Apollo Ball Valves,,, Good or Bad?

Unknown

only because my supply house was out of my usual brand of valves (Boston). I wanted to provide the best valve I can buy for this boiler. The very first 1/2" Apollo valve I used on the feed water valve was a leaker @ the factory seal. All four of the others; 3/4" & 1" had to be tightened as they wept all over the boiler from their packing nuts. A real PITA.

What's up? I thought Apollo (Conbraco) was King! Are they having Quality Control problems or are they just overrated and overpriced? Also what's up with the warning label? "May cause health problems in California"? HUH!!! What's in these valves that makes them so expensive, so heavy, unreliable and unhealthy?

Best Ball Valve thread to follow?

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Brad White_2

That is unusual

to have an Apollo valve leak, but any valve can do so. Several lately have required tightening, yes a PITA, but simple enoough to do. (It is SOP now because of this to tighten all of my packing nuts. -On the valves, silly.)

Apollo used to be King and Watts a close second. I have both in my house, about 2/3 are Watts that are over 20 years old on my MonoFlo system branches. I am cutting them out to re-use as I expand my condensing boiler system, they have held up so well.

In the past several years there has been some manufacturing changes between Watts and Apollo. Watts became beefier, more metal. Right now, I see them each as equals.

For threaded, I like the Mueller line. Made in Italy I think, but compact for a full port valve.

Best ball valve? Jamesbury. Industrial. I got one from a job site that was not needed. I like it so much I go down to visit it. But too expensive for most houses. Blow-out proof stem, SS ball, not chrome plated brass. FIlled PTFE seats. Damn nice valve.

The worst I had recently were Nibco 1" full-port solder-end ball valves. Huge. Hard to heat. Worst thing is that they apparently factory wet test them and this traps water in the ball seat area. When heated (too low for 95-5 solder liquidus) POW! Steam explosion that blew out the teflon seat beyond repair. After the first, I tried shaking out any water. Still not enough.
After two of those explosions (draining and a wet rag heat sink did not help) I switched brands. The ones that did take the solder leaked and I cut them out for good.

Unknown

We've been having problems with Watts

sweat ball valves . 1 in 4 leak at the packing nut , and when we close the valve it has a weird feel , like the ball gets caught on something internally . You have to really force them the 1st time to close all the way . We never had a problem with the brand before we used Watts , I believe they were Hammond .

tommyoil

I like Apollo

but LOVE Milwaukee Valve Co. Made in U.S.A. Good quality stuff. (Milwaukeevalve.com)

Unknown

Is Watts the Best now?

I thought THE BEST was Apollo. I'm wrong about that. The sweat valves I've used last week not only leak but, also have the problen Ron Jr has expressed. What's up?

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Unknown

Is Watts the Best now?

I thought THE BEST was Apollo. I'm wrong about that. The sweat valves I've used last week not only leak but, also have the problen Ron Jr has expressed. What's up?

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Geo_2

watts

Gary, I still believe apollo is the best you can get from the suppliers, I only use them now at the main service because watts... well there 1/2 the price of apollo and yes there atleast 1/2 the weight. The packing does need some tightning but I can live w/ it seeing I save $200-$400 on a good size job,still a good value. Now watts is the only company I have seen that has those " The sky is falling" California tags on them, seems theres a very very small trace of lead in the brass and that could drive you mad!!!, what ever?. Never heard of boston valves.. can you post a pic?. Geo.

Ted_9

Boston are nice. Its my standard practice to tighten the packing nut on all ball valves for a few years now.

Patriot Heating & Cooling, Inc.

Mad Dog

Are they standard Apollo or

Apollo international , which is imported? Apollo is also making a lighter less chunky model now which is usa but more competitive. I've gotten an occassional packing nut leak, but really have never seen a whole group of bad ones. Could be a manufacturing flaw. Wolverine Brass makes a nice chunkier, smooth-glide USA ball valve - like them too. Milwaukee is Usa too and real good. Sometimes we need to use other brands due to availablity or budget, but, I would still have to say overall - Apollo is still king. Mad Dog

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Brad White_2

I agree on Milwaukee

my company (consulting engineers) specifies them as a basis. But they are not stocked locally in my supply house so we do not see them on houses much. In fact, we do not see them on the institutional nor commercial jobs for that matter, here in Boston. Mostly if I see Milwaukee it would be for butterfly valves.

JackFre

Apollo has pretty much been

the standard for a while. The valve was actually manufactured by Bonomi out of Italy. Apollo has recently introduced a "cheaper" (what everyone wants, right?)valve manuf in China.
Bonomi is now being sold under the Bonomi name and is trying to get into distribution.

tommyoil

Milwaukee Valves

Have used the butterfly valves but use mostly for ball valves. I am lucky enough to have a local industrial supplier stock the full line. Cant ever recall having to tighten a packing nut on these valves..... unlike all the other brands, Apollo included.

Ken_8

The best BV ever was/is

Jamesbury.

If you can afford them that is.

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Unknown

It's just discouraging

Apollo use to be so nice. 2 leakers out of 8 valves. 6 needed the packings tightened. The $ they get for them,,, Why?

I'm going back to the Boston Valve. I'll post a picture when back on the job.


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Brad White_2

My Jamesbury

was left over on a job. A contractor friend gave it to me as a souvenir of a complex power plant job. I installed it in my home heating system. I ought to put an artists type spotlight on it. Too nice. Way too nice.