Delta Thermostatic Shower Valve response time

[chumbley]

Another house, another shower remodel...

In my last remodel, I used a Kohler thermostatic valve and separate volume controls for the heads. Worked great, but I wasn't impressed with the Kohler thermostatic valve. I found the response time too slow. Sure, it prevented scalding, but you definitely felt the temperature swing before it corrected. The Moen PB valve it replaced never had any response delay.

I'm looking at the Delta thermostatic valves for this shower. Do they respond faster than the Kohlers? Or will the TS valves always react slower than PB valves?

And while we are talking Delta valves, for the faucets, should we go for "diamond seal" valves or avoid them?

Thanks gang...

Jeff

[jimbo]

I believe all single handle Delta kitchens and lavs are now Diamond Seal ( DST). That is due to the lead laws, which while this is Federal Law, it is not phased in to 100% of the states yet, but to enough that Delta has chosen to be all lead free, as have almost all manufacturers.

[jadnashua]

I'm not sure how Delta does their themostatic function - the two most common ways are wax cartridge and bi-metalic. I have a Grohe unit - it has both check valves and the wax thermostatic cartridge in it. My water pressure/volume supply is pretty consistent, so I do not have variations so I can't say how it works. I have used one in a hotel, and the temp seemed to be pretty consistent, but the volume did change as toilets were flushed, etc (this was in London, UK).

[hj]

Any thermostatic valve will have a "response time" because they cannot operate instantly. Even an electronic control would have to "creep" up on the setting otherwise it would have swings as it hunted for the proper mix of hot and cold.