Michael Kilpatrick wrote:
Does anyone know of a *decent* manufacturer of water solenoid valves,
preferably a source from which there could be some come-back in the
future, such that I can get an outdoor valve (240V, I don't care what
fittings it is, 3/4 BSP or whatever, as long as I can interface it to a
standard water Hep 25mm pipe by some means or other) which doesn't leak
exactly one year and two weeks after I buy it?

Yes, everything in this world is ****. I can spend £30 on Ebay from a UK
seller on a valve for the timing device for my pond top-up system, and
find that it lasts a year before I see drips coming out of the end of
the pipe...

The offending item was, I believe, a Klod valve, bought from a UK seller
(now vanished from Ebay) but I think made in Thailand?

Michael


Is it essential that it is mains and a solenoid valve?
The various timers for greenhouse and flower bed irrigation vary from
suspiciously cheap to Hoselock prices.
Rather than a solenoid they are motorised by a geared motor so they can
work of an AA battery etc.
My middle of the range one has done 5 years much to my surprise though I do
bring inside in Winter.
If you want to stick with mains and your own timer then a motorised valve
as used on central heating systems may suit you rather than a solenoid type
though you may have to DIY a method of making it suitable for outside use.

GH