Used in water feature control systems, the SplashValve is designed to operate under constraints such as low input voltage and high duty cycles, requiring a precise balance of energy management and mechanical reliability.
How does SplashValve maintain energy efficiency, reliability and performance during continuous operation? According to Ronn Garland, program director at ARM Automation’s SplashBotix division, the system incorporates a circuit board and electronic components that operate at low voltage. Instead of directly powering the valve motor from the supply voltage, the system charges capacitors within the valve housing.
- These capacitors store electrical energy and discharge it to power the valve motor during movement.
- The valve rotates 90 deg. from one position to another and then stops.
- While stationary, the capacitors recharge from the low voltage supply.
- This cycle spreads the power demand over time, reducing instantaneous current draw on the supply lines.
As a result, Garland says the input power source does not need to deliver large peak currents, which enables the use of smaller cables and power supplies without compromising torque or valve speed.
Mechanical Operation and Control Protocol
The SplashValve’s mechanical design involves a 90-deg. bi-directional rotation, stopping at each end position. This allows the capacitor recharge periods between movements.
Valve position is controlled digitally via the DMX512 protocol, an industry-standard communication protocol using a serial data stream with up to 512 channels:
- Each valve occupies one DMX channel, represented as an 8-bit value (0-255).
- A channel value of 0 corresponds to the valve position at full bypass, while 255 corresponds to full flow effect. Intermediate values position the valve proportionally.
- Valve actuation speed is proportional to the rate of change of the DMX channel value.
- Multiple SplashValves can be connected on a DMX network using star or home-run wiring configurations.
- Ongoing development includes cables supporting both DMX input and output for daisy chaining multiple valves.
“It's the simplest protocol I've ever seen,” Garland said. “It's the same across all the industries.”
Installation and Scalability
Garland explains the SplashValve is installed below individual water nozzles. The wiring can be integrated with existing conduit infrastructure used for lighting or similar applications, facilitating retrofitting of static fountains to dynamic control systems. He says the DMX-based control and modular valve design allow for scalable configurations, supporting multiple valves within large installations.
The device operates efficiently under low voltage by using onboard capacitor storage to supply short bursts of energy during valve movement, balancing power demand over time, Garland says, noting that this design reduces infrastructure requirements while maintaining mechanical performance.
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