Thermal Actuators

Rick Kelly_3

Thanks for your opinion Brad. That makes sense to me.

What I'm attempting to do should work, it's just that I should expect a maintenance issue somewhere down the road.

Rick Kelly_3

Thermal Actuators

Would anyone care to offer an opinion as to why manufacturers caution not to use a thermal actuator upside down? The same goes for a motorized actuator.

In particular, the Califfi thermal actuator states it can be used vertical or horizontal, but not upside down.

Does anyone know of an actuator that can be mounted upside down?

Brad White_9

My understanding

is that when valves stems (of any kind) are upside down it becomes a collection point for silt, debris, particulates in your piping system to settle into the seal area causing wear.

There may be thermal reasons but none to my knowledge.

Brad White_9

I guess Rick, sometimes

one has no choice and must admit defeat to the "ideal" installation. As you said, it won't fail right away, may last for years and years.

Besides if it is a new system or old system treated to be like new, this may not be an issue at all!

(It is not like this is a too-small pipe size, 1,000 foot PEX run or other "day one it stinks" situations from which you cannot readily recover.)

But your anticipation of future access and service falls into the "right attitude" category.