Making a 4-port solenoid manifold for my pump stand

[Car_Wash_Guy]

My (2) brass 2-port manifold blocks are leaking water past my solenoids, and I'm need to stop that. I'm going to rebuild / make a manifold using irrigations solenoids ( always available at HD and not only do they last 10x as long as car wash specific ones, cost only $12).

Not sure If I want to make a manifold out of schedule 40 PVC, 1" Copper and sweat it, or ...? PEX w/ shark bite fittings?

Has anyone been through this and what would you suggest?

Thanks!

 

[JGinther]

Why not use funny pipe so nobody knows its a car wash? I'm not sure they will last 10x longer when put in the duty cycle of a car wash... What are the purposes of the solenoids? Not soap or wax I'm guessing?

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

Why not use funny pipe so nobody knows its a car wash? I'm not sure they will last 10x longer when put in the duty cycle of a car wash... What are the purposes of the solenoids? Not soap or wax I'm guessing?

I use them all on fresh water - hot and cold. Probably have about 4-5 of them around the wash. I have never replaced one and have some going on 4 years old. I've had Dema's not make it 3 months. YMMV.

These will be controlling the city water supply to the pumps on my SS side.

 

[JGinther]

For fresh water you are probably fine. Not sure on hot water though. I have put in some sprinkler systems using complete 4 port manifolds with unions at the solenoids already built in. They are awesome for when working in a sprinkler box. PVC pipe connections are available for the manifold part. Home Depot sells the manifolds and the accessory parts.

Were the dema valves that failed pilot operated, or diaphragm? The diaphragm style are pretty reliable. Have some in operation for 25 years now. Eventually the diaphragm starts to turn to slime.

 

[MEP001]

I've seen D/H pumpstands more than 40 years old with the original DEMA 412P solenoids all working perfectly. The last time I installed an O412P for a weep it stuck open the second time it was powered up while testing, checked and found no debris or anything wrong, checked it a few more times and it seemed okay, froze that night and it failed to open. Other DEMA piston solenoids haven't ever lasted more than a couple years. I don't use DEMA piston solenoids anymore. Their diaphram type have been good.

 

[Earl Weiss]

https://www.dripworks.com/manifold-w-four-outlets

 

[Randy]

We’d never use PVC pipe at the car wash. PVC tends to get brittle over time and cause problems. One of the out of business equipment manufactures used a lot of it and it was a PITA! We use only Brass or copper for all our water supplies. There’s a huge difference in the DEMA 0412P and the DEMA A414P solenoid valves. We use the DEMA A414P on our equipment, used them for well over 35 years with very few problems. The DEMA A414P is a normally closed solenoid valve and the DEMA 0412P is a normally open solenoid valve, it’s a piece of $hit. What kind of valves are you using now?

 

[MEP001]

Dema A412P and A414P solenoids use the same type of piston as the O412P, and all of them have a habit of sticking open, not opening, or opening partway and hanging. The A473P and O473P have a stainless seat which doesn't erode, and the diaphragm doesn't have to slide in a close-tolerance area so they don't often fail unless debris gets under the seat. All the newer DEMA piston solenoids are unreliable, unlike the ones from 35-40 years ago.

 

[Randy]

We have a lot of the Dema A414P solenoid valves in service, old ones and new ones, they all seem to work fine, never a problem with them not opening or closing. The last Dema A414P I changed a few weeks ago had a stainless steel seat, we have to disassemble them when we install them.

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

Dema A412P and A414P solenoids use the same type of piston as the O412P, and all of them have a habit of sticking open, not opening, or opening partway and hanging. The A473P and O473P have a stainless seat which doesn't erode, and the diaphragm doesn't have to slide in a close-tolerance area so they don't often fail unless debris gets under the seat. All the newer DEMA piston solenoids are unreliable, unlike the ones from 35-40 years ago.

Well, what is your go to solenoid? ASCO?

 

[Randy]

Well, what is your go to solenoid? ASCO?

If I were starting from scratch I’d probably use a DEMA 474PT3 solenoid valve. If cost was no object I’d use an ASCO 8210G094.

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

What is everyone's setup? Are you guys using some kind of manifold block, etc?

 

[2Biz]

Do you have gravity feed tanks or city pressure fed pumps? Equipment is different based on how it's set up. I have gravity fed hot and cold water to my pumps. A simple 2 way Erie Motorized valve switches between hot and cold. Hot is Normally Open so if a motor ever fails, I will know it right away when cleaning bays, it will not switch to cold. The thing I like best about the Erie Valves, there is no danger of starving a pump. I installed 4 new valves several years ago and they all are still working great. No issues.

 

[Earl Weiss]

What is everyone's setup? Are you guys using some kind of manifold block, etc?

I use these . Rarely have an issue. https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-1969-kip-manifold-block-non-metering-4-outlets.aspx