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From: House Guy on 17 Jan 2010 13:36
DD_BobK wrote:

> > Delta has a kitchen faucet that you can control manually but it
> > will also toggle on and off by touching the metal part of the
> > faucet spout or neck.
> >
> > I'm wondering if it's possible to buy the electronics and the
> > valve that performs the touch-control separately
>
> I would suggest going to Delta's website & see what the control
> module looks like. I'm guessing that is it somewhat proprietary
> and not easily amenable to pirating it over to another faucet.

A patent was filed by a couple of guys in 2004 for this touch-control
mechanism. Such a simple idea - I'm surprised it was filed so recently.

The patent was assigned to Masco, which owns the Delta, Peerless and
Brizo brands. This touch-control mechanism was introduced by Delta in
it's "Pilar" model kitchen faucet almost a year ago (no other models
have it). Brizo also has one model with the touch control. No Peerless
models have it (as you'd expect).

When I look at the parts and installation diagrams, other than perhaps
having difficulty with the hose fittings to/from the control unit, it
seems quite possible to use the control module with another faucet. The
trick would be to insure that the faucet spout was electrically
insulated from counter-top or sink (assuming one or both are metallic).

Alternatively, given a metallic sink (above-counter mounted) on a
non-metallic counter, it should be possible to connect the sense-wire to
both the spout and the sink. That would mean that controlling the water
flow could be done by just touching anywhere on the sink surface.

Alternatively, if there is some other insulated metal structure nearby
(mounted to a wall, or the counter) then that could serve as the
touch-control surface. Even a decorative item like trim installed for
just that purpose.
From: RicodJour on 17 Jan 2010 13:49
On Jan 17, 1:36 pm, House Guy <Ho...(a)Guy.com> wrote:
> DD_BobK wrote:
> > > Delta has a kitchen faucet that you can control manually but it
> > > will also toggle on and off by touching the metal part of the
> > > faucet spout or neck.
>
> > > I'm wondering if it's possible to buy the electronics and the
> > > valve that performs the touch-control separately
>
> > I would suggest going to Delta's website & see what the control
> > module looks like.  I'm guessing that is it somewhat proprietary
> > and not easily amenable to pirating it over to another faucet.
>
> A patent was filed by a couple of guys in 2004 for this touch-control
> mechanism.  Such a simple idea - I'm surprised it was filed so recently..
>
> The patent was assigned to Masco, which owns the Delta, Peerless and
> Brizo brands.  This touch-control mechanism was introduced by Delta in
> it's "Pilar" model kitchen faucet almost a year ago (no other models
> have it).  Brizo also has one model with the touch control.  No Peerless
> models have it (as you'd expect).
>
> When I look at the parts and installation diagrams, other than perhaps
> having difficulty with the hose fittings to/from the control unit, it
> seems quite possible to use the control module with another faucet.  The
> trick would be to insure that the faucet spout was electrically
> insulated from counter-top or sink (assuming one or both are metallic).
>
> Alternatively, given a metallic sink (above-counter mounted) on a
> non-metallic counter, it should be possible to connect the sense-wire to
> both the spout and the sink.  That would mean that controlling the water
> flow could be done by just touching anywhere on the sink surface.  
>
> Alternatively, if there is some other insulated metal structure nearby
> (mounted to a wall, or the counter) then that could serve as the
> touch-control surface.  Even a decorative item like trim installed for
> just that purpose.

Have you considered a foot operated switch? Hands-free.

