The flow is not restricted, but the valve body is larger. This is called water hammer. Typically there will be an arrow on the handle to indicate which direction to turn the handle for the desired affect. Application: Ball valves are used for flow and pressure control, as well as for the closure of corrosive liquids, mud, ordinary liquids and gases. Many items can be used as an extension, such as a short piece of 1 1/2″ or 2″ pipe, placed directly over and around the handle. When you need to operate a brass ball valve on a water main service line, observing a few simple rules can be very helpful. It is open when the ball’s hole is in line with the fluid flow direction and closed when it is pivoted 90-degrees by the valve handle. Most ball valves are of the quick-acting type, they need to rotate the actuator 90 degrees to fully open or fully close the valve. A brass ball valve is much more dependable than a gate type valve, and also is relatively fool-proof. Your email address will not be published. They are used in the oil and gas industry, but also used in many manufacturing sectors, chemical storage, and even residential. This is called a flow to open (FTO) type of flow direction. This type of valve is an on or off valve, which means that it should be completely open, allowing full flow, or completely closed, stopping all water flow. The ball is round, so the direction is not important. In this way, it is easy to know whether the ball valve is open or closed, just by looking at it. The closed position 1/4 turn can be CW or CCW direction. Step 1 - Understand Ball Valve Function. To open or close a brass ball valve on a water line requires only a quarter of one turn. The below ball valve is in the open position. Ball valves are perhaps the easiest valve to see if they are open or closed. The design concept of the three-piece valve is to make it repairable. A gate is used as open and close part of gate valve. Sewer and Water Main Quiz, What is this a picture of? The maximum lever length shall not exceed 450mm & max. Therefore able to withstand much greater water pressure. This means that the opening inside the body is the full size of the … 1.2 The rotation of the stem by 90°fully opens or closes of the valve. These valves are quite common, and their uses include aquariums, chemical processing, landfills, mining, power plants, swimming pools, and water treatment, among many others When the ball valve is open, the hole is aligned with an opening in these pipes, allowing water to flow freely through these holes. Configuration and Working Principle of Gate Valve. window and know that we’ll be there on time. Because there is no ‘stem’ inside a ball valve, raising or lowering a gate (such as in a gate type valve), it is very unlikely to ever fail or break. The ball size of the full port ball valve is too large, so the hole on the ball has the same size as the pipe, thereby reducing friction loss. A wedge-shaped brass gate is lowered into a machined slot to close the valve. 1.3 Valves are serviceable only in fully open or closed position. Always look for the directional arrow on the handle of a brass ball valve. Water flowing through a partially open gate valve wears away the metal and causes the valve to fail over time. When the lever is paralell with the pipe or flow of water, then you know the valve is open. If the valve is tested after setting the stops and leakage is found, it is recommended to adjust the stops slightly in the open or closed direction to get the valve to seal properly. On either side of the valve are copper tubes. If the handle on top is parallel to the valve, it's open. Full port brass ball valves should used at all times. If some extra leverage is needed place an ‘extension’ on the valve handle. And like the ball valve, the disc turns inside the valve opening and closing off the flow of water. Can the handle of the ball valve be changed? Please contact Balkan Sewer And Water Main. If it turns more than 1/4 of a turn you have broken the valve! This should be done with a faucet open, allowing for any debris of sediment that breaks loose from inside the valve to escape. Many times a brass ball valve is damaged by a person attempting to over-turn the valve. (1) ball valves should be installed such that the handle when opened points to the pressured side. Parker supplies a comprehensive range of ball valves that control flow direction and support a diverse range of system requirements. The handle lies flat in alignment with the flow when open, and is perpendicular to it when closed, making for easy visual confirmation of the valve's status. Unidirectional Ball Valves: – However, in project practice, there are some ball valves marked with flow direction arrow on the surface.These ball valves only have one single flow direction and are called