Product News

The latest stud finder design virtually eliminates false positives with multiple sensors and high-tech signal processing

Plumbers are responsible for many tasks such as installing, repairing, and maintaining pipes, valves, fixtures, fittings, and drainage systems. To work safely and productively, plumbing contractors need as accurate a picture as possible of everything in the wall. Expediting plumbing work while minimizing costly mistakes, the stud finder is deemed an essential tool.

Plumbing contractors have long utilized stud finders with a design based on unrefined capacitive technology. While this technology can indicate the location of wood stud framing, it also discovers metal, plastic, wiring, and other objects in walls just as easily. Furthermore, constantly active, hypersensitive “deep scanning” models further increase the potential for “false positives” – objects mistakenly identified as studs. The result is that traditional stud finders frequently chirp or flash LED lights to indicate something was sensed, but it is not clear what that is.

Today, the challenge of quickly and accurately assessing what is within walls is only increasing. There is more behind the drywall than ever, including network cabling, plastic pipes, and tubing. Complicating matters, not all construction follows standard stud spacing practices of 16 inches or 24 inches on-center, and there are often additional support beams, fire blocks, and other framing features that can further muddy the picture.

In addition, piping may change directions to avoid studs, wiring, and other obstructions. Plumbing location also varies depending on the home’s style and layout.

Now, newer, and more refined technology is being introduced to the popular stud finder category, and it promises to redefine the standards for stud finder performance. The next generation “intelligent” models incorporate multiple sensors and sophisticated signal processing technology to alert the presence of false positives. Using a sophisticated, selectable deeper scan mode, the technology can also be used to quickly identify metal pipes and even plastic pipes or PEX tubing behind the walls when this is desired.

For professional plumbing contractors, this innovative technology will provide a more accurate representation of what is behind the drywall.

Increasing Plumbers’ Productivity and Profitability

For plumbers, maximizing their work efficiency and profitability involves knowing as clearly as possible what is inside a wall before cutting into it. They do not want to create damage. They want to reduce the risk of costly mistakes that need to be repaired.

To work safely and productively, plumbers typically rely on stud finders to accurately find the studs within a wall. This can be important to support long pipe runs and heavy fixtures. Plumbers also need to avoid wood studs, since most of the work involves remodeling rather than new construction.

Finding the voids between studs is necessary to quickly assess how much room there is within the wall space to reroute pipe or mount a new fixture. When remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, it can be particularly important to understand if the studs are plumb, or whether fire blocking runs horizontally.

To better address these needs, plumbers now can use advanced, second-generation stud finders like a new unit by Zircon Corporation that utilizes multiple sensors and sophisticated signal processing to filter out false positives.

Zircon, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZRCN Inc., has been in the stud finder game for more than 40 years. In 1980, the company manufactured the original StudSensor™ stud finder and invented the category. The Silicon Valley-based company produces more than just stud finders. They design and manufacture an extended range of sensor technologies in electronic hand tools including wall scanners, metal detectors, circuit breaker finders, drill guides, water detectors, and leveling tools.

The company’s latest innovation is the Wood Stud SuperScan® advanced stud finder with Target Control® Technology and FILTERz™ cancellation. By analyzing the complex data streams from multiple sensors and controlling the result using sophisticated intelligence, the stud finder can find wood studs and filter out metallic objects such as plumbing, conduit, straps, brackets, screws, protector plates, or ductwork in the wall.

DeepScan^® mode locates the center of wood studs and metal up to 1½ inches (38 mm) deep within walls. A MetalliWarning® indicator will display when metal is detected.

Additionally, the technology can alert the user to the presence of other low density, non-metallic targets, like plastic pipe and PEX tubing. To prevent cutting into dangerous electrical wires, the device also provides WireWarning^® Detection, which indicates the presence of live, unshielded AC electricity.

The stud finder has a new and improved user interface that provides an intuitive “go/no go” indication in response to what is being sensed. A new haptic vibration and a patented SpotLite^® Pointer that shines an arrow-shaped beam on the wall.

For plumbers, the ability to quickly identify what is inside the wall before cutting into it will substantially increase their productivity and safety.

Given the opportunity to see a much clearer picture of what is in the wall, plumbers would do well to upgrade their existing stud finder with an affordable, next-generation model that is sure to become the new standard in scanning.

For more information, call Zircon Corporation at (408) 963-4550, e-mail: info@zircon.com, or visit www.zircon.com

When it comes to delivering safe, heated water in commercial applications, such as schools, hospitals, hotels and multi-family living facilities, the importance of reliable and precise temperature control is a must. But without a precise mixing valve solution, hot water availability can be hindered by big variances and inconsistencies, creating frustration and safety issues for building occupants. Fortunately, Bradley’s new Navigator^® digital mixing valve (DMV) ensures exact water temperature, hot water system safety, as well as thermal disinfection.

