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Quick thermostatic valve question. Can you help me?

13 years ago

Gosh I'm sorry I'm dense on this. I'm about to place the order for our shower bits and I want to make sure I get the right stuff because I don't want to pay a restocking fee. Our plumber is fine with us providing the parts. When I asked him about thermostatic vs. pressure balanced his answer was "most people just want the regular old pressure balanced but it's up to you."

Anyway, here's what I was going to buy for a valve and valve trim. Can anyone confirm for me that that's all that trim will control both pressure and temperature and that I don't need to buy a separate trim for volume?

I chose a 1/2-inch valve on his recommendation since we will just have one handheld in the shower that will act as our only showerhead.

http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/detail.jsp?item=10084202&section=2&category=8&subcategory=50

http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/detail.jsp?item=10080602&prod_num=679-KS

Thank you in advance for your help (and patience with me)!

Erin

Here is a link that might be useful: Valve trim

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Comments (5)

Stacey Collins
13 years ago
Hi Erin,
This is the same trim and valve we used.

We have the thermostatic valve and valve trim. It only sets the temperature of the water. We then have separate volume control valves for each outlet (in our case, showerhead and hand shower. In your case you need just one each of the volume control valve and trim. I know, it starts adding up $$ fast!)

OTOH, if you do pressure-balanced only, you can get a trim which is both temp and volume. But you don't get the thermostatic function.
wi-sailorgirl
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you so much!
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Here are images of our weird installation. This is in the maximum "hot" position (as far as the lever will go). And this is an image with the handle in the maximum "cold" position. Here is a picture of the two white rings ... we think the narrower one is supposed to be installed in the wall, on the other side of the trim plate. Is this correct? As it is now, we can get very hot or warm water, no cold. The lever can be moved about a quarter way around altogether (the first two images illustrate the maximum movement of the lever). He measured the water temperature when he "fixed" the stainless sleeve (the notch was originally on the bottom instead of the top and we KNEW that was wrong); he adjusted the green nut so the water was 100 degrees when the ring was on the numbers "100" ... but I assume the position of the lever itself matters as well (and must have to be adjusted relative to the numbers on the white band since why else are they there?), since as it is, you can't even MOVE the lever to the lower numbers. HELP!!!! Am I not understanding something here? I have to be able to explain in REALLY simple words to this guy what this should look like and how it should function. He thinks it's just fine and clearly didn't really understand why the notch (by which you determine where you align the temperature number) had to be on top -- where it could be seen. I had the sense he felt he was humoring me by moving it :)
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Stacey Collins
13 years ago
You're welcome. By the way are you using the Kohler handheld shower that goes with that stuff? It's a perfectly great main showerhead. In fact, it's actually a little bit TOO big to be a hand shower, IMHO. A little unweildy... it looks fabulous and works fine, but it's just kind of massive :)
wi-sailorgirl
Original Author
13 years ago
We're actually getting the Flipside handheld but I know what you mean about size ... I actually thought they were all a bit big for handhelds.

So, I was perusing your clippings hoping to find a picture of your shower setup, and I was noticing that we have a lot of similar tastes in decorating. Then I clicked on your home page (hoping, again, to find a picture of your shower) and I find out that we have a lot more in common than shower fixtures ... I work for SAILING Magazine.

Small world I guess!
Stacey Collins
13 years ago
I often wondered about your screen name :)

I think I had an article in SAILING about 5 or 6 years ago... before we went off sailing for 2 years. Then I started writing for Cruising World.

Good luck with your bathroom reno!

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