Our two-piece ball valves are rock stars that are used in numerous applications.
They are utilized in applications for hydraulics, oil and gas, food and beverage processing, water systems, and more.
One question that we encounter with our customers across these industries is whether or not you should open a two-piece ball valve once it has been attached to the application.
To cut to the punch line of the story, NO. You should NOT open up a two-piece ball valve.
Two-piece ball valves are not designed to be opened up. NPT is not designed to be screwed and then unscrewed. NPT is designed to take form once you screw it in the first time as it creates a seal on the application. The Teflon seat also takes form when initially screwed in and that will also need to be replaced if opened as it cannot be reused.
When the two-piece ball valve is opened up after having already been placed in the application, there can be serious consequences. One of the consequences is leaking. It is important to note that for valves that have 1000 PSI the leakages can actually cut skin.
Opening up the two-piece valves can create a safety hazard in some instances.
If you have already opened up a ball valve that has low pressure you might be able to use Teflon tape to repair it. However, it will probably still leak.
Additionally, we carry a seat and seal kit that could potentially be used to repair the valve. However the kit is intended for a three-piece valve and is not recommended for the two-piece.
AN ALTERNATIVE
Even though two-piece ball valves should not be opened up, our three-piece ball valves CAN be opened up.
We carry DuraChoice three-piece ball valves that are great for disassembly, repair, or cleaning in applications where cleanliness is crucial.
The three-piece ball valve can be left in place and you can make modifications to it while it is attached to the application by removing the screws and opening up the flange. If you open it up the Teflon seat will still need to be replaced to form a seal.
We are proud of the products that we carry and we want to do our best to help you get the most out of them. If you have any questions about our two-piece or three-piece ball valves be sure to reach out to us and we will be happy to help.