Quote:
Originally Posted by NiHaoMike
My plan for control is to leave the fans running on full power and adjust the water to control temperature. I'll probably rig up a solenoid to the faucet lever and connect it to a cheap thermostat I once modified for a glue curing machine.
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You could also get a Y-connector for the faucet, so that you don't lose use of the faucet while the heater is in use. Run a hose from the Y-connector, then use the other side of it when you need to without disconnecting it.
Since the Yconnectors have valves on them, you could control just the valve on your heater's side of the Y, and then close the other valve to stop water from flowing where you don't want it, until you need to use that faucet for something, then flip open the other valve.
One problem you might run into is that the heat exchange from a higher water flow won't happen instantly, so you'll need to figure out what water flow will net you the fastest heat exchange for the least energy, else you'll just be opening the valve too far and wasting energy and water again.
OTOH - A more precise way to control the temps, since water temp is a constant, is to control the amount of water flowing
out, instead of
in.
If you could put a solenoid controlled valve on the outlet side of the heat exchanger, you'd have the ability to turn the faucet all the way on, and just dump a large section of the water in the unit until the temps reach optimal again, which only takes a few seconds, as opposed to a few minutes for the water to conduct it's energy through other water and into the metal.