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controlling motorized valves — Parallax Forums

controlling motorized valves

mmorelandmmoreland Posts: 89
edited 2013-12-25 09:12 in General Discussion
I'm beginning a project that will employ a heat pump, a water pump and two motorized three-way valves, and it will require some sort of controller that will turn the heat pump (20 amp, 230 VAC), the water pump (5 amp, 230 VAC) and the motorized valves on and off in a timed sequence that depends on the call for heat from a thermostat. I'm about to purchase the motorized valves, and they can be operated by 110 or 230 VAC current or 5, 12 or 24 VDC. They have a feed back circuit that allows a controller to know which of the two positions they have is the current position, but the motor that drives the valve and the feed back circuit must be the same sort of current. Which of the above choices will make my life in designing and building the controlling circuitry the easiest? Any advice?

Michael Moreland
Mendocino, CA

Comments

  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2013-12-24 23:46
    If you plan to use micros I'd go with the 5VDC since most sensors work at that voltage and they are only control and sense lines.
  • Duane C. JohnsonDuane C. Johnson Posts: 955
    edited 2013-12-25 03:53
    Hi Michael;
    mmoreland wrote: »
    I'm beginning a project that will employ a heat pump, a water pump and two motorized three-way valves, and it will require some sort of controller that will turn the heat pump (20 amp, 230 VAC), the water pump (5 amp, 230 VAC) and the motorized valves on and off in a timed sequence that depends on the call for heat from a thermostat. I'm about to purchase the motorized valves, and they can be operated by 110 or 230 VAC current or 5, 12 or 24 VDC. They have a feed back circuit that allows a controller to know which of the two positions they have is the current position, but the motor that drives the valve and the feed back circuit must be the same sort of current. Which of the above choices will make my life in designing and building the controlling circuitry the easiest? Any advice?

    Michael Moreland
    Mendocino, CA
    Big question is what is the action of the valves like.
    I.e. do you have to maintain power to the actuation motors continuously, or once activated will the valves keep their position after power is removed?

    Duane J
  • Erik FriesenErik Friesen Posts: 1,071
    edited 2013-12-25 05:38
    +1 for 24v, many industrial choices. If you use something like a unl2803 with open collector outputs, you could give yourself 5 12 and 24 volt outputs and choose during install.
  • mmorelandmmoreland Posts: 89
    edited 2013-12-25 09:12
    Duane C. Johnson wrote: »
    Hi Michael;
    Big question is what is the action of the valves like.
    I.e. do you have to maintain power to the actuation motors continuously, or once activated will the valves keep their position after power is removed?

    Duane J

    After moving to the new position, the power is turned off, and the valve remains in that position until power is applied again. The power to move the valve is applied from an external source, but the action to shut off the power to the motor is done within the valve motor's circuitry. Michael
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