control regulator, which are actually hard to find. The link to the pressure regulator is interesting though. If I used one of these after my water well pressure tank and after my domestic use line (I'm doing a standing column system), then tee off to the two geothermal units, it seems this regulator would maintain say a constant 40 psi. If I set my pressure tank switch at 40-60, then it seems I will always be supplying predicable pressure, and thereby flow as well, to the two units. Putting the pressure regulator at the beginning would only require one, but the ball valves would still be used for flow control. Or I suppose these could go after the solenoid control valve, but with two 2-stage units I would need 4. Seems like overkill if the ball valves work. If the ball valves are noisy, I guess throw in the inexpensive globe valves as well for flow control.
Re: Fow control devices Putting a pressure regulator after the pressure tank will steady the pressure to the system but, the pump is still cycling itself to death. A Cycle Stop Valve goes before the pressure tank and regulates the pressure while keeping the pump from cycling. Constant pressure throughout the system makes everything work better.
Re: Fow control devices We need more information on this cycle stop valve, I looked up a valve and it tells me the well pump will run 24/7 with its output choked down to a low flow, that constant flow will dump back into your well at a higher temp it came out at because the pumping generates heat. Valveboy, I replaced my pump with a larger unit for capacity requirements for new geo units, old pump was 20 years old and running fine. If this cheap valve was the second coming I would think everyone would be chiming in with positive comments. Lets here from unbiased experts!
Re: Fow control devices Well it sounds too good to be true, do not take this wrong, I am interested in the valve I just have to know this will work before I screw with my system. Let me know if I have this correct. 1. I install valve in my well line just below my pitless adapter. Lets say a 50 psi valve, install a 40/60 switch at my expansion tank and that's it. So I get constant pressure after the pump kicks in, and will stay that way till less then one gpm then tank fills to shut off pressure 60 psI Yes/No?
Re: Fow control devices Most all positive comments have been generated by Valveman or his employees. Constant pressure valves have been around forever. One thing you should note is that Valveman is far from unbiased, he owns the company. You got that part right about running 24/7, most of the people that go geothermal do it to save money, if you use a CSV, you will triple your pump power costs. And there goes your savings on a geothermal heat pump system. Rancher
Re: Fow control devices This is of course another one of Valveman's claims that his valve actually uses less power, sorry not true, yes the pump will pull less amps when choked back to 1 GPM, maybe 10-20% less, but if it runs three time as long then you then you use 2-3 times as much power (watts) power which is absorbed by the well water, lost power and added heat to the well water, therefore higher water temperature to the exchanger and lower efficiency by the geo heat pump. Well... we know Valveman is biased, he owns the company. Oh and I have seen a CSV and used 2 of them (the first one didn't work). But I'm not biased, because I have nothing to gain. Rancher
Re: Fow control devices Just like a bad penny, this one keeps turning up over and over. Notice you don't see this Rancher showing up to help anybody, only to keep someone from benefitting from beneficial technology, because he has an undeserved and not understood vendetta against Cycle Stop Valves. He has been deleted and banned from countless forums for these same slanderous comments. I don't know why the Mods here haven't delete his lies. Haven't they heard what is happening at Topix.com over these kinds of slanderous remarks. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Aheado ... 397&page=1 I guess we will have to see what happens but, in this case it will not be hard to find John. I have his full name, address, etc., so finding him won't be a problem. This is all that is left of Ranchers comments at Topix, after having been deleted at least three times. http://www.topix.com/forum/city/point-r ... D85NA5P32T Here is a quote from a private message he sent me that shows his true motive. "Cary, think about it, I could invade every forum and cause you a world of hurt, I could do it from multiple IP addresses, and multiple user names. Knowing how to do that and how to defend the nations networks are what I do for a day job. John (aka Rancher)" I guess because Rancher stays anonymous that being wrong, slanderous, and damaging other people doesn't embarrass him, or maybe he just has no conscience. But, if there is still any justice in this country, it will soon catch up to him.
Re: Fow control devices If this was the fantastic and beneficial technology that Valveman keeps saying it is then it would be on every well and pressure tank ever installed. It isn't, and there is a good reason: 1. It increases pressure in the drop pipe to almost the maximum that the pump will produce. 2. It causes the pump to run 3 times longer using 2.5 times as much power. Reference= http://www.amtrol.com/pdf/jlanearticle.pdf 3. It doesn't stop cycling it might reduce it by half under the right circumstances. 4. It produces maximum back pressure on the thrust bearing with a very low flow rate. 5. It causes the motor/pump to operate far off the manufacters pump curves. Rancher
Re: Fow control devices One of the readers just contacted me and informed me that John aka Rancher is actually working for one of my competitors. I have long thought this was the case, but now I have confirmation. I say a lot of negative things about Variable Frequency Drives and other so called "constant pressure valves" because it is the truth. However, my competition cannot print anything negative about my product because it is not the truth. So they have hired the Rancher to follow me around the Internet and anonymously discredit my product anyway he can. Thanks to a reader that I promised to keep anonymous, I now understand what is going on. With a screen name like Valveman, always willing to give my real name, phone number, and proudly admitting that I own Cycle Stop Valves, am also the inventor, and stand behind everything I say, I do not work anonymously because I have nothing to hide. For many years my competitors have copied aspects of my product, stolen my installation instructions, taken photos of my products, and simulated my demonstrators at trade shows. They use key word spies to follow my every move on the Internet, and place advertisements anywhere they see one of mine. Now they have hired someone to anonymously and incorrectly discredit anything I say on the Internet. This is all in an effort to further their policy of "planned obsolescence", and discredit any product that actually makes equipment last longer. It is a shame that my competitors have resorted to such corporate espionage, to dupe the public into using equipment that is short lived, only to keep the cash flowing through these greedy corporations. It is even more of a shame that they are using phrases like "saves energy" or "green" to promote their products, when it is actually not true. I encourage you to search all pump, motor, and VFD manufacturers for anything derogatory about my product on their web page or literature. You won't find any such slanderous remarks in writing. They will verbally recommend you not use my product, as long as you do not tell them that the conversation is being recorded. Now we find that Rancher has been doing their dirty work in writing anonymously for years. The truth comes from those who believe in, stand behind their product, and everything they say. The lies come from those who spew out false information anonymously.