Ball valve flow direction arrow

[JHZR2]

I want to replace a ball valve on the one side of my whole house filter.

I want one with a vent to relieve pressure. Thing is that one will be past the filter, since the valve on the other side is my main house valve.

The valve I got has a direction arrow.

I want the vent hole on the inside, so it’s essentially going to flow in reverse.

I can’t see how there would be an issue with this, but looking for opinions.

Thanks!

 

[JohnnyG]

Install it with the handle down.

 

[JHZR2]

Install it with the handle down.

I actually want it with the valve down, handle away from me because of the install location.

 

[Hall]

I actually want it with the valve down, handle away from me because of the install location.

You can reorient the handle

 

[Pablo]

I would think flow direction doesn't matter, but I would contact Homewerks.

 

[johnmyster]

Put vent on side you need to vent. Orient handle in direction of flow.

 

[JHZR2]

You can reorient the handle

This one you can’t.

Maybe that’s why it has the arrow.

I want to replace this:

Which has the handle in the flow direction (not sure it matters because the main valve isn’t six feet away), and the vent on the side I want it to be. Facing down so I can relieve pressure and capture directly into a bucket for absolutely clean filter changes. Better than using a button on the top/side with an o-ring that doesn’t seat properly after a few years.

I’m putting it all back with unions to make future replacements easier in theory.

 

[JHZR2]

I would think flow direction doesn't matter, but I would contact Homewerks.

I don’t think I’ll get an answer on a holiday Monday. I doubt these companies help anyone at all.

 

[Pablo]

I don’t think I’ll get an answer on a holiday Monday. I doubt these companies help anyone at all.

I forgot today is President's Day. I am surprised sometime by support. Worth a shot at least, and maybe AI knows...........ha

 

[Fitter30]

Flow doesn't matter put the vent on the side you want.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

You want the vent after the shut off so if it leaks you can turn it off. The vent before the shut off makes no sense

 

[Hall]

Maybe that’s why it has the arrow.

Heh, yeah, I've seen many ball valves that have a "stop" built in but not one that's 180º like that. I'd agree, it's probably that way because of the directional arrow. I don't know why a ball valve needs to be directional though.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

vent towards where you want to drain once shut off. No impact on anything else. Make sure solder doesn't get into bleed port.

I have multiple Webstone valves. The drain you can connect a hose to so it goes to bucket. Some I have a regular valve also with it because you never know where you need to drain/bleed. I have them with circulators flanges for hot water baseboard (I can isolate the circultor by itself for change/repair) and on the return so I can bleed the zone. I have used the drain port with minimal air pressure to pressurize the water out of the zone. You can get thread IPS or sweat. They also make them with dual ports so covers both sides for drain.

https://www.ferguson.com/product/webstone-a-brand-of-nibco-4061-series-3%2F4-in.-forged-brass-full-port-ips-600-ball-valve-wh40613/7340364.html

 

[JHZR2]

You want the vent after the shut off so if it leaks you can turn it off. The vent before the shut off makes no sense

I have the vent for a very specific purpose to relieve pressure in my water filter.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I have the vent for a very specific purpose to relieve pressure in my water filter.

Yes but why would you opt not to be able to shut it off

 

[johnmyster]

This one you can’t.

Then don't worry about the handle direction. It's just plumber preference. Just put vent where you need.

I wouldn't worry about unions. More joints, more headaches, for a valve that should outlive the rest of the system.

If the available valves with drains don't meet your expectations for quality, use a regular valve and then tee in an icemaker valve, stop valve, or hose bib and put a hose into a bucket for drain down. Those little drains on valves spray everywhere if you don't open a faucet first...or at a minimum close the valve to the water heater.

Also, those boogers on the existing valve: After you flux the joint, wipe with a wet rag (while still hot). This will wipe away flux and oxidize the copper outside the joint. The solder will flow into the joint but not elsewhere - looking less like homeowner work.

 

[CleanSump]

I put the vent towards my outdoor spigots so when I turn off the water for winter I can drain the pipe from the spigot to inside. No water outside, no broken pipe.
With a filter arrangement, it would make sense to put the vent on the filter side to relieve pressure in the filter housing when changing the filter or replacing an o-ring or seal, but actually not needed as you can just open a faucet.

 

[JHZR2]

Yes but why would you opt not to be able to shut it off

I don’t know what you mean. I wanted it for relieving pressure in an isolated section of piping around a whole house filter.

 

[JHZR2]

Well I got beat by this and ended up paying the low skill idiot stupid tax.

My wife and I took the whole whole house filter system apart, fit it all up with unions and fittings on clean pipes. In the end, we put it all together, and turned on the main water to the house. Would you know before we even got it going? The solder on the valve that I did was poor enough to allow for a leak.

I desoldered the thing, then spent a lot of time cleaning it up well. I got the copper to be penny bright again, and I was able to scuff the inside of the brass to be pretty much like new. I soldered the stub end that was upstream of the filter and union onto the valve, then soldered the valve to the upstream part of my home water system.

Wouldn’t you know, this time both sides of the soldered valve leaked out very rapidly. Worse than before.

At this point it was after 6 PM and I sucked it up and called the emergency plumber, who came and in less than 15 minutes, crept a brand new ball valve with his 5000 psi machine, and put it all together.

I bet it would’ve cost about the same to have the plumber come and do the whole job. And I wouldn’t have wasted a whole day messing around with stupid things and not doing activities with my kids.

I think I’m done with DIY for a while.

 

[Tubefreakz]

Direction of flow does not matter through ball valves. The only thing important in your case is to locate the vent on the side of the valve you intend to drain/relieve pressure.