Ball drip valve

[Douglas Hicks]

I have a dry system that we change the 1/2”ball drip valve about every 6 months. There is no spring in the valve, it is straight through. Normally, if I have a problem with the valve resetting, I put my finger at the outlet and the ball is moved against the seat, and the ball seats.

Any hints on how to get the ball to seat?

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Eq of Eastern Oregon, Inc

[Ron Greenman]

If your clapper gasket is in good shape the weight of the priming water
should be enough to firm the seal. If not then the finger over the outlet
should hold the prime in until there’s enough air to force the seal. If
that isn’t working you need to change the clapper gasket, or it’s
equivalent.

Post by Douglas Hicks
I have a dry system that we change the 1/2”ball drip valve about every 6
months. There is no spring in the valve, it is straight through.
Normally, if I have a problem with the valve resetting, I put my finger at
the outlet and the ball is moved against the seat, and the ball seats.
Any hints on how to get the ball to seat?
Douglas Hicks
General Fire Eq of Eastern Oregon, Inc
_______________________________________________
Sprinklerforum mailing list
http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org

[Larry Keeping]

If I understand you correctly, the ball drip that is installed is the automatic type, which is not right for the trim on a dry pipe valve. The valve should be of the mechanical type with a plunger that can be pushed to unseat the valve.

Normally the valve should be unseated with no pressure behind it to cause it to seat. The valve is part of the the alarm line drain configuration. After an activation/valve trip, the water pressure in the alarm line would force the ball onto the seat. To drain it, as part of resetting the DPV, the plunger is pushed and held until the alarm line is fully drained.

After resetting the DPV, the plunger is pushed again, to make sure there is no water in the line. If there is, that means that there is a leak at the clapper gasket/air seat, which must be rectified.

I hope this helps with your problem.

Larry Keeping




From: Sprinklerforum <sprinklerforum-***@lists.firesprinkler.org> On Behalf Of Douglas Hicks
Sent: October-01-18 12:45 AM
To: ***@lists.firesprinkler.org
Subject: Ball drip valve

I have a dry system that we change the 1/2”ball drip valve about every 6 months. There is no spring in the valve, it is straight through. Normally, if I have a problem with the valve resetting, I put my finger at the outlet and the ball is moved against the seat, and the ball seats.

Any hints on how to get the ball to seat?

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Eq of Eastern Oregon, Inc

[Douglas Hicks]

Thanks Larry. I have installed ball drip valves, with and without the push rod. I have used a pen to push the ball back on those ball valves without the push rod. I found that usually stops the
the leaks

From: Larry Keeping
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2018 5:07 PM
To: ***@lists.firesprinkler.org
Subject: RE: Ball drip valve

If I understand you correctly, the ball drip that is installed is the automatic type, which is not right for the trim on a dry pipe valve. The valve should be of the mechanical type with a plunger that can be pushed to unseat the valve.



Normally the valve should be unseated with no pressure behind it to cause it to seat. The valve is part of the the alarm line drain configuration. After an activation/valve trip, the water pressure in the alarm line would force the ball onto the seat. To drain it, as part of resetting the DPV, the plunger is pushed and held until the alarm line is fully drained.



After resetting the DPV, the plunger is pushed again, to make sure there is no water in the line. If there is, that means that there is a leak at the clapper gasket/air seat, which must be rectified.



I hope this helps with your problem.



Larry Keeping









From: Sprinklerforum <sprinklerforum-***@lists.firesprinkler.org> On Behalf Of Douglas Hicks
Sent: October-01-18 12:45 AM
To: ***@lists.firesprinkler.org
Subject: Ball drip valve



I have a dry system that we change the 1/2”ball drip valve about every 6 months. There is no spring in the valve, it is straight through. Normally, if I have a problem with the valve resetting, I put my finger at the outlet and the ball is moved against the seat, and the ball seats.



Any hints on how to get the ball to seat?



Douglas Hicks

General Fire Eq of Eastern Oregon, Inc



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Larry Keeping]

I am afraid I don’t entirely understand your last message. If water is leaking past the ball drip, it means there is a problem at the air or water seats. As per my previous message, that needs to be corrected. Getting the ball valve to seat to stop the leakage is not a solution to the problem.

