Hey everyone, my name is Curtis, and I'm one of the Hosers here at Gregg Distributors.
Welcome back to another episode of Gear Up with Greggs.
Today I'm going to be walking you through some of the KVC Valves that we carry.
We're going to cover basic valve terminology after which we can get into the different
types of valves in order to help you decide which ones match your needs.
But before we get into all of that, did you know that valves have been around for thousands
of years?
Even as far back as Greek and Roman times.
For example, to water crops in the past, some form of valve must have been used in order
to hold and retain water in irrigation channels.
From there, valves have grown and improved into what we see in every major industry today.
So, now we know a little bit more about their history, lets see what valve terminology we
can learn.
Starting off with the acronym W.O.G.
You'll notice some valves will have this label which means the valve is compatible with
Water, Oil and Gas.
The gas in this case refers to vaporized liquids like hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and so on.
This is important to know because if an incompatible valve is exposed to those elements, it can
lead to a damaged valve or in some cases, it may turn into a safety
and environmental concern.
Here we see N.L which stands for No Lead meaning they can be used for potable water services
because no harmful lead particles can be transferred into the liquids passing through the valve.
Another important thing to note about KVC valves is that all of their valves feature
a Blow Out Proof Stem, which prevents the handle from popping off from high pressures
that could cause damage or injuries.
When speaking about valves, you'll often hear the terms full port or reduced port.
A full port valve means that when you connect a pipe or hose to your valve, there will be
no restriction of flow from the original diameter.
So if the measurements of the I.D are equal, then it is a full port valve.
A reduced port valve measures a smaller I.D than its connection.
Full port valves are more sought out because reduced port valves are more vulnerable to
cavitation.
Cavitation is a result in change in diameter inside the reduced port which creates pressure drops,
Forming vapour bubbles.
Once the pressure recovers downstream the bubbles will begin to collapse, returning
to a liquid state.
And although this may sound harmless, the constant implosions of the bubbles release
energy and overtime will damage the structure of the valve and pipe.
With the basic terminology out of the way, we can now Flow into the different types of
KVC valves we carry here at Greggs.
Starting with ball valves.
This valves design features a hollowed out ball within the valve that is connected to
a handle which is used to control the flow of the system.
Ball valves are meant for a quick Off On with a 90 degree turn of the handle.
They also require little maintenance and have a long life span.
Lets take a closer look at this threaded ball valve here.
As you can see, this valve has WOG and NL features.
But what are all of these other specifications and what do they mean?
Well, these imprints mean the valve has been approved by different certifications.
Each certification is different and has its own implications.
So how do you connect your ball valve to your pipes?
There are different styles of ball valves available.
One of the most common styles are ball valves with NPT threads,
which are simple to install.
There are also the Pro Press Valves which connect to your pipes by a crimping method.
All you have to do is insert your pipe, and with the help of a crimping tool, which you
can also find here at Greggs, the crimp tightly seals the system together.
Next are the solder ball valves.
As you can tell by the name, the valves are soldered to the pipe to form the seal.
These valves are designed to withstand temperatures ranging from Negative 55 Degrees Celsius,
up to 125 Degrees Celsius.
Its recommended to have a professional install this type of ball valve to ensure it is done
properly and safely.
There are also ball valves referred to as flanged ball valves.
As you can see here, the valves are unique because their flanged ends can be bolted on
quick and easy, but have to be sealed using a gasket.
You'll also notice there are two halves, or a Body Join design.
This is to allow easy valve rebuilding if need be.
The line we carry at Greggs is full port and, as you can see by the imprint on the valve,
are NACE certified.
This rating is important if you plan to be dealing with corrosives.
NACE, or National Association of Corrosion Engineers, certifies the valve has been tested
and approved to be used with corrosive substances.
If you are unsure what the certifications are specified for, be sure to ask a valve
professional, or our Greggs staff.
Now if you want an alternative to a metal pipe system, there's the option of PEX ball valves.
They function just like regular ball valves but are designed to connect with PEX tubing
made from HDPE, High Density Polyethylene polymer.
Some of the reasons you may want a PEX system are:
They are easier and safer to assemble, eliminating the need for soldering
Rust wont build up in PEX tubing, unlike traditional pipes
PEX is much more resistant to freezing temperatures,
PEX systems cost less than traditional pipelines
To install, all you'll need is a PEX crimp tool, in order to tighten the seal between
the valve and the tube.
Next up we have one of the more unique designs to KVC ball valves which are the Spring Return
Ball Valves.
Often referred to as the Dead Mans Valve.
This valve is designed to stop the flow in the system,
if the valve operator were to suddenly die or become unconscious.
It is able to do this with a spring mechanism that is built into the system.
This requires the user to apply constant pressure to the handle for the ball to stay open, and
if that pressure were to be removed, the spring within the valve would release and force it
to close.
This spring return ball valve is important to have when dealing with any type of dangerous
substance or any situation where you need constant attention to the systems flow.
Ball valves are great for quickly stopping and releasing the flow of your system, but
what if you need precise control of the flow?
If thats the situation, a globe valve is what you're looking for.
As you can see here, the system uses what is called the disc which goes up and down
depending on which way you turn the handle.
When the system is closed, the disc sits on the bottom sealing off the flow from going
forward.
So unlike ball valves, the user will have precise control of the systems pressure depending
on where the disc is positioned.
You will also notice a drop in pressure compared to a ball valve, due to the 90 degree angle
the flow passes through.
This makes globe valves perfect for residential, commercial, and industrial use!
Well, we've talked about valve ratings, ball valves, globe valves.
Hopefully, you picked up a thing or two about valve basics.
Now, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to come in or give us a call and
one of our friendly customer service staff will be happy to help.
Don't forget you can also visit us online at www.greggdistributors.ca.
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Thanks for tuning in, and have a great Canadian day!