as “unidirectional”. A-T Controls, Inc. designs, develops and manufactures valves, actuators and valve control products, operating out of the primary facility in Cincinnati, Ohio and another in Stafford, Texas with several sales offices throughout North America. The valve has an inlet in each end for the supply pipe to enter, and depending on the valve can be cemented to the pipe or tightened in place with nuts. If a valve must be installed in a certain direction, an arrow should be cast on the valve body to show the direction of flow. The handle indicates the direction of the ball port. Always turn the handle just enough to let water gently refill the pipes. Use another screwdriver to remove the screw. Common places you might find a ball valve are in irrigation and in sites where you need to control water supply from one area to another. 1.1 The typical valve design is as illustrated below. This entry was posted on March 5, 2020 by Korey Kashmer. PVC ball valves are considered to be one of the most reliable and commonly used valves for main water shutoffs and branch line shutoffs. Never turn the valve handle more than 1/4 of a turn. WKM DynaSeal 210 ball valves operate from fully open to fully close by a 90-degree turn of the handle. They are called ball valves because there is a ball inside that has a hole in the middle that is connected to the … iFlow controls ensure reliability and excellent price-quality ratio. This is conducive to clean effectively of deposits, replacement of valve seats and gland packing, and polishing of small scratches on the ball, all these without the need to remove the pipeline from the valve body. Ball valve is a form of quarter-turn valve, which uses a hollow, perforated, rotatable ball to control the flow through it. When the handle is aligned (parallel) with the pipe, the valve is open. As the flow is upward direction on the plug, it requires higher closing torque and less opening torque and is mainly used for high-pressure applications. Step 1: If the valve is in the CLOSED position, using an assembly tool that is compatible with the threaded end of the stem or temporary handle installation turn the stem to put the valve in the OPEN position. On larger domestic service lines, and fire mains, different types of valves are required and are also more cost effective. Likewise, if the handle is perpendicular to the top, the valve is closed. hand wheel diameter shall not exceed the valve face to face dimension or 800mm whichever is smaller. This should loosen the handle, allowing you to remove it easily. Tuning the handle 1/4-turn—so it is perpendicular to … Inside a ball valve is a smooth metal ball with a big hole in its center. In addition, full bore ball valves are also suitable for applications requiring maximum flow and minimum pressure drop. I prefer the engineering convention that the handle points to the direction of flow when the valve is easily positioned. When the handle of the ball valve is parallel to the valve or pipe, it is open. That means that your plumbing system will get reactivated with water in an instant. Turning the valve handle (usually a lever) parallel to the pipes rotates the ball so the hole is aligned with the flow direction, allowing for full flow. Which direction on the ball valve is open? 2. When closed, the handle is perpendicular to the flow direction, which is convenient for vision confirmation the state of the valve. There is no "natural" orientation, and since a closed valve will have the handle 90 degrees from the pipe, a closed valve will always be readily apparent. Do you have unique sewer or water main problem? Ball Check Valves open due to flow pressure in the direction of flow and close due to back pressure from flow. The shut … There are generally four types of ball valves: full port, standard port, reduce port and v port. Its movement direction is vertical to the fluid flow direction. The three-piece design allows the central part of the valve (including the ball, stem and seat) to be easily removed from the pipeline. Always have a faucet on a top floor of the building open to monitor water flow and let air escape when water is being introduced back into the plumbing system. When opening or closing a brass ball valve do so slowly. DISASSEMBLY & CLEANING PROCEDURE: Caution: Ball valve can trap fluids in the ball cavity when closed. How To Know If a Butterfly Valve Is Open or Closed. Therefore it should be part of every property owners routine maintenance to open and close water valves annually. https://www.actionsealtite.com/news/how-to-tell-if-a-valve-is-open-or-closed When it is vertical, it is closed. Flow to Open (FTO) When the fluid flows pass through and faces the plug directly, it gives an opening act to the plug. When it is rotated 90 degrees by the valve handle, it is