# Beware of Honeywell Mixing Valves



## WaterHeaterShop

Hey Guys

I registered here to relay some info and a bad experience I've had with Honeywell.

I installed 2 AMX mixing valves at one residence [condos]. One of them worked fine, the second one did not work. It only allowed cold water through the system. I had my supplier 'Ferguson' bring out a replacement for it, it also did not work. I had Ferguson bring out another one, the next day. It still did not work. We were able to reach the Honeywell rep who happened to be in town and he brought over a 4th mixing valve, this one finally worked. 

So now I have 4 trips and 4 installations to get one crappy mixing valve to work. I also have clients who don't understand why they are having problems with their hot water.

I contacted Honeywell and after countless phone calls [the first went to India] I finally reached a person whose job it was to handle stuff like this. I told him the story and relayed my extreme displeasure but more importantly wanted him to know that there is something wrong with the design or at least a batch of these mixing valve. I gave him my contact's name at Ferguson and the name and number of the Honeywell rep. After more than a week had gone by and he had not called so I called him and left a message inquiring what the status of my complaint was. He called back the next day and left a curt message claiming there was nothing wrong with their valves, implied that I was trying to rip them off and so on. I called Ferguson and the Honeywell rep and this corporate guy from Honeywell never even bothered contacting either of them to see what the problem was.


I will never again use any Honeywell product. The quality is unreliable and the service is horrid. I caution all of you.


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## Protech

Please post an introduction in the introduction section. It's just something we all do here.


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## Widdershins

WaterHeaterShop said:


> Hey Guys
> 
> I registered here to relay some info and a bad experience I've had with Honeywell.
> 
> I installed 2 AMX mixing valves at one residence [condos]. One of them worked fine, the second one did not work. It only allowed cold water through the system.


 I've been using Caleffi's for years, never had a problem with one.

I gave up on Honeywell after rebuilding an 1-1/4" PRV for the fourth time.


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## OldSchool

Widdershins said:


> I've been using Caleffi's for years, never had a problem with one.
> 
> I gave up on Honeywell after rebuilding an 1-1/4" PRV for the fourth time.


Why did it take you four times to get it right :laughing: you must have been doing something wrong the first three times


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## Widdershins

OldSchool said:


> Why did it take you four times to get it right :laughing: you must have been doing something wrong the first three times


 Close inspection showed a number of casting/machining flaws.

I'm blind as a bat, so the closer inspection meant yarding it out and taking it to the shop where younger eyes could take a closer look.

The Legend PRV I installed in its place has been performing flawlessly for 6 years now.


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## WaterHeaterShop

Widdershins said:


> I've been using Caleffi's for years, never had a problem with one.
> 
> I gave up on Honeywell after rebuilding an 1-1/4" PRV for the fourth time.


I like the design of the Honeywell. Cash Acme makes a similar version, I will try it next time I install a mixing valve on a water heater.

http://www.cashacme.com/prod_thermostatics_WHTC_kit.php


Looks pretty much the same:


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## ZL700

Honeywell does not manufacture thier mixing valves. They are made by Sparco and packaged and sold as Honeywell water products which is also Braukmann, now known as Honeywell Braukmann.

In fact if you go buy a Taco brand mix valve thinking it will be better, it is also a Sparco. 

I would be looking hard at the application or installation


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## WaterHeaterShop

ZL700 said:


> Honeywell does not manufacture thier mixing valves. They are made by Sparco and packaged and sold as Honeywell water products which is also Braukmann, now known as Honeywell Braukmann.


Regardless, Honeywell is selling an inferior product, putting its name on it then not giving satisfactory service when the product fails.




> In fact if you go buy a Taco brand mix valve thinking it will be better, it is also a Sparco.


Good to know, I'll add those to my list of mixing valves to never purchase.



> I would be looking hard at the application or installation


Looking at what? The valves were installed properly on side by side water heaters for identical application. One worked fine, the other didn't. Then its replacement also did not work. Then the replacement's replacement also did not work. Finally, the replacement to the replacement's replacement worked fine. All installed identically.

The valves were faulty and Honeywell couldn't give a flying crap.


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## nhmaster3015

We've installed a case of them in the past year and had zero problems with any of them.


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## WaterHeaterShop

nhmaster3015 said:


> We've installed a case of them in the past year and had zero problems with any of them.



That's Honeywell's position, as well. "But some of them work just fine so you can't possibly be having a problem".

I have installed other Honeywell AMX valves without problems, but that is irrelevant.

Honeywell does not stand behind their products, bottom line.


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## SewerRatz

WaterHeaterShop said:


> That's Honeywell's position, as well. "But some of them work just fine so you can't possibly be having a problem".
> 
> I have installed other Honeywell AMX valves without problems, but that is irrelevant.
> 
> Honeywell does not stand behind their products, bottom line.


 Did you get charged for the replacement valves? If not they stood behind it just like a sump / ejector pump manufacture. 

On a postive note, the valves failed to code, meaning the failed only flowing cold water.


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## WaterHeaterShop

SewerRatz said:


> Did you get charged for the replacement valves? If not they stood behind it just like a sump / ejector pump manufacture.
> 
> On a postive note, the valves failed to code, meaning the failed only flowing cold water.


Hey Sewer Ratz

No, they didn't charge me for the replacements. I guess Ferguson will sort that part of it out. But 3 valves in a row were faulty. I had 4 trips total and a lot of additional work involved in changing them. Honeywell couldn't care less.


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## vinpadalino

Do they make those valves for electric water heaters?


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## WaterHeaterShop

Same valves.


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## SewerRatz

WaterHeaterShop said:


> Hey Sewer Ratz
> 
> No, they didn't charge me for the replacements. I guess Ferguson will sort that part of it out. But 3 valves in a row were faulty. I had 4 trips total and a lot of additional work involved in changing them. Honeywell couldn't care less.


Well thats a stroke of bad luck is all. I have Had two ISE evaluation disposals bad right out of the box on the same job, third one I picked up worked just fine. I write it off as bad luck cause I have not had that issue since with the ISE evolution units. So with that job I had multiple trips and additional work do you think ISE cares?  Same would go for a sump pump, if you run into defective ones the pump manufacturer does not care that you had to make multiple trips and do extra work. 

As long as you do not get charged for the replacement valves I say they held up their part of the warranty.

I would say if you run into this again on a second job, then you might be right they are junk.


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