Larry

From: Sprinklerforum <sprinklerforum-***@lists.firesprinkler.org> On Behalf Of Douglas Hicks
Sent: October-05-18 12:15 AM
To: ***@lists.firesprinkler.org
Subject: Re: Ball drip valve

Thanks Larry. I have installed ball drip valves, with and without the push rod. I have used a pen to push the ball back on those ball valves without the push rod. I found that usually stops the
the leaks

From: Larry Keeping<mailto:***@plcfire.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2018 5:07 PM
To: ***@lists.firesprinkler.org<mailto:***@lists.firesprinkler.org>
Subject: RE: Ball drip valve

If I understand you correctly, the ball drip that is installed is the automatic type, which is not right for the trim on a dry pipe valve. The valve should be of the mechanical type with a plunger that can be pushed to unseat the valve.

Normally the valve should be unseated with no pressure behind it to cause it to seat. The valve is part of the the alarm line drain configuration. After an activation/valve trip, the water pressure in the alarm line would force the ball onto the seat. To drain it, as part of resetting the DPV, the plunger is pushed and held until the alarm line is fully drained.

After resetting the DPV, the plunger is pushed again, to make sure there is no water in the line. If there is, that means that there is a leak at the clapper gasket/air seat, which must be rectified.

I hope this helps with your problem.

Larry Keeping




From: Sprinklerforum <sprinklerforum-***@lists.firesprinkler.org<mailto:sprinklerforum-***@lists.firesprinkler.org>> On Behalf Of Douglas Hicks
Sent: October-01-18 12:45 AM
To: ***@lists.firesprinkler.org<mailto:***@lists.firesprinkler.org>
Subject: Ball drip valve

I have a dry system that we change the 1/2”ball drip valve about every 6 months. There is no spring in the valve, it is straight through. Normally, if I have a problem with the valve resetting, I put my finger at the outlet and the ball is moved against the seat, and the ball seats.

Any hints on how to get the ball to seat?

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Eq of Eastern Oregon, Inc
________________________________
_______________________________________________
Sprinklerforum mailing list
***@lists.firesprinkler.org<mailto:***@lists.firesprinkler.org>
http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org

[Ron Greenman]

If the ball valve is constantly dripping it is a problem with the seating
of the clapper. If it's an occasional dripping then it is doing its job of
keeping the differential chamber at atmospheric pressure after a spike in
water that may allow water into the area of the valve. I thought in the
original post you were saying you were having trouble setting up a valve
and were looking for an alternative to temporarily keeping the ball valve
closed until the clapper seated besides using your finger as a plug.


Ron Greenman

***@gmail.com

253.576.9700

The Universe is monstrously indifferent to the presence of man. -Werner
Herzog, screenwriter, film director, author, actor and opera
director (1942-)

Post by Larry Keeping
I am afraid I don’t entirely understand your last message. If water is
leaking past the ball drip, it means there is a problem at the air or water
seats. As per my previous message, that needs to be corrected. Getting the
ball valve to seat to stop the leakage is not a solution to the problem.
Larry
Behalf Of *Douglas Hicks
*Sent:* October-05-18 12:15 AM
*Subject:* Re: Ball drip valve
Thanks Larry. I have installed ball drip valves, with and without the
push rod. I have used a pen to push the ball back on those ball valves
without the push rod. I found that usually stops the
the leaks
*Sent:* Tuesday, October 02, 2018 5:07 PM
*Subject:* RE: Ball drip valve
If I understand you correctly, the ball drip that is installed is the
automatic type, which is not right for the trim on a dry pipe valve. The
valve should be of the mechanical type with a plunger that can be pushed to
unseat the valve.
Normally the valve should be unseated with no pressure behind it to cause
it to seat. The valve is part of the the alarm line drain configuration.
After an activation/valve trip, the water pressure in the alarm line would
force the ball onto the seat. To drain it, as part of resetting the DPV,
the plunger is pushed and held until the alarm line is fully drained.
After resetting the DPV, the plunger is pushed again, to make sure there
is no water in the line. If there is, that means that there is a leak at
the clapper gasket/air seat, which must be rectified.
I hope this helps with your problem.
Larry Keeping
Behalf Of *Douglas Hicks
*Sent:* October-01-18 12:45 AM
*Subject:* Ball drip valve
I have a dry system that we change the 1/2”ball drip valve about every 6
months. There is no spring in the valve, it is straight through.
Normally, if I have a problem with the valve resetting, I put my finger at
the outlet and the ball is moved against the seat, and the ball seats.
Any hints on how to get the ball to seat?
Douglas Hicks
General Fire Eq of Eastern Oregon, Inc
------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Sprinklerforum mailing list
http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org
_______________________________________________
Sprinklerforum mailing list
http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org