Engineering What is a Shower Timer Circuit Diagram?

[AnneElizabeth]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, so sorry in advance.

I'm doing a project on water. One of my ideas (I need to have a few initial ideas) is a shower timer, which stops people wasting water in the shower (like it will shut off/reduce pressure after a certain number of minutes). My model research idea is http://www.showermanager.com" , but I need a circuit to go along with in. I have scoured the internet but can't find any circuit diagrams to work with this! I'm not trying to build my own one, I just need a picture of a circuit diagram to go as part of my research. Any tips?

- Thanks.

 

[berkeman]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, so sorry in advance.

I'm doing a project on water. One of my ideas (I need to have a few initial ideas) is a shower timer, which stops people wasting water in the shower (like it will shut off/reduce pressure after a certain number of minutes). My model research idea is http://www.showermanager.com" , but I need a circuit to go along with in. I have scoured the internet but can't find any circuit diagrams to work with this! I'm not trying to build my own one, I just need a picture of a circuit diagram to go as part of my research. Any tips?

- Thanks.

Welcome to the PF!

It says that the Shower Manager is powered by a 9V battery, so it's probably just a simple timer/counter circuit, and it must fire a solenoid to shut down the water flow. It seems simpler to just use a mechanical timer instead (wind-up egg timer type) -- could you propose that instead, or does it need to be electrical in nature?

 

[AnneElizabeth]

Welcome to the PF!

It says that the Shower Manager is powered by a 9V battery, so it's probably just a simple timer/counter circuit, and it must fire a solenoid to shut down the water flow. It seems simpler to just use a mechanical timer instead (wind-up egg timer type) -- could you propose that instead, or does it need to be electrical in nature?

No it can be mechanical or electronic :)
The wind-up egg timer is easier, but I want something that will stop the water flow.
How would solenoid stop the water flow? (sorry I have very limited electronic knowledge).

Thanks for the reply.

 

[berkeman]

No it can be mechanical or electronic :)
The wind-up egg timer is easier, but I want something that will stop the water flow.
How would solenoid stop the water flow? (sorry I have very limited electronic knowledge).

Thanks for the reply.

The wind up mechanical timer would stop the flow at the end of its unwinding motion.

One way an electronic one can work is for there to be a pushbutton that pushes the valve open and there is a magnet that sticks to a piece of metal that holds the valve open. When it's time to close the valve, the circuit puts a brief, medium-sized current pulse through a coil around the metal, to oppose the magnet and force the magnet to let go. I'll see if I can find an example link...

 

[berkeman]

Electromechanical Solenoids:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenoid

Solenoid tutorial:

http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/io/io_6.html

Magnetic Latch Solenoid with Valve:

http://www.bermad.com/Data/Uploads/IR%20Latch%20Solenoid%20S-392-2W%20Data%20Sheet.pdf

.