True union ball valve

[Hallowhead]

Anyone have an experience with these leaking on new installs and have tips to fix?

I bought 4 from supply house instead of the cheap home Depot ones. Glued them all in place tightened the crap out of them with a large wrench and they leaked at the threads. Tightened them further and they continued to leak.

Removed the valve and cleaned the gaskets and seats and cranked them back down and they continued to leak.

Got supply house to send 4 replacements but nervous they'll leak too

 

[Arego]

Don't crank down union connections you can distort the o-ring. Try it with just a solid hand tightening. Check the o-rings first make sure they're seated properly and not damaged from being wrenched down so hard

 

[ReeferSamster]

If it leaked at the threads, I would assume its installation error. If it leaked at the balls. (Lol. sounds funny), then I would assume manufacturing defect. I'm not totally discounting the possibility that there could be thread defects, but the chances that all 4 of them leak at the threads? Unlikely.

Home Depot sells thousands of their cheap ones to customers. I don't think it makes a difference. Its a common household plumbing fixture.

Did you use teflon tape at the threads before you tightened them? Also, don't tighten too much, you might damage the o-rings. Also, you know what I found out really works if you don't want to bother troubleshooting: Flexseal tape is awesome. I never trusted TV infomercials, but I must admit, it works. I was too lazy to remove a leaking gate valve in my old 40b DT to my sump. So I slapped on the flexseal tape and it lasted years until I upgraded to my new Reefer350 tank. Who knows how long it would have lasted, but it was pretty solid.

Also, my advice is unless you have a particular need for a ball valve, I'd rather use a gate valve. After a long time of accumulation or precipitation, the ball valves are a pain in the butt to turn. The larger they are the harder they get. In fact, about a year after installation and not turning the valve very frequently on a 3/4" pipe, it was almost impossible to turn. Much better in softer freshwater, but with all the alk, calc and other precipitates in saltwater, I would never use a ball valve. I removed it and installed a gate valve in its place.

 

[Hallowhead]

If the leaked at the threads, I would assume its installation error. If it leaked at the balls. (Lol. sounds funny), then I would assume manufacturing defect. I'm not totally discounting the possibility that there could be thread defects, but the chances that all 4 of them leak at the threads? Unlikely.

Home Depot sells thousands of their cheap ones to customers. I don't think it makes a difference. Its a common household plumbing fixture.

Did you use teflon tape at the threads before you tightened them? Also, don't tighten too much, you might damage the o-rings. Also, you know what I found out really works if you don't want to bother troubleshooting: Flexseal tape is awesome. I never trusted TV infomercials, but I must admit, it works. I was too lazy to remove a leaking gate valve in my old 40b DT to my sump. So I slapped on the flexseal tape and it lasted years until I upgraded to my new Reefer350 tank. Who knows how long it would have lasted, but it was pretty solid.

Also, my advice is unless you have a particular need for a ball valve, I'd rather use a gate valve. After a long time of accumulation or precipitation, the ball valves are a pain in the butt to turn. In fact, about a year after installation and not turning the valve very frequently, it was almost impossible to turn.
I threw it in the garbage and installed a gate valve in its place.

It's on a salt water mixing station.

It's leaking thru the o ring for sure and up the threads. I've never had issues with unions prior to these.

I think the o rings that came with them are shot as one side appeared the oring was larger than the other.

 

[ReeferSamster]

It's on a salt water mixing station.

It's leaking thru the o ring for sure and up the threads. I've never had issues with unions prior to these.

I think the o rings that came with them are shot as one side appeared the oring was larger than the other.

Salt water mixing station, I guess is OK. Not much bio accumulation or crud and less precipitates since you aren't dosing anything, but I'd still use a gate valve if your main priority is to use the valve as a simple ON/OFF switch. Ball valves are used to control the flow. Less flow more flow etc.

Also, the chances for all 4 of them to leak at the threads and orings? Maybe you did get a defect in the entire batch during production, but I still think its unlikely. Maybe you did overtighten them/cross thread them and damaged the o-rings? Improper seating of the orings?

 

[Hallowhead]

Salt water mixing station, I guess is OK. Not much bio accumulation or crud and less precipitates since you aren't dosing anything, but I'd still use a gate valve if your main priority is to use the valve as a simple ON/OFF switch. Ball valves are used to control the flow. Less flow more flow etc.

Also, the chances for all 4 of them to leak at the threads and orings? Maybe you did get a defect in the entire batch during production, but I still think its unlikely. Maybe you did overtighten them/cross thread them and damaged the o-rings?

Gate valves are used to control the flow.

I am gonna hope the new o rings do the trick and I won't over tighten

 

[ReeferSamster]

Gate valves are used to control the flow.

I am gonna hope the new o rings do the trick and I won't over tighten

I just looked it up. You are correct! 20 years of reefing and I always used gate valves and assumed that it was the on/off and ball valves vice versa due to my experience with ball valves freezing in the reeftank. I stopped using them completely. Just goes to show that a reefer does not make a plumber.

I still stick to the experience that ball valves are a pain in the butt to turn if used in the reeftank, getting all filled with crud and mineral precipitates. But I guess in a salt mixing tank it has less possibility of that happening since you aren't dosing alk/calc.

 

[shakacuz]

literally had this issue start on mine... i went to home depot and made a cheap replacement and am waiting for the glue to cure before cutting the plumbing and replacing.

 

[Hallowhead]

literally had this issue start on mine... i went to home depot and made a cheap replacement and am waiting for the glue to cure before cutting the plumbing and replacing.

Supply house wanted me to ship them back entirely and I was like than send a check for 100 with the replacements because theyre glued in tight quarters now.. infuriating how poor the quality is these days

 

[shakacuz]

Supply house wanted me to ship them back entirely and I was like than send a check for 100 with the replacements because theyre glued in tight quarters now.. infuriating how poor the quality is these days

QA departments are lacking so it seems.

 

[DCR]

Applying silicon grease on the O-rings generally helps all my unions to seal.

 

[Hallowhead]

Applying silicon grease on the O-rings generally helps all my unions to seal.

I'm getting silicone plumbers grease tonight

 

[Hallowhead]

Plumbers grease did not work, got new o rings coming today.... I've never had this many issues with unions in the 5 tank / water station plumbing jobs i've done.

 

[Weasel1960]

Suggest reading this regarding PVC pipe threads. That’s why I prefer slip fittings whenever possible.

Assembling Threaded Plastic Fittings | LASCO Fittings

www.lascofittings.com

 

[DCR]

Which union ball valves did you use? The Cepex ones are considered the best. I have heard negative reviews of the Red Flag union ball valves.

 

[Hallowhead]

Which union ball valves did you use? The Cepex ones are considered the best. I have heard negative reviews of the Red Flag union ball valves.

They're bluefin

 

[DCR]

Those are really inexpensive compared to the Cepex or even the Red Flag. Not much more than a standard threaded or socket welded ball valve. Probably a low quality valve.

 

[Hallowhead]

Those are really inexpensive compared to the Cepex or even the Red Flag. Not much more than a standard threaded or socket welded ball valve. Probably a low quality valve.

I'm beginning to see that