What is it?

[BQuicksilver]

So after pulling this thing off the cold water line to my old sink, I've had a few friends come across it and nobody (myself included) knows what it is.

It's heavy (brass?) and seems to have a valve of some sort and an electrical connection (which wasn't connected). I think it also reduced the pipe from 1/2 to 3/8". No idea what it is. I fgure if it's an odd item I may send it to TOH for their "what is it" segment and you guys will have an inside line.

 

[Thumper]

Looks like a clapper valve.......

 

[Automatic Slim]

looks like an old pressure regulator?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Looks like an inline pressure switch or proof-of-flow switch

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Looks like a clapper valve.......

Clap on, clap off, clap on clap off------The clapper.....Didn't know they had one for water lines......

 

[hofferwood]

It's a "Flow-Switch" turns on or off when water flows. (power)
Why there, who knows perhaps just needed a coupling, and that's what he had.

 

[pop pop]

Flow switch to turn the light on so you don't leave water running?

 

[billp603]

Could it have been the starter for an old well pump that did not have a separate well-x-troll type pressure tank? When the pressure increased from stoppage of flow it would shut the electrical feed to the pump.

 

[hofferwood]

Could it have been the starter for an old well pump that did not have a separate well-x-troll type pressure tank? When the pressure increased from stoppage of flow it would shut the electrical feed to the pump.

Sound good to me

 

[BQuicksilver]

Our home was built in 1946, and I'm pretty sure we never had a well.

Any consensus?

 

[billp603]

If you don't get a consensus here, and you are still real curious try over at:

http://www.terrylove.com/forums/forum.php

More pro plumbers there.

 

[Hondarider]

The way the switch is actuated makes me think its a flow switch. There's a pivoting arm that you shouldn't really need for a pressure switch. Most pressure switches simply "T" off of the line and dead end at the switch. The position of the pivot indicates that there is something in the path of flow that actuates the lever arm. That being said, I cannot imagine why you'd need a flow switch in the kitchen. A pressure switch and a pump make sense, but we generally use flow switches in applications where flow rate is critical to cooling. It certainly has plenty of adjustability for the pressure required to open or close the switch. I've never seen anything like this.