closed. If exceptional resistance is met you are probably turning the handle in the wrong direction! Its structure is easy to operate and requires almost no maintenance. When the valve is closed, the hole is perpendicular to the ends of the valve, and flow is blocked. Note that a brass ball valve is considered a “fast opening” valve. With the valve in the open position, clockwise rotation of the handwheel causes the ball to rotate clockwise until the port through the ball is perpendicular to the flow stream. Heavy Rains Cause NYC Sewers To Back Up And Damage Basements. Full port brass ball valves should used at all times. Required fields are marked *. Your email address will not be published. In addition, operating it correctly will add years of useful service life to this very dependable device. If a valve must be installed in a certain direction is should have an arrow cast into the body showing the direction of flow. Two-piece ball valves are generally slightly reduced in diameter (or standard), they can be thrown or repaired. When the hole of the ball is consistent with the flow direction, it is open. Almost all one-piece ball valves have reduced bore, are relatively cheap, and are generally disposable. Ball valves are more effective at forming a tight seal and have more reliability and longevity than gate valves, but tend to be more expensive. (3) ball valves should be installed such that when opening you turn the handle counterclockwise and close in a clockwise direction. When the butterfly valve is fully closed, the disk completely blocks the line. Leaks can occur, or the plumbing can literally blow apart. They should either be completely open or completely closed. 1.4 The ball is hold with two ball seats placed in the valve body and body cap. Sewer Line and Water Line Installations | Sewer Line and Water Line Disconnections. It is open when the ball's hole is in line with the flow and closed when it is pivoted 90-degrees by the valve handle. If exceptional resistance is met you are probably turning the handle in the wrong direction! – The C ball valve, also known as eccentric ball valve or half ball valve, has a typical single seat design. It is not recommended to install it upside down, as this will cause dirt to accumulate on the valve cap. When the hole of the ball is consistent with the flow direction, it is open. The ball has a hole, or port, through the middle so that when the port is in line with both ends of the valve, flow will occur. Member of the NYCMPC, the Subsurface Plumbers Association, the Queens Chamber of Commerce and rated A+ by BBB. Never try to force the handle to move, or apply a jolting force. When the butterfly valve … A ball valve is a valve that opens by turning a handle attached to a ball inside the valve. All brass valves do not open and close in the same direction, this also applies to gates valve. 5. It is not difficult to repair a cracked ball valve handle, even if it is screwed onto the valve stem. Ball valves do not use a hand-wheel but instead use a wrench handle to control the flow. Water Main Repair That Is Too Good To Be True, Frequently Is. This will prevent water hammer and damage to your plumbing system from happening. Stop turning as soon as there is any resistance. Then apply steady and even pressure. In addition it is typically rated higher at a higher p.s.i. In conclusion, they are not directional. WATER MAIN BREAK, It’s 8 AM In The Morning, What do you do? order to get the best seal between the ball and the seat. In our application, it usually comes down to the way you like the handle to move. Our GPS controlled fleet means you can conveniently schedule your appointment within a 2-hour appt. All brass valves do not open and close in the same direction, this also applies to gates valve. Flow direction of conventional ball valves: Bidirectional. A typical 1″ main control valve for a water line will take about six full turns to fully open. Most NYC water main contractors prefer to use a ball valve as the main control valve on all domestic water service lines up to 2″ in diameter. In the conventional design, two identical round seats are fixed or floating on the upstream and downstream side … When the handle is perpendicular to the pipe, the valve is closed. Unwise NYC Legislation threatens Private Industry With Takeover, Master Plumbers Know Plumbing Trade Affiliations Are A Sign Of Trust, Paul R. Balkan, NYC Licensed Master Plumber 01281. They are often used for shutoff and control applications. Can the ball valve be installed upside down? This means that the opening inside the body is the full size of the valve inlet and outlet so there is no reduction in the flow of water. A butterfly valve has a disc which is mounted on a rotating shaft. Opening and closing a brass ball valve correctly can prevent damage