I am doing washing with the continuous wash, and a 1/4 GPM Fogg-IT mister. I find that if I let the initial 1-2 washes run too long, I get mixed Biodiesel/water in my overflow. If I give them time to seperate before continuing, everything is fine.

I really want to use a timer, so if I get distracted, and forget to come back to turn it off, it's no trouble. I would really like an interval timer, where I could do 2 hours on, 2 hours off, 2 hours on, etc. This would let the Biodiesel and water seperate between washes.

I have tried this one:
Orbit timer
which does not shut off. I can hear the valve click, but the water keeps flowing. It seems like (I'm guessing) that the mister has so much back-pressure that the pressure difference betwen input and output is not great enough to let it turn off. If I use the timer without the mister, it turns on and off correctly.

Is there a timer that works reliably? How about those 24 volt sprinker timer valves? Do they turn off with a mister attached? Anyone tried it? Are there any timers for 24 volt systems that allow interval timing?

Thanks

Dont trust any of them to completely shut off.

I ended up with 30 gallons of fuel all over the floor because of those darn timers.. They are garbage.. all of them..

Plan for the "leak" or get a real solinoid valve that works.

I agree with Murphy about the valve...

I have one of the 24 volt sprinkler valves that is controled by an sump pump switch (not the floating kind) with a toilet bulb to sence the level and turn the switch off.

I believe Murphy has posted a sight that you can get a level switch which might be better than the system I am currently using.

I am going to look into those here soon. But what my setup allows me to do is adjust the water height to the batch size.

I should not have worded things so strongly.

When I say "they are garbage" I am referencing their use in the biodiesel process.

Those timers work just fine for what they are intended to do.

quote:

Plan for the "leak" or get a real solinoid valve that works.

That's what I am looking for. Does anyone know where to get a solenoid valve that works? Specifically, have you used it with a mister on the output end?

Thanks.

Here is a dishwasher water valve (solinoid).

Bob

I have a simple mechanical timer with the brand name Orbit on it. I got it from Rick @ b100supplydotcom two years ago. I just checked his web site to see if he still sales them. I didn't find it. Maybe he had problems them. I have used the one have for two years without a problem. That includes leaving it outside the whole time. We recently had freezing weather here and I went out in the middle of the night to besure I hadn't it with water attached. Ice was already forming. I checked. It still works. Found a pic of one. Mine just has Orbit on it. No model number. below is a link to the one I found:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQOOXM?smid=ADFRQ5K4I2LNR&...n-mp-20&linkCode=asn
But I plan to move my system into the basement. I was planning to modify my wash tank to include the continuous wash option in the event the timer fails. I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy.

The sprinkler timers and most solenoid valves have problems consistently and reliably shutting off every time when used in LOW flow misting systems. If you have a higher flow system then they do fine. They work fine most of the time with low flow system, it's just every now and then they don't shut off. If I remember right anything below 1 gpm is considered to low a flow for standard solenoid valves. Above 1 gpm is ok. Oh, and the larger the valve the higher the minimum required flow rate.

It's because the valves use the inlet pressure to help turn the valves off. (pilot-operated) If the flow is too low, then the pressure on the inlet side is not high enough above the outlet pressure to completely close the valve.

What you want is a direct acting solenoid. McMaster-Carr carries one that will work. Part number 8077K12. This particular valve is rated for a maximum of 100 psi. Since it uses a spring to close the valve, water pressure above 100psi will push the spring back and cause the valve to open.

quote:

Originally posted by RickDaTech:
The sprinkler timers and most solenoid valves have problems consistently and reliably shutting off every time when used in LOW flow misting systems. If you have a higher flow system then they do fine. They work fine most of the time with lo

Before I built my continuous misting system I used a simple timer made for drip irrigation systems that attached to the hose bib. Never failed.

ReM

Could you use a timer switch and just cut off the power after x number of time.

quote:

Originally posted by RickDaTech:
What you want is a direct acting solenoid. McMaster-Carr carries one that will work. Part number 8077K12. This particular valve is rated for a maximum of 100 psi. Since it uses a spring to close the valve, water pressure above 100psi will push the spring back and cause the valve to open.

Cool. It's good to know there it something that will work. I looked at their web-page, and the valve is $50. Kind of expensive, but worth it for automation.

Also, I checked my water pressure, and it's 105 PSI. The valve I was using is rated for 80 PSI max. That could be my problem. Some of the lawn sprinker valves (24 volts) are rated up to 125 PSI. I may try one of those too.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll let you know how it turns out.

quote:

Originally posted by RickDaTech:
The sprinkler timers and most solenoid valves have problems consistently and reliably shutting off every time when used in LOW flow misting systems. If you have a higher flow system then they do fine. They work fine most of the time with low flow system, it's just every now and then they don't shut off. If I remember right anything below 1 gpm is considered to low a flow for standard solenoid valves. Above 1 gpm is ok. Oh, and the larger the valve the higher the minimum required flow rate.

It's because the valves use the inlet pressure to help turn the valves off. (pilot-operated) If the flow is too low, then the pressure on the inlet side is not high enough above the outlet pressure to completely close the valve.

What you want is a direct acting solenoid. McMaster-Carr carries one that will work. Part number 8077K12. This particular valve is rated for a maximum of 100 psi. Since it uses a spring to close the valve, water pressure above 100psi will push the spring back and cause the valve to open.

True, I have the same problems with most solenoid valves and sprinkler timers. When there is a low flow they don't shut off. I will try to find one in McMaster-Carr. Thanks for sharing. I also have read one article about mist system. I guess this will help us looking for a good and reliable misting system too.