Solenoid Shut Off Valve Frequently Asked Questions
Watersavers’ brass solenoid shut off valves enable a water supply to be turned on by energising the coil of the valve with 240v AC (SVM range). When de-energised the valve will close – shutting off the water supply.
In a domestic home, or small commercial buildings, the shut off valve is plumbed in after and close to the main stopcock. Choose the valve size according to the size of your incoming water main. British Standard Pipe (BSP) sizes and (valve product code) are: ½” (SVM-15), ¾” (SVM-22) & 1″ (SVM-28).
Fit male BSP to compression fitting couplers to plumb into copper pipe. Ensure arrow on brass body matches direction of water flow.
Valves are designed to operate properly when mounted in any position. However, for optimum life and performance the solenoid coil should be mounted vertically and upright to reduce the possibility of foreign matter accumulating in the solenoid base sub-assembly area.
Each Watersavers’ solenoid shut off valve is supplied with a DIN connector which is pushed on to the coil of the valve and held in place by a screw. Use 0.75mm² round flexible cable to connect to terminals one & two (polarity not important). An earth connection can be made to the third terminal although all water pipework should be bonded to earth. Please see current and local regulations.
If you cannot get the valve to open, follow these checks:
- Check that the arrow on the brass body matches the direction of water flow.
- Ensure there is sufficient pressure of water. The SVM range of valves require a minimum of 0.35 BAR (11.5 ft water) to operate.
- Check there is 240v AC at the coil terminals, use a test meter if necessary. The coil should be warm to the touch if the power has been on for a few minutes.
- Using a test meter, check there is resistance between the two smaller terminals one & two on the coil. It should read about 3000 ohms (3kΩ). If the coil is open circuit, contact Watersavers for a replacement part.
- It may be possible that some debris has entered the valve and caused it to malfunction. The valve can be carefully dismantled to check for this.
Watersavers recommends the fitting of a gauze or Y strainer to the inlet of the valve to prevent the ingress of debris into the valve.
Valves supplied by Watersavers have female BSP threads. Couplers to convert to compression fit are available on request.
In the event of a power cut the solenoid valve will close, shutting off the water. This is known as “fail safe.” Consideration should be given to this before installation to understand if there are any emergency facilities, appliances or machines, such as fire sprinklers, fish aquariums, toilets etc., that may raise safety or health issues if water was unavailable.
The standard SVM range of valves cannot be overridden however, here are three options:
- Watersavers can supply a special version of shut off valve with a manual override screw. Simply turn through 90° with a screwdriver
- Plumb in parallel pipework with a tap that can be opened in the event of a power cut
- Provide a tap or hose outlet between the stopcock and the solenoid shut off valve for use in an emergency
Watersavers brass solenoid shut off valves typically consume 4 watts of power which means that they can be run continuously for about 10 days for the equivalent cost of about 1 unit of electricity.
Yes, we can supply alternative coil voltages including 12v DC, 24v DC, 24v AC, 110v AC at no additional cost – please contact us to discuss your needs.
Our SVM range of pilot operated valves require a minimum pressure of 0.35 BAR (11.5 feet of water) to operate. The maximum operating pressure is 13 BAR (½” – 1″ sizes) and 10 BAR (1¼” – 2″ sizes).