Water conservation safety shut-off valve

A method of conserving fluids comprising the steps of:

• providing a shut-off valve including a valve body having a fluid flow path, a valve plug for opening and closing the flow path, a valve stem operatively attached to the valve plug, a sensor for sensing flow of fluid through the flow path, and a timer for timing duration of fluid flowing through the flow path;
• engaging the valve stem with a solenoid plunger to keep the valve plug in an open position to allow the fluid to flow through the fluid flow path;
• sensing the flow of the fluid through the flow path;
• measuring the duration of the fluid flowing through the flow path;
• determining whether the duration of the fluid flowing through the flow path has met or exceeded a threshold value;
• and
• disengaging the solenoid plunger from the valve stem to close the flow path once the threshold value has been met or exceeded to stop to flow of fluid through the flow path in the valve.

A method of reducing water loss from a leaky toilet connected to a water supply line, the method comprising:

• providing a shut-off valve including a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the water supply line, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the toilet, a valve body having a fluid flow path, a valve plug for opening and closing the flow path, a valve stem operatively attached to the valve plug, a sensor for sensing flow of fluid through the flow path, and a timer for timing duration of fluid flowing through the flow path;
• engaging the valve stem with a solenoid plunger to keep the valve plug in an open position to allow the fluid to flow through the fluid flow path;
• sensing the flow of the fluid through the flow path;
• measuring the duration of the fluid flowing through the flow path;
• determining whether the duration of the fluid flowing through the flow path has met or exceeded a threshold value;
• turning a rotor within the flow path with the fluid flowing through the valve to generate electricity to power the valve;
• and
• disengaging the solenoid plunger from the valve stem to close the flow path once the threshold value has been met or exceeded to stop to flow of fluid through the flow path in the valve.

A method of reducing water loss through a leaky appliance comprising the steps of:

• attaching an automated shut-off valve body between a water supply line for the appliance and a water inlet for the appliance;
• adjusting a time setting of an electronic timer within the valve body to a desired duration of water flow;
• monitoring when water is flowing through the valve body;
• timing duration of the water flowing through the valve body;
• automatically resetting the electronic timer within the valve body to the time setting when water flowing through the valve body stops;
• generating electricity with the water flowing through the valve body to automate operations within the valve body;
• and
• closing the valve once the time setting has been reached, thereby stopping flow of water through the valve body and the appliance.