Ideally, I'd like to replace the actuator with a rough-in lever, but I've been searching and cannot find it for sale separately from the valve. I guess I'd could just toss the valve part but that's about $55 wasted. I did leave a message on the WaterCop site and will post what they respond with. ChatGPT said I could use a fork coupler and a generic handle, but the coupler's connection is the wrong sex. It is also a female as is the WaterCop supplied valve.
For any that don't have a WaterCop and wonder what the valve looks like, here ...
In my case I bought my WaterCop new/unopened, but I expect the plumber who installed my WaterCop tossed the lever...I have no memory of him showing/giving that to me. I'm a parts hoarder by nature, so I would have saved it... I could have just forgotten and It's buried in one of my "organization" boxes.
The design does look proprietary...if so WaterCop may be the only source of the lever. @HAL9000 - as suggested, maybe WaterCop would offer to send or sell a lever only if asked nicely.
In my case, and I think @danabw as well, the actuator and valve are installed but have become unreliable. Removing the actuator would be to accommodate a different solution that is designed to turn a lever instead.
Yes, exactly. I'm interested in what they say to you...if they can/will send/sell a lever (and not ask $79 for it) that would be a good for me as well for the reason you note. Installing the new device in the same spot as the current WaterCop location would be an improvement over putting it on the original shutoff valve. Not required, but better overall.
The goal for me is not to have to make changes to plumbing. My WaterCop valve was installed by a professional (as part of replacing some old pipes) and is really located in the ideal place for the automated valve. I can keep both those attributes of the solution while simply replacing the actuator with a lever. Then, I can consider any number of solutions that work by turning a ball valve lever.
I understand it. I just wouldn't downgrade like that myself when you can use a watercop actuator. The watercop valve is designed to securely anchor the actuator to provide the most torque to turn the valve. Why bother using some jenky external mount with a slow actuator when you can have total control over a 12v actuator from watercop that isn't going to break itself off the pipe using its own torque.
For example you can find these guys on ebay. This is a dual actuator kit for 250 you get one that you can control with the momentary switches on the front plus the rj45 connector has pinout to open/close and show state. The other one is also controllable.
That solution is worthy of consideration. I guess part of this is that I've never loved the WaterCop. My first one was bought on eBay and it was really flakey. These were ones manufactured for AT&T Digital Life in 2013 and their Z-Wave was ancient and almost useless. I replaced it with one manufactured in 2019 and I still have to power cycle it to get it to reconnect again. Now the motor itself (it seems) is dying after five years.
I do understand that almost all of that is criticism of the Z-Wave which I do not have to depend on.
Some of this is a physics issue that I haven't fully thought through. The WaterCop is anchored just a quarter inch or so from the valve it is turning. Does a device with a much larger turning radius and lever not require significantly less torque? The manual knob on top of the WaterCop is ridiculous difficult to turn manually, while a ball valve lever is easy. But on the other hand, unlike turning the lever by hand, there's a motor that has to move a long arm, and that offsets any advantage of the lever. I just don't know.
Anyway, I've not ruled out replacing the WaterCop actuator and rigging a reliable relay to control it.
Yep, I was coming around to that realization, but I'd typed a few sentences already and they sounded pretty intelligent, albeit wrong.
The torque required is reduced by a long arm (or a pipe over a lug nut wrench, as another example) ONLY if you are applying force at the end of the lever. If the force is applied at the center of the radius, the lever doesn't help.
Most of the higher end valves with controllers etc have a monthly or frequent maintenance cycle that closes the valves and opens them. This for two reasons. Leaving them open can result in some mineral buildup and make the valves hard to actuate. Second reason is you want to know sooner than later that the valve won't close so the main cycle tells you that instead of not closing in a leak situation. The higher end units also have better ball valves with coatings etc that prevent buildup. So regularly actuating the valve and also the main Shutoff is probably smart and certainly not something everyone or I would say a majority of home owners are considering.
The folks that have the older watercop parts may want to really open and close those valves a few times. I suspect they continuous spin when the handle isn't fixed with the bolt stop. I'd turn off the main. Drop some pressure at a faucet and spin the valves and see if it gets smoother. I guess it's also possible the valve was a lower end product than what they offer today.
My plan for my new smart loop includes putting unions at either end of the smart section so I can bypass, pull the smart section out and then replace it with a straight pipe. I'm going to mount the straight pipe on the wall in case it's needed in the future. The reason is the bypass works fine, but the two tees and the two 90's do add some turbulence to the bypass. The ideal path is the straight line through the tees.
Every time I put a new battery in a leak sensor, I test it, which includes looking at the camera focusing on the WaterCop to make sure it is turning easily.
And your supposition is correct, it is continuous spin.
Thought it might be helpful to add that the watercop "leak stop plus" actuator has wired sensors attached. WCLSLFB. Ebay had some when I looked. With that model you have two wired sensors plus the rj45. These are designed for installing at water heaters and water softeners and the like.
@danabw FWIW, I just saw that the Titan is $90 off at The Smartest House, if you still have any interest in that.
Totally unrelated but a really good deal, the Zooz 800 LR outdoor plug is on sale for $16. Great for automating Christmas lighting (I have several already).
