12vdc Electric Diverter Valve

[RJ]

Aesop's Tortoise has an 11-gallon marine Seaward hot water heater that runs both off electric plus a heat exchanger loop tied into the main engine's cooling system.  Works really well - get to the end of the run for the day and you've got nice, hot water w/o having to wait for it to heat.

So I got to thinking (dangerous!!) - my genset's in the same bay as the Seaward.  Maybe, with the use of some 12vdc electric diverter valves, I could tie in the genset's cooling system to the Seaward to use that normally wasted heat while parked.

Thus my question:  Anybody have an idea of a source for 1" three-way electric diverter valves?

TIA,

RJ

[Oonrahnjay]

...  Thus my question:  Anybody have an idea of a source for 1" three-way electric diverter valves?

TIA,  RJ

      If you do, please post it here cause I wanna know too!

[Jeremy]

I suspect with a bit of thought it'd be fairly straightforward to wire a single 3-position switch to control two two-value valves to give the same function as a 3-way valve

Jeremy

[Emcemv]

RJ, ours is setup the same as you with one difference, our generator cooling system is tied in with the bus motor cooling system.  I know there are pros and cons to this but one nice thing is that the generator heats the hot water.

[Alan N]

In some ag applications (sprayers) three way valves are used. They would either be plastic (can it take the heat?) or stainless ($$$$).

[B_K]

I'm with Jeremy and agree it might be easier to use two 2-way valves than to locate and set up one 3-way valve.
  BK 

[joel_newton]

Thermotion might have a valve(s) that would work.  Limitation of 3/4". 

http://www.thermotion.com/category/54-heater-control-valves.aspx

Select "Download Heater Control Valve Catalog" (pdf)  gives you all the specs.

I ordered a two port 3/4" valve for my old conversion.  Never used it.  However, it will work nicely in my new bus. 

I have no interest in this company.  They were a little slow in manufacturing the valve.

Hope this helps.  There are apparently several of us with similar ideas.

[stevet903]

Couple on ebay -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-1-2-3-4-1-Brass-3-Way-T-Port-Motorized-Ball-Valve-Electrical-Ball-Valve/151232274945?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27673%26meid%3Ddfbef42fbfe647f5b008a1f61397627b%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D151210665245&rt=nc


Stainless if you want to get fancy...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-1-2-To-1-Electrical-Valve-3-Way-L-Port-Stainless-304-Motorized-Ball-Valve-/151210665245?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item2334dba51d


- Steve

[Jeremy]

Those Ebay valves only have two outlets, which makes them a 2-way valve in my terminology. 3-way valves have three outlets.

Jeremy

[Oonrahnjay]

Those Ebay valves only have two outlets, which makes them a 2-way valve in my terminology. 3-way valves have three outlets.

Jeremy

    I guess what I'm looking for is one two-inlet valve (one from radiator coolant and one from gennie coolant) with one outlet (to water heater loop) and one one-inlet valve (from water heater loop) with two outlets. 

    Does it really matter?   If you have a common "Port A" and the valve switches between open from "Port A" to "Port 1" to open from "Port A" to "Port 2", does it matter which is inlet and outlet?  This kind of valve should shift two ways and do what I want to do, right?

[Jeremy]

No I don't expect it matters which direction the flow goes in - 1 inlet & 2 outlets, or 2 inlets & 1 outlet. But to me those are 2-way valves, and motorised 2-way valves are commonplace. I may be wrong but I think the OP was asking for a motorised version of one of these:




Jeremy

[bobofthenorth]

    I guess what I'm looking for is one two-inlet valve (one from radiator coolant and one from gennie coolant) with one outlet (to water heater loop) and one one-inlet valve (from water heater loop) with two outlets. 

    Does it really matter?   If you have a common "Port A" and the valve switches between open from "Port A" to "Port 1" to open from "Port A" to "Port 2", does it matter which is inlet and outlet?  This kind of valve should shift two ways and do what I want to do, right?

3-way ball valves are just a ball with a 90 degree elbow in place of a straight through port in the ball.  They are commonly used in ag sprayer applications.  I can see no reason why flow direction would matter.  There used to be 2 different control head circuits.  Externally the heads looked identical but internally they were different.  One of them required a constant supply voltage and used a pilot signal to determine which direction it was oriented.  The other required the switch to reverse the voltage to the control head. 

[RJ]

Well now, living in a huge agricultural town (Fresno County is the USA's largest producer) provides one with all kinds of possibilities.

Was talking yesterday with one of my customers - who happens to own the largest John Deer dealership in the area - about my idea of using the genset's coolant to help heat the domestic hot water when parked.  He immediately said that electric valves are common on some ag equipment, and suggested I visit one of the major hydraulic supply houses located near his business.  Even gave me the name of a parts guy to talk to!

So, since it's raining here in Fresburg today - which means I won't be out servicing pools - I'm off to have a chat w/ this chap to see what we can come up with.

Stay tuned. . .

[Oonrahnjay]

------------------
I guess what I'm looking for is one two-inlet valve (one from radiator coolant and one from gennie coolant) with one outlet (to water heater loop) and one one-inlet valve (from water heater loop) with two outlets. 

    Does it really matter?   If you have a common "Port A" and the valve switches between open from "Port A" to "Port 1" to open from "Port A" to "Port 2", does it matter which is inlet and outlet?  This kind of valve should shift two ways and do what I want to do, right?
------------------

3-way ball valves are just a ball with a 90 degree elbow in place of a straight through port in the ball.  They are commonly used in ag sprayer applications.  I can see no reason why flow direction would matter.  There used to be 2 different control head circuits.  Externally the heads looked identical but internally they were different.  One of them required a constant supply voltage and used a pilot signal to determine which direction it was oriented.  The other required the switch to reverse the voltage to the control head. 

     Thanks, Bob.  That was what I was thinking. 

[TedCalvert]

I got one word on this: Asco. 

They make all kinds of valves, used in industrial applications, for many different fluids in many configurations. 
Also, 24vdc is very common in industrial controls; 12vdc less so.

Good stuff.