Engineered with advanced temperature control technology, this new DMV provides precise and reliable temperature control, and programmable features. Designed to deliver and maintain water temperatures within +/- 3º F, even during low and zero demand periods, this digital valve maximizes safety and efficiency for domestic hot water systems.

The valve’s intuitive controller allows proactive temperature control by setting the temperature for normal operation and scheduling periodic thermal disinfection cycles. Data logging and BMS integration allow for convenient remote monitoring to ensure the proper water temperature is being distributed, eliminating the risk of elevated temperatures and scalding.

DMV videos:

• How to set the date, time and mixing temperature
• How to manually run a thermal disinfection cycle
• How to program automatic thermal disinfection cycles

Customizable thermal disinfection system

To keep water clean and safe, the automatic daily ball rotation feature removes scale to keep the valve running smoothly while reducing cleaning and maintenance time. The valve’s exclusive, programmable weekly thermal disinfection system — with four programmable settings — raises temperatures to kill Legionella and other harmful bacteria. After disinfection, the system will automatically flush hot water and reset for daily use.

The tight temperature control, remote monitoring capabilities, and easy-to-program thermal disinfection system make the valve ideal for larger domestic hot water systems such as schools, hospitals, hotels and apartment buildings.

The S59-5000 series valve is available in five models ranging from 3/4” to 2” in size. Two valves can also be combined into a manifold system to deliver even higher flow rates up to 409 GPM at 20 psi drop.

Each model comes complete with valve, actuator, mixed and return sensors, mixed temperature gauge and controller for a comprehensive ready-to-install package. All materials are 100% factory assembled and tested.

For more information visit https://www.bradleycorp.com/digital-mixing-valve.

Taco Comfort Solutions^® is expanding its light commercial ECM pump offering with the 1911ecm and 1915ecm high-efficiency pumps.

The 1911ecm is a 425 watt, self-sensing, close coupled, mechanically sealed pump that features a high-efficiency volute, ECM motor, and an integrated frequency drive. It is easy to install and program, and provides a maximum 50 feet of head and 105 GPM.

The 1915ecm offers all the user-friendly features of the 1911ecm, but in a more powerful package.   At 650 watts, the 1915ecm provides a maximum 65 feet of head and 120 GPM.

Simple yet versatile control options on both circulators include constant pressure, constant speed, proportional pressure, 0-10Vdc and parallel pump alternation. These standard features, combined with the intuitive user interface, allow for quick start-ups achieving optimum system efficiency and maximum comfort.

Both pumps are both available in ductile iron for closed loop hydronic heating and cooling systems or stainless steel, NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 & 372 Commercial Hot Certified for domestic hot water applications. Taco’s 1915ecm is available now, and 1911ecm will be available in the 2^nd Quarter of 2023.

For more information, visit www.TacoComfort.com

Company’s ProTools™ App Recognized as a Top Boiler App of the Year

Reinforcing its reputation for excellence in product design, Weil-McLain^® was recognized for its exceptional manufacturing of HVAC technology in the 20th annual Dealer Design Awards Program sponsored by The Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration (ACHR) News magazine. An independent panel of HVACR contractors acted as judges in the contest that had more than 100 entries.

Weil-McLain’s ProTools™ App was the silver winner in the Contractor Services & Software product category, cementing its position as one of the top boiler apps of the year. The ACHR News is the leading trade magazine in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration industries, providing readers with coverage of energy management solutions, HVACR equipment and component selections, refrigeration, refrigerants and more.

“These awards give us a unique opportunity to recognize the outstanding research and development efforts that go into many of the products serving the HVACR industry and the awards issue gives our readers an opportunity to read about innovative installation and service solutions,” said Sarah Harding, publisher of The ACHR News.

“Weil-McLain is dedicated to helping spotlight contractors’ hydronic expertise and streamlining customer visits to provide clients with a premium and differentiated experience,” added Dave DeVries, director of product management with Weil-McLain. “This prestigious recognition bestowed upon our ProTools App is a testament to the remarkable skills of our software engineering team. We take great pleasure in being acknowledged in the services and software category and for developing one of the premier boiler apps of the year.”

Available for iOS and Android devices, the ProTools App allows contractors and other heating professionals to conveniently access information on Weil-McLain boiler setup, maintenance and troubleshooting. From reviewing fault codes for troubleshooting and accessing how-to videos to viewing product manuals and schematics, quickly finding parts and working virtually with Weil-McLain’s Tech Support team to problem-solve issues as they occur on the jobsite, the app has become a one-stop resource for boiler installation and maintenance. Technicians can also utilize the app’s connectivity with the ECO^® Tec Series 2 residential gas boiler to access features that include a user-friendly dashboard, fault and warning lookup, software update options and a “clone to phone” setting that copies settings from one boiler to another to make installation easier.

Winning entries in the Dealer Design Awards were featured in the July 24, 2023, issue of The ACHR News, which is distributed nationally to over 27,000 HVACR contractors, wholesalers and distributors, and other industry professionals. For more information and further coverage, visit www.achrnews.com or www.weil-mclain.com.