R
From: hr(bob) hofmann on 17 Jan 2010 20:29
On Jan 17, 12:49 pm, RicodJour <ricodj...(a)worldemail.com> wrote:
> On Jan 17, 1:36 pm, House Guy <Ho...(a)Guy.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > DD_BobK wrote:
> > > > Delta has a kitchen faucet that you can control manually but it
> > > > will also toggle on and off by touching the metal part of the
> > > > faucet spout or neck.
>
> > > > I'm wondering if it's possible to buy the electronics and the
> > > > valve that performs the touch-control separately
>
> > > I would suggest going to Delta's website & see what the control
> > > module looks like.  I'm guessing that is it somewhat proprietary
> > > and not easily amenable to pirating it over to another faucet.
>
> > A patent was filed by a couple of guys in 2004 for this touch-control
> > mechanism.  Such a simple idea - I'm surprised it was filed so recently.
>
> > The patent was assigned to Masco, which owns the Delta, Peerless and
> > Brizo brands.  This touch-control mechanism was introduced by Delta in
> > it's "Pilar" model kitchen faucet almost a year ago (no other models
> > have it).  Brizo also has one model with the touch control.  No Peerless
> > models have it (as you'd expect).
>
> > When I look at the parts and installation diagrams, other than perhaps
> > having difficulty with the hose fittings to/from the control unit, it
> > seems quite possible to use the control module with another faucet.  The
> > trick would be to insure that the faucet spout was electrically
> > insulated from counter-top or sink (assuming one or both are metallic).
>
> > Alternatively, given a metallic sink (above-counter mounted) on a
> > non-metallic counter, it should be possible to connect the sense-wire to
> > both the spout and the sink.  That would mean that controlling the water
> > flow could be done by just touching anywhere on the sink surface.  
>
> > Alternatively, if there is some other insulated metal structure nearby
> > (mounted to a wall, or the counter) then that could serve as the
> > touch-control surface.  Even a decorative item like trim installed for
> > just that purpose.
>
> Have you considered a foot operated switch?  Hands-free.
>
> R- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Think of the module as being like one that turns a lamp on whenever
you touch a metal part of the lamp. Only the output of the module,
instead of going to the bulb in the lamp, goes to a valve in the water
supply line.
From: RicodJour on 17 Jan 2010 21:53
On Jan 17, 8:29 pm, "hr(bob) hofm...(a)att.net" <hrhofm...(a)att.net>
wrote:
> On Jan 17, 12:49 pm, RicodJour <ricodj...(a)worldemail.com> wrote:
> > On Jan 17, 1:36 pm, House Guy <Ho...(a)Guy.com> wrote:
> > > DD_BobK wrote:
>
> > > > > Delta has a kitchen faucet that you can control manually but it
> > > > > will also toggle on and off by touching the metal part of the
> > > > > faucet spout or neck.
>
> > > > > I'm wondering if it's possible to buy the electronics and the
> > > > > valve that performs the touch-control separately
>
> > > > I would suggest going to Delta's website & see what the control
> > > > module looks like.  I'm guessing that is it somewhat proprietary
> > > > and not easily amenable to pirating it over to another faucet.
>
> > > A patent was filed by a couple of guys in 2004 for this touch-control
> > > mechanism.  Such a simple idea - I'm surprised it was filed so recently.
>
> > > The patent was assigned to Masco, which owns the Delta, Peerless and
> > > Brizo brands.  This touch-control mechanism was introduced by Delta in
> > > it's "Pilar" model kitchen faucet almost a year ago (no other models
> > > have it).  Brizo also has one model with the touch control.  No Peerless
> > > models have it (as you'd expect).
>
> > > When I look at the parts and installation diagrams, other than perhaps
> > > having difficulty with the hose fittings to/from the control unit, it
> > > seems quite possible to use the control module with another faucet.  The
> > > trick would be to insure that the faucet spout was electrically
> > > insulated from counter-top or sink (assuming one or both are metallic).
>
> > > Alternatively, given a metallic sink (above-counter mounted) on a
> > > non-metallic counter, it should be possible to connect the sense-wire to
> > > both the spout and the sink.  That would mean that controlling the water
> > > flow could be done by just touching anywhere on the sink surface.  
>
> > > Alternatively, if there is some other insulated metal structure nearby
> > > (mounted to a wall, or the counter) then that could serve as the
> > > touch-control surface.  Even a decorative item like trim installed for
> > > just that purpose.
>
> > Have you considered a foot operated switch?  Hands-free.
>
> Think of the module as being like one that turns a lamp on whenever
> you touch a metal part of the lamp.  Only the output of the module,
> instead of going to the bulb in the lamp, goes to a valve in the water
> supply line.

I know how the things work, thanks. The foot operated pedals are
something that can be easily retrofitted to any existing faucet and
are readily available. Hands-free operation is superior for most
washing operations.

R
From: House Guy on 17 Jan 2010 23:44
RicodJour wrote:

> I know how the things work, thanks. The foot operated pedals are
> something that can be easily retrofitted to any existing faucet and
> are readily available. Hands-free operation is superior for most
> washing operations.

Do you mean a mechanical or electrical foot pedal?

You said that foot pedals are easily retrofitted into any existing
faucet - by that I'm thinking that you mean some sort of
mechanically-operated water valve requiring running new water lines to
the foot pedal. If so, I wouldn't call that an easy retrofit.

If you mean an electrically-operated valve that's operated via foot
pedal, where exactly would you get that?

In any case, the use of a foot pedal to turn a kitchen faucet on and off
is not my idea of ergonomic, as compared to a touch-activated water
valve.

I see that the Delta faucet in question is sold by HomeDepot.com as an
internet-only item, for about $350.
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