Jetcone's Trick Out for Thermostatic Valves

and how to overcome the $60 thermostatic valve hegemony!

Here is the layout, what you will need is
A new water valve $4.99 --on ebay sometimes
A relay from Radio Shack #275-217 $8.49
Wire
Blade Connectors and Double spade and single spade connectors
The double spade connectors allow you to tap into the circuits around the water solenoid valves.
You want to wire the relay in on the warm water setting from the timer to the valves.
You want the coil wired in paralell with the cold water solenoid so that both coils see the same voltage.
You want to wire the HOT solenoid in series with one of the switches on board the Relay.
So that when the machine calls for warm water the cold solenoid is activated and the relay coil then gets activated which causes the contacts to close in the relay which energizes the HOT solenoid and the two waters mix for warm.
See diagram, unplug all machines and don't try this if you are inexperienced in electrics or can't read a schematic. I assume no liability for your actions.

This is just posted as a suggestion.

Have fun it works great.
The Radio Shack 217 is a 125 V relay so the coil and switches are designed to switch 125 volts on and off.


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Post# 211144 5/20/2007 at 15:23 (6,184 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)
Checkrate/Likes and how to overcome the $60 thermostatic valve hegemony! Here is the layout, what you will need is A new water valve $4.99 --on ebay sometimes A relay from Radio Shack #275-217 $8.49 Wire Blade Connectors and Double spade and single spade connectors The double spade connectors allow you to tap into the circuits around the water solenoid valves. You want to wire the relay in on the warm water setting from the timer to the valves. You want the coil wired in paralell with the cold water solenoid so that both coils see the same voltage. You want to wire the HOT solenoid in series with one of the switches on board the Relay. So that when the machine calls for warm water the cold solenoid is activated and the relay coil then gets activated which causes the contacts to close in the relay which energizes the HOT solenoid and the two waters mix for warm. See diagram, unplug all machines and don't try this if you are inexperienced in electrics or can't read a schematic. I assume no liability for your actions. This is just posted as a suggestion. Have fun it works great. The Radio Shack 217 is a 125 V relay so the coil and switches are designed to switch 125 volts on and off.

Post# 211146 , Reply# 1 5/20/2007 at 15:26 (6,184 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)
Checkrate/Likes *Oh I forgot I bought a nice* plastic mounting box $3.99 and a plug base for the relay. This makes it easy to mount the whole thing in the cabinet and the plug base allows you to unplug a bad relay and plug in a new one incase it fails for some reason down the road. For the plug base you need 1/4 inch size blade connectors but for the machine side you need 3/8 (standard) blade connectors. jet

Post# 211260 , Reply# 2 5/20/2007 at 22:09 (6,184 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)
Checkrate/Likes Very cool Jon, I love playing with relays!

Post# 211286 , Reply# 3 5/21/2007 at 02:37 (6,184 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks for posting this circuit diagram. I printed it out to save for future reference.

Post# 211315 , Reply# 4 5/21/2007 at 08:44 (6,184 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)
Checkrate/Likes Thanks Jon!