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Is ball valve with higher WOG/CWP more durable?

sunlight33
sunlight33 Member Posts: 378
edited April 2021 in THE MAIN WALL
From your experience would you say ball valve with a 600 WOG is more durable than one with a 250 rating? This is for normal home usage (not commercial or industrial).

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,855
    Yes, but the quality of the valve is important as well. Some cheap valve have a high rating. I have had pretty good luck with Apollo & Milwaukee. Not fond of Watts.

    Different areas of the country different valves are more available
  • Rich_49
    Rich_49 Member Posts: 2,772
    sunlight33 said:

    From your experience would you say ball valve with a 600 WOG is more durable than one with a 250 rating? This is for normal home usage (not commercial or industrial).

    The 600# PSI valve is probably more durable than the 250# PSI valve . WOG is not a rating but stands for water , oil, gas .
    You didn't get what you didn't pay for and it will never be what you thought it would .
    Langans Plumbing & Heating LLC
    732-751-1560
    Serving most of New Jersey, Eastern Pa .
    Consultation, Design & Installation anywhere
    Rich McGrath 732-581-3833
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 11,151
    What valve should I use for the first valve after the meter on my water service? I need to replace the 70 year old gate valve that has some sort of a spot where it jumps and chatters as you open or close it. I want to use a full port ball valve(unless a gate valve is better for some reason), but what makes it the highest quality?
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,855
    I would use a good quality full port ball valve. I like Apollo valves but there are others
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,360
    mattmia2 said:

    What valve should I use for the first valve after the meter on my water service? I need to replace the 70 year old gate valve that has some sort of a spot where it jumps and chatters as you open or close it. I want to use a full port ball valve(unless a gate valve is better for some reason), but what makes it the highest quality?

    I believe I used an Apollo 77FLF-100 series valve before my meter. I think part 77FLF-104-01.
    They aren't easy to come by and they aren't cheap. I think the 3/4" version cost me around $30 all said and done but I'm sure I also had to pay shipping on top of that.

    Don't forget even the best valves need to be exercised or they turn to garbage in time.



    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,855
    Apollo also makes "Apollo International" line of valves which are a little cheaper. They seem ok from what I have seen
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,828
    The manufacturing quality is as important as the rating numbers on the side. So I would also stick with a brand name. I like Jomar, and Italian made valve.

    Nibco is pushing this new design high performance valve.

    Seems to be a trend in laser welded valves, lately, as the Loctite threaded assembly seam is often the source of a leak on ball valves, especially the bargin priced ones..

    I think inactivity is the demise of most ball valves, they scale up in the open position then snap when forced to move. ideally the valve would be exercised on fresh water application especially.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    Rich_49
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 11,151
    Who thought putting the solder cup this close to the seat on a copper union was a good idea?

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 11,151
    Before:


    and after:


    Is there any chance the white fiberous packing i dug out of that gate valve on the service that is from 1950 so i could repack it wasn't asbestos?

    On an unrelated note, how long does it take the big roll of blue monster teflon tape dropped in to a bucket of water to dry out?
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 11,151
    The 2 valves on the customer side give me 3 total chances to shut off the water in an emergency and the 3 way valve both lets me drain the system at that point and it lets me turn off the system to work on it but still lets me use the tap as a source of water.
  • sunlight33
    sunlight33 Member Posts: 378
    edited May 2021
    I bought a bunch of Apollo press ball valves, they do feel more solid than Viega ball valves. Some of the Apollo International line products are made in China and they have a 2-year warranty. Other Apollo valves made in USA carry a 5-year warranty.
    The new Nibco 585HP valve look nice but they are around $80-150 (1'') a piece.
  • dopey27177
    dopey27177 Member Posts: 914
    Most important is the trim used internally.
    A ball valve with 125 Psi steam rating is more than adequate for a water service valve.
    Buy any American manufacture that guarantees its valve for 10 years or more.
    Internal trim Teflon or Nitrile.

    Jakee
    Steam: The Perfect Fluid for Heating and Some of the Problems
    by Jacob (Jake) Myron
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 11,151
    I kind of came to the conclusion that I should make the valve easy to replace because the seals are all proprietary in a ball valve, there is no replacing seals when they fail, so I used npt valves with a union.

    I think if i wasn't able to get the 70 year old gate valve on the service itself in good condition I would replace it with another bronze gate valve or a bronze ground valve.

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