Gate Valve vs. Ball Valve [Archive]

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Airic

Might be a dumb question but is it OK to use a gate valve to regulate flow. I need a valve to be able to service my filter but one as well to regulate water flow. Instead on putting a gate valve for filter maintenance and ball valve to regulate flow could I just go with a gate? 3" valves are expensive.

Popfish

Gate valves are best for on/off applications. Ball valves are good for reg. And on/off!

avorancher

There are gate valves, knife valves, butterfly valves and ball valves. Some people refer to knife valves as gate valves.

Popfish

There are gate valves, knife valves, butterfly valves and ball valves. Some people refer to knife valves as gate valves.

True dat. They are essentially the same. In industry, both ball valves(v-ball) and butterfly valves are used for regulatory control. Rarely is a gate valve used or effective.

Joey S

You should NOT use a slide/knife/gate valve to regulate flow. They are best used open or closed. The thin metal plate will not withstand prolonged partial open without bending and debris will collect in the slot so it won't close completely.

avorancher

You should NOT use a slide/knife/gate valve to regulate flow. They are best used open or closed. The thin metal plate will not withstand prolonged partial open without bending and debris will collect in the slot so it won't close completely.

Very true. Plus gate and butterfly valves add more restriction.

I would also go with a good quality ball valve. It does cost more, but will save you a lot of frustration in the future.

Joey S

Very true. Plus gate and butterfly valves add more restriction.

I would also go with a good quality ball valve. It does cost more, but will save you a lot of frustration in the future.Yes, especially for those places that you need to turn often. In places where you pretty much just want to adjust the flow (tprs) and won't being opening and closing, then the cheap ones are ok, but a real PITA if you need to use them often.

mpageler

As already mentioned, knife and gate valves are not the same, but often confused. Below is a gate valve where a handle/knob is turned to screw the flow plate up and down. As with a knife, a gate is best used for full on/off flow control. As you move into larger pipe sizes, a knife will be a better value and much quicker to operate.

The single and double true unions ball valves made by "American" and sold by Lowes (up to 2") is a easily operated, economic valve.

Sooner or later, a knife is going to start leaking. Depending on where it's installed, may or maynot be an issue. I got tired of the leaking and trying to replace gaskets and now exclusively use ball valves for everthing.




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Airic

Thanks all, I think I will then just use ball valves where I need to also regulate flow. I'll put gate valves in where it will just be an open or close for maintenance. Are the ball valves and gate valves from www.plumbingsupply.com decent quality for price. I've been reading references to them here before?

koiman

Thanks all, I think I will then just use ball valves where I need to also regulate flow. I'll put gate valves in where it will just be an open or close for maintenance. Are the ball valves and gate valves from www.plumbingsupply.com decent quality for price. I've been reading references to them here before?

Make sure that if you use a "knife" valve, it is not used where the water will discharge from the system. This can cause a draining of the pond if not caught in time, and a real PITA to replace, especially if underground. We use the "gate" valves mpageler displayed in his post in areas that require accurate fine tuning of flow. Otherwise, true union ball valves is what we use.

Mike

Norm Walsh

My valves are not as cheap but you get a "true union" plus an adjustable valve seat so that you can determine how hard the valve is to open & close

http://www.bwkoi.com/Dreampond-Plumbing-Parts/True-Union-Ball-Valve-p-29.html

theremainder

Goto BSTV to know more.

You should NOT use a slide/knife/gate valve to regulate flow. They are best used open or closed. The thin metal plate will not withstand prolonged partial open without bending and debris will collect in the slot so it won't close completely.


Hi,

Where do you buy your gate valves?

Thanks
Danny

hacnp

I will never buy a true union ball valve. I prefer to buy a good quality slip x slip ball and 2 ferncos and make a easily replaceable knock off that is as good. And Ferncos can be burried and still meet code. Save some money ( especially on the big ones 3, 4 inch) and get a result that is easy to work on or replace.

pearlharborday

I will never buy a true union ball valve. I prefer to buy a good quality slip x slip ball and 2 ferncos and make a easily replaceable knock off that is as good. And Ferncos can be burried and still meet code. Save some money ( especially on the big ones 3, 4 inch) and get a result that is easy to work on or replace.code??????????

Joey S

Hi,

Where do you buy your gate valves?

Thanks
DannyI use Valtera knife valves. Been so long, I can't remember where I got them.

Dillon

I wish I had done hacnp did and use ferncos! 4" unions are no fun to work with in tight places.

ahhuhz

You should NOT use a slide/knife/gate valve to regulate flow. They are best used open or closed. The thin metal plate will not withstand prolonged partial open without bending and debris will collect in the slot so it won't close completely.

I have had Leak problems with 4" & 2" knife valves. I would never use them on the outlet side of the pond as they could drain down your pond as mentioned above.

hacnp

code??????????

Ferncos can be buried in North Carolina per building code

hacnp

I wish I had done hacnp did and use ferncos! 4" unions are no fun to work with in tight places. I did not do this when I built. But any retrofit will be done this way. I have 3 4" ball valves, 2 of which are more than 3 feet underground. I dont relish digging them up needless to say.

pearlharborday

Ferncos can be buried in North Carolina per building codegood to know,,,I know here in Fla ,,,fernco may only be used for a temp. fix in pressure line like pools etc................but can be used in no pressure situations like drainage and venting.....................In NC are they using them in pressure sitautions above 10-15 PSI??????????????

WAC

I believe the Fernco (brand) has a max test rating of 4.3psi. Without looking, I'm assumming the code approval might be more pertinent to direct burial application. Of course there's a massive list of ASTM spec's pertinent to everything down to the little inpertinent nuances.

In terms of "rubber couplers", many have come to call them Ferncos but much like Kleenex, it's actually a company brand name.

hacnp

good to know,,,I know here in Fla ,,,fernco may only be used for a temp. fix in pressure line like pools etc................but can be used in no pressure situations like drainage and venting.....................In NC are they using them in pressure sitautions above 10-15 PSI??????????????

No not for pressure only dwv. This is for all practical purposes the same as a gravity line. I.E. before a pump.

Ryan S.

There is not a perfect solution to valve needs in koi ponds. In larger sizes quality Ball valves (which do on/off and flow control both perfectly) are very difficult to turn. The intended use of Knife "Gate" Valve is for clean water on/off. On a Koi pond they can be bad for this application unless you can mount them upside down in a pump house, otherwise the ridge in bottom will get stuff stuck easy and leak. They actually function OK for flow control in most koi pond setups, koi pumps/plumbing are generally low pressure and you can control flow with them if your in low water pressure system. If you put them on a drain like may people do they will eventually leak and you may to have room to put on a fernco cap on the end.

Thanks all, I think I will then just use ball valves where I need to also regulate flow. I'll put gate valves in where it will just be an open or close for maintenance. Are the ball valves and gate valves from www.plumbingsupply.com decent quality for price. I've been reading references to them here before?

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