Detailed device of the ball valve. How to choose and disassemble

Features of the

So, recently, special ball valves have been used in gas pipelines. These devices are designed to completely shut off or open the gas flow. The peculiarity of these devices is contained in the locking mechanism, which is made in the form of a ball with a through hole. Moreover, the hole in diameter converges with the diameter of the pipeline (see also the article "Where and how a high pressure valve is used").

To shut off the flow, the ball is rotated so that the hole is perpendicular to the pipeline, i.e. it must be rotated 90 degrees. The locking mechanism is controlled by a lever. Tightness is provided by rings made of soft and durable materials.

Differences from plumbing fittings

It must be stated that the external difference between a gas tap and a water tap is that the lever is yellow, not red.

There are much more structural differences:

• They have a more durable body, which is made of special grades of steel or brass with a high copper content.
• They have a longer connecting thread.
• The locking mechanism is made of very durable chrome or nickel-plated material.
• The stem is made of extra strong polymer material.
• These taps are capable of withstanding more pressure than water taps.
• O-rings are more durable and provide better sealing.

Note! Regardless of the fact that the price of gas taps is higher, they cannot be replaced with plumbing fixtures, since the savings can be very expensive. But it is not allowed to use gas valves instead of water valves.

In general, all that differs a gas faucet from a water stop valve is an increased level of tightness. The rest of the points are not so serious in domestic gas pipelines. Proceeding from this, in principle, any valve corresponding to the tightness class "A" can be used for a gas pipeline.

Application features

In most cases, shut-off valves for gas pipelines are installed in the kitchen, i.e. where gas equipment is used. Moreover, a separate valve is installed for each source of consumption.

For example, in buildings and apartments where gas stoves and water heaters or boilers are installed, I install separate gas taps for stoves and other devices. In addition, usually one non-specialized valve is installed at the inlet, which allows you to completely shut off the gas supply.

It must be stated that stop valves are used not only to shut off the flow, but also to control it, for example, a three-way gas valve allows the flow to be redirected from one pipeline to another. Indeed, such devices are not used in everyday life.

Advice! When implementing gas supply to a house with bottled gas, it is possible not to install non-specialized shut-off valves, since a valve is constantly mounted on the cylinder, which allows the gas to be shut off.

Features of the device of the main types of kitchen faucets

Delicacies such as thermostatic and touchless faucets are great for bathrooms. In the kitchen, more practical models are fighting for a place in the sun - traditional two-valve and single-lever. Common elements for them are: body, spout (spout), aerator, gaskets. Otherwise, they differ significantly.

The device of two-valve taps

Taps familiar to the eye with two valves are quite simple.Under the flywheel, which you turn during the operation of the structure, there is a crane-axle box - its locking element. Below is the device of such a kitchen faucet in pictures.

Axleboxes in a two-valve mixer (sectional view)

In products where several turns of the flywheel are required to supply or shut off water, worm axle boxes are installed. Their work is based on rotational-translational movements. The more you unscrew the valve, the more the axle box gasket will move away from the so-called “saddle”. The consequence of this is the flow of water into the inner cavity of the mixer, and then into its spout (spout).

Worm gear valve for mixer

In models where it is enough to make only half a turn to supply water, axle boxes with ceramic plates are installed. When you open the tap, the holes in them coincide, and water enters the spout.

Crane axle boxes with ceramic plates

The cost of crane boxes is low, they are always available in plumbing stores, and their replacement is extremely simple.

The device and types of single-lever mixers

More modern and practical are the models of valves with one regulating pressure and temperature handle (lever). Mixing of water in them is carried out in a hollow ball with three holes or in a special cartridge.

The mixing element in the ball models has three openings, two of which are inlet - designed to supply hot and cold water to this miniature container, and one outlet - to supply water of a given temperature to the sink.

Ball mixer device

The ball itself is located on two "saddles" made of rubber. Its displacement relative to them, carried out by the movement of the lever, and allows you to adjust the pressure, the temperature of the poured water. At the top, the ball is fixed with a sealing collar and a lock nut.

Schematic device of a spherical model of a kitchen faucet

The principle of operation of a mixer with a cartridge that replaces the ball is similar. Moreover, their internal structure is fundamentally different. In the presence of all the same three functional holes, but inside the cartridge is not a cavity, but special discs made of cermet. Due to their displacement relative to each other and the degree of overlap of the supply holes when the lever is turned, the water supply is adjusted.

Replaceable ceramic cartridges

Types of ball gas valves

In addition to the fact that the observed shut-off valves differ in diameter, the differences lie in the installation method. The following types of devices are used much more often in gas pipelines:

Advice! In addition to ball valves, there are also plug valves. But, they have less reliability and durability, therefore, they are very rarely used recently.

Other mixer breakdowns and prevention of malfunctions

The water quality in many cities is poor, so over time, the aerator in the tap can become dirty. On the inside, hard deposits "build up" on it. When there are too many of them, the pressure and quality of the water deteriorate significantly. The solution to the problem is to replace the aerator. Ideally, it can be easily unscrewed with an adjustable wrench, but for a stuck part, you need WD40 or tapping with a hammer.

It is important! Perform all work carefully, otherwise the mixer will have to be changed completely.

The tap is leaking, and during the inspection did you find a crack in it? Then it's time to go for a new product. For a short time, silicone sealant can be an assistant.

You can extend the life of the mixer if you install a water filter and use the device carefully, without turning the valves too tight or moving the lever suddenly and all the way.

Manufacturers

Gas pipelines are one of the most important housing supply systems. Proceeding from this, the choice of all its elements, as well as shut-off valves, should be given special attention.