and unnecessary repair work. The standard ISO direct installation function can make the installation of any actuator easy, even after the initial startup of manual configuration. The valve stem drives the butterfly plate to rotate to achieve the opening and closing effect. A ball valve is a form of quarter-turn valve which uses a hollow, perforated and pivoting ball to control flow through it. The present invention provides a ball valve which has the advantages of fast and reliable action, low cost, small required acting force when releasing partition, quick back pressure recover, and micro flow rate adjustment. (pounds per square inch). The gate valve can only be used as shut off valve, and cannot be adjusted and throttled. When the valve is closed, these holes are no longer aligned and therefore do not allow the flow of … The ball is held away from the seat by the stem so as to avoid abrasion. When opening, the handle lies flat in the same position as the flow direction. Pre: The type of PTFE butterfly valve Mounting position depends on the desired open valve position and flow direction required by operating conditions Valve Ball Rotation Counterclockwise to close (when viewed from actuator side of valve body) through 90 degrees of ball rotation Valve Body/Actuator Action With diaphragm or piston rotary actuator, Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Because ball valves can open and close immediately, they are more likely than gate valves … In short: a ball is round so direction does no matter. Most times when a ball valve for a water service line is damaged it is caused by over-turning the handle. A 90° turn of the wrench opens or closes the valve. The application range of the ball valve is very wide, because the quarter turn ball valve is a good choice. (2) ball valves should be installed such that the handle when opened points in the direction of flow - downstream. As a rule of thumb, the flow direction of ball valves, no matter it is designed to floating type or trunnion mounted, shall be bidirectional. Trusted family owned business serving NY for over 65 years 4-hour Emergency Service Guarantee. When opening, the handle lies flat in the same position as the flow direction. A ball valve is rotated in clockwise direction to close & anti-clockwise direction to open. Always look for the directional arrow on the handle of a brass ball valve. So always avoid turning on the valve fully, and too quickly. Ball valve is a form of quarter-turn valve, which uses a hollow, perforated, rotatable ball to control the flow through it. Abruptly opening a valve will cause water to rush through the plumbing system and cause damage. 1. Which direction should the ball valve handle face? 72 hour guaranteed appointment for planned work. There are two kinds of gate valve … Rotate the hand wheel on the turbine head, turn it counterclockwise, turn it clockwise, turn the handwheel, and drive the valve stem through the gear in the turbine device. As NYC’s #1 Sewer and Water Main provider we always have the right materials and equipment for big and small jobs. (S=shut, O=open). You need a small flat-head screwdriver and a Phillips screwdriver. Our ball valves are both reliable and economical when it comes to service and are available in various configurations and options. Full port and rated brass ball valves are the only type accepted by NYC plumbing code as main control valves. Sign up to receive Iflow controls latest industry news. in an incorrect orientation of the ball and its vent hole that could negatively impact operation. When it is rotated 90 degrees by the valve handle, it is closed. Ball valves with a size of less than 2 inches generally have a one-piece, two-piece or three-piece design. 1.A Butterfly valve is a quarter-turn rotational motion valve, that is used to stop, regulate, and start flow. An extension on the handle should open the valve safely and easily due to increased leverage. The design of the ball valve is to turn the lever handle counterclockwise to open and clockwise to close. Ball valves occupy a dominant position in the valve industry. On the other hand, misuse routinely results in valve failure and an unexpected loss of water service. About brass ball valves. The valve can be installed in other directions, but any installation that deviates from the vertical is a compromise. If a ball valve is not ‘exercised‘ once in awhile (opened and closed) it may become frozen in place and hard to move. The proper way to open a gate valve is to gently turn the handle counter-clockwise (to the left) without applying excessive force – do not ‘jerk’ the handle. PVC ball valves are installed in water supply lines for household water use and sometimes in garden watering systems. Also like the ball valve, the disc is attatched to a handle or lever.