Commercial touchless faucets and toilets are found in many lavatories today. From improving hygiene practices to adding tons of convenience, these products are extremely valuable. While you constantly use this innovative equipment on a daily basis, have you ever wondered how they work?
Sensors are an invention that has changed the world. While there are a wide variety of sensors to consider, how they work is pretty fascinating.
Keep reading to learn more about the technology behind commercial plumbing sensors.
Sensor Faucets
Sensor faucets are some of the most common equipment found in a public restroom. By simply waving your hand or arm in front of the sink, you can easily turn on the water. This technology is also commonly found in commercial and residential kitchen sinks. These products provide a high level of convenience, in addition to the sleek design and modern feel.
Regarding how commercial touchless faucets work, it’s important to note that these sensor faucets don’t detect actual motion. Instead, they sense the presence of an object, whether that’s your hand, a towel, or stack of dishes. The sensor on this equipment is typically found near the lip or base of the faucet. This location is the most convenient for the user.
Using Infrared Light
The sensor unit utilizes a small infrared light that’s found next to an infrared detector. When something moves in front of the light, such as your hand, the light will bounce off your skin and back to the detector. This will turn on the faucet valve, releasing water to its destination.
As infrared sensor faucets are the most common in commercial plumbing applications, some sinks utilize an ultrasonic field sensor. This technology involves the faucet valve turning on when something enters a small area around the sensor.
Capacitive Technology
Formerly called capacitive sensing, this electrical engineering technology is able to detect and measure anything that’s conductive or has a different dielectric from the air. Several sensors use this technology, including proximity sensors, humidity sensors, and many more. In today’s world, capacitive sensing is widely recognized for its use in touchscreen mobile phones.
Commercial plumbing sensors work to detect capacitance in the air. When you wave your hand or place an object in front of the sensor, the device can detect the presence of capacitance, or the rise of it compared to the surrounding air. This will open up the valve and create the flow of water. As you move your hand away from the sensor, this will drop the present capacitance value, resulting in the water turning off.
Find Your Sensor-Operated Equipment at Hydrotek
If you’re searching for top-of-the-line sensor faucets, flush valves, or touchless showers, look no further than Hydrotek. Since we first opened our doors back in 1985, we’ve made it a priority to sell the best commercial plumbing equipment in the industry.
Coming in both AC-powered and battery-operated versions, we offer a wide variety of products for your specific needs. In addition, as we have our own uniquely designed and patented electronics, we stand out from the competition.
Take a look at some of the sensor-operated products we carry:
