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Control water usage at shower and hose bib heads

SweatHog
SweatHog Member Posts: 30
in THE MAIN WALL
Has anybody employed a proportional control valve to regulate high water usage for showers and outside hose bibs? How reliable are they and is there a cheaper way to achieve the same result with, say, a zone valve and some sort of timer?

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,876
    Most shower heads currently on the market have a flow rate limiting device built into them. It sounds more, though, as though you are looking to limit the total amount used at one time? There are a number of self-closing faucets and valves for that purpose.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • SweatHog
    SweatHog Member Posts: 30
    edited January 2022
    @Jamie Hall. Yes, I'm trying to address the latter issue: preventing long showers and open hose bibs after car washing and other activities.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,876
    Probably your best bet -- depending somewhat on how determined your water [mis]users are -- is going to be a regular shower head or hose bibb, and a zone valve on the feed controlled by a push button and timer located remotely. Digikey -- among other sources -- has a variety of time delay relays which can be used.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,472
    I find the best way to do this for showers is to have them pay for what they use.
    Each unit gets a 40 gallon electric water heater.
    When it gone they will get out. Also since its on their dime they will now conserve.
    I recommend this to most landlords.
    Its what happens when people get free heat and hot water.... they waste.
    Larry Weingarten
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,405
    Both PIC and manual balance valves can be used to regulate flow to a fixed gpm. Make sure the valve is NSF certified low lead  
    Caleffi for one offers all their balance valves low lead as they get use in potable balance applications often.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • SweatHog
    SweatHog Member Posts: 30
    Thanks for the suggestions. Lots to investigate here...
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,495
    Flow switch on the hot water pipe when the flow starts the flow switch takes out the relay and kills the water heater :)

    As far as the outside faucets /hose bibs a timer wired to a valve like they do at an air pump you have to pay and at a car wash when the time runs out
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 5,298
    You can always lower the water pressure 
  • Derheatmeister
    Derheatmeister Member Posts: 1,581
    edited January 2022
    You could install a device such as the Moen Flo

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