Infrared Control Wash Fountains are now the standard in restroom design. Their reliability and water savings are well documented and there are numerous designs available to fit virtually every wash bowl on the market. There are a few applications that require manual water flow activation such as emergency eye flushes or emergency showers. And there are other applications that have traditional manual controls such as buttons or handles but the majority of wash fountain water activation is by infrared sensors.

Using Infrared Control Wash Fountains and saving money by using less water and less energy has always been an incentive for building owners and managers. However, today the motivation is even greater because of higher costs for both water and energy and the desire to have a more environmentally friendly facility. New programs such as the Green Building Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program have been an impetus for new designs, new practices, and new technologies. Today water saving and energy saving technologies have been elevated to a higher priority because they can also generate significant financial benefits. In response, manufacturers are improving and developing newer technologies to help owners and managers build, retrofit, and maintain restroom facilities.

Infrared Control Wash Fountains have been around for over fifteen years yet many organizations still have not retrofitted with this touch-free technology. It is estimated that today, 2010, approximately fifty percent of institutional and commercial facilities still use hand operated fixtures in their restrooms. And this is despite the fact that the general public wants improved hygiene with touch-free fixtures.

Perhaps the reluctance to change to Infrared Control Wash Fountains lies in the fact that the early infrared fixtures were not reliable. They had many problems with electrical shorts and with sensor-activated fixtures activating each other. The maintenance of these early fixtures was also difficult. The result was predictable – many building owners and managers lost confidence and trust in the new technology. The traditional manual faucets may have wasted water but they didn’t have electrical and sensor problems. And managers who had problems with this first-generation technology are probably still hesitant to try it again. Today’s technology is far more reliable and today manufacturers are producing very high quality products with very reliable technology.

Infrared Control Wash Fountains utilize an infrared sensor module to detect the motion made by the hands when placed in the bowl area or under the faucet. There may be more than one stream former and usually each one is controlled by a separate solenoid valve. When the hand motion is detected a flow of water is activated from the faucet. Once the hands are removed from under the faucet an automatic shut-off of water flow occurs. Many of the infrared sensors use a conical shaped transmitting beam to detect hand motion within the bowl perimeter. The design of the sensor beam should not exceed the perimeter of the bowl, otherwise it would lead to wasted water. The infrared sensor is not affected by differences in skin tone or color. Nor is it affected by bright lights, sunlight, or darkness.

Author Bio: XPB Locker. Read more about infrared control wash fountains.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: Infrared Control Wash Fountains, Automatic Wash Fountains, Stainless Steel Wash Fountains