You need to buy products only from well-known, well-proven manufacturers.

In particular, it is possible to give preference to cranes from such Italian companies as:

• Bugatti;
• FIV;
• Valtec;

In addition, the products of the following companies are of good quality:

• Dungs - Germany;
• Profactor - Germany;
• Broen Ballomax - Poland;
• Efar - Poland;
• LD - Russia.

Advice! You should not take the most inexpensive gas valve, since there are many low-quality valves from China on the market, which do not always meet all the requirements for gas valves.

Video: repair of a single-lever mixer with a ceramic cartridge

Now you know what to do if the faucet is dripping in the kitchen. In most cases, the considered repair schemes are also suitable for eliminating breakdowns of faucets in bathrooms. This is a good saving for the family budget. But if you are not confident in your abilities or you simply do not have time, a competent plumber will do all the work in a matter of minutes.

It just so happened that our men, and sometimes women, are used to dealing with minor home repairs on their own. We glue the wallpaper ourselves, repair the floors, install the plumbing and even lay the tiles. And such a trifle as do-it-yourself mixer repair is within the power of almost everyone. If 10 years ago, in all the houses and apartments of our vast homeland, there were mixers of the same design, then their today's variety can confuse even an experienced home craftsman. Let's figure out what kind of mixers are presented on the shelves of our stores today and what to do if it suddenly leaks where it shouldn't.

Features of replacing the gas valve

Certainly, each stop valve may fail, for example, gas taps are not insured against breakdowns. If this unit is found to be defective, it must be replaced immediately.

Immediately go to declare that you are not allowed to do this work with your own hands! But, some actions still need to be performed independently.

So, the instructions for replacing this shut-off valve are as follows:

• First of all, it is necessary to tell about the problem to experts from gas work or a personal organization that owns a license to perform similar work.
• After that, you need to purchase a new crane from a specialized store. First, you need to measure the diameter of the pipeline, so as not to make a mistake when choosing a product.
• For the arrival of experts, go to prepare a technical passport and a contract for gas supply. A technical passport is needed to make a note about the work performed.
• After that, you need to light the gas on the stove and turn off the central valve. Leave the burner until it is completely extinguished, so that the whole gas escapes from the pipeline.
• Upon the arrival of experts, it is necessary to open a couple of windows in order to create a draft in the room. This is necessary in case of a gas leak.
• At the end of the work, go together with experts to diagnose the installed valves for leaks.
• At the end of the work, it is necessary to give the workers of the work a technical passport and ask them to make a note in that direction.

Advice! It is possible to find out gas leaks with soap foam. It must be applied to the joints of the device with the pipeline, and to the valve itself. If a soap ball forms in some place, it means that the shut-off valves are allowing gas to pass through.

At the end of the work, leave the windows open for another 15-30 minutes, which will allow for full ventilation of the room.

A faucet is leaking in the kitchen - how to fix it yourself

To repair a kitchen faucet you will need:

• knife with a sharp end;
• hex and adjustable wrench;
• screwdrivers;
• a new cartridge, valve box, rubber gasket, etc. - depends on which part you will be changing;
• WD40 is a technical aerosol that will come in handy if the parts are "stuck" to each other. However, you can get by with the traditional tapping of a hammer on a screwdriver, but there is a great risk of damage to the mixer.

Regardless of which faucet you have installed, before starting the repair, you must shut off the water supply in the system and drain the remaining water into a sink or a separate container. To do this, just open the tap. Then you can start repairing it, taking into account the design features.

To repair a single lever mixer, you need a hex wrench

Single Lever Kitchen Faucet Repair

The main principles of repair are sequence of actions and accuracy.

1. Using a thin screwdriver or knife, pry and remove the decorative plug on the valve body.
2. In the resulting hole, you will see a screw that connects the lever and adjusting rod. Unscrew it with a hex wrench.
3. Remove the lever from the body and unscrew the decorative cover. This can be done even with your hands, if the parts are not stuck to each other.

Removing the decorative cover

1. A locking (clamping) nut will be located under it. Unscrew it carefully with an adjustable wrench or by tapping a screwdriver with a hammer.
2. If you are disassembling a ball mixer, you will see a sealing collar under the nut. Inspect it for dirt, deformation, and tears. Take out the ball. Examine its surface - it should be flat and clean. It is necessary to remove the seals and supporting springs - their poor condition can leak the valve.
3. If you disassemble the faucet with a cartridge, then remove it and subject it to a thorough inspection.
4. Replace the defective part.
5. Reassemble the tap in reverse order.

It is important! Do not tighten the nuts too tight, as this can deform the rubber bands and interfere with the normal operation of the mixer.

Installing a new cartridge

To extend the life of the product and ensure the smooth running of its rubbing parts, you can use a special silicone grease.

Removing the mixer flywheel

Repair of a two-valve mixer

What to do if a two-valve faucet is dripping in your kitchen? Almost everything is the same.

• Hook and remove the decorative plug on the valve flywheel.
• Use a screwdriver to unscrew the screw securing the flywheel.
• Take off the flywheel. There will be a crane box in front of you.
• Unscrew it counterclockwise and examine it.

Removing the crane axle box

• If this is a worm-type axle box and its gasket is damaged, replace it separately - buy it in a store (it costs a penny) or cut it out of rubber of a suitable thickness yourself. The axle box with ceramic discs is completely changed.
• Assemble the crane in reverse order.

General scheme of work on repair of the mixer

Everything is as simple as possible and slightly resembles a constructor.But faucet leaks are not the only problem that you may encounter while using it in the kitchen.