Boilers - Steam and Hot Water Systems - Gate valve or globe valve?
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drooplug
11-06-09, 06:48 AM
Can anyone tell if this is a gate valve or a globe valve?
http://flickr.com/gp/drooplug/44w2c0
http://flickr.com/gp/drooplug/1v6md0
http://flickr.com/gp/drooplug/44w2c0
http://flickr.com/gp/drooplug/1v6md0
Who
11-06-09, 10:50 AM
I think it's a gate. [[[[[[[[[[[
sidny
11-06-09, 03:22 PM
It has the distinct shape of a gate valve.
Sid
Sid
drooplug
11-06-09, 03:25 PM
Bummer. I was hoping to balance my rads with one of those valves.
NJ Trooper
11-06-09, 03:51 PM
Even if it was a globe... trying to regulate heat output of rads by adjusting the flow is difficult at best... and often causes other headaches...
Adjusting the TEMPERATURE of the water is the way to do it, while maintaining the flow.
What often happens when you try to adjust the heat output with a valve, if it's on a SERIES LOOP... by the time the lazy slow moving water gets to the last rads, it's COLD! So you end up screwing up the balance in the system.
If each of your rads are piped individually, you might have some limited success, as long as chomping down the flow through that rad doesn't screw up the flow somewhere else.
Even though it's a gate valve, give it a shot, what have you got to lose? You probably will get 'velocity noise', but you will at least be able to fool with it some and perhaps it will help you to understand what I was saying above...
Adjusting the TEMPERATURE of the water is the way to do it, while maintaining the flow.
What often happens when you try to adjust the heat output with a valve, if it's on a SERIES LOOP... by the time the lazy slow moving water gets to the last rads, it's COLD! So you end up screwing up the balance in the system.
If each of your rads are piped individually, you might have some limited success, as long as chomping down the flow through that rad doesn't screw up the flow somewhere else.
Even though it's a gate valve, give it a shot, what have you got to lose? You probably will get 'velocity noise', but you will at least be able to fool with it some and perhaps it will help you to understand what I was saying above...
sidny
11-06-09, 03:59 PM
That will work, the only thing that will happen is the gate and the tapered spot that it wedges into will after a while grow a little crud that will prevent it from closing tightly, but as a ballancing valve it wont be a problem. If you want to keepe the valve clean just close it about once a month and reopen it to your setting, and that works also.
Sid
Sid
Mike Speed 30
11-06-09, 04:03 PM
A gate valve isn't ideal for throttling flow, but as Trooper suggested, try it.
Gate valves are usually used for isolation - fully open or fully shut. They have less pressure drop when fully open than a globe valve.
Gate valves are usually used for isolation - fully open or fully shut. They have less pressure drop when fully open than a globe valve.
NJ Trooper
11-06-09, 04:27 PM
fully shut
I've rarely seen one that would close and qualify as 'fully shut' ! ;) They always seem to drip, drip, drip... probably becuz of the 'crud' that Sid mentioned.
I've also heard them 'rattle' when used for throttling, because the gate is flopping around inside the valve.
I've rarely seen one that would close and qualify as 'fully shut' ! ;) They always seem to drip, drip, drip... probably becuz of the 'crud' that Sid mentioned.
I've also heard them 'rattle' when used for throttling, because the gate is flopping around inside the valve.
drooplug
11-06-09, 04:47 PM
I have two of these valves on my downstairs zone. That zone has two legs for each side of the house. Each leg has a supply and a return pipe. Each radiator is t'd off the supply and then t'd into the return. The valves are located at the end of the return pipes before they combine together back at the boiler. The one side of the house is a tad cooler than the other. I haven't taken any measurements. Just thought maybe I'd try to tweak it if I could. I know they don't shut all the way from the boiler replacement. Maybe I will give it a whirl. Thanks.