I am looking to purchase a bunch of ball valves (sweat connections), some 3/4" and some 1/2". The valves will be installed onto a copper manifold inside my garage so it's not subjected to the elements.

They will all be full port quarter turn ball valves. Probably T-handle or butterfly handle so it's more compacted because the ports are 3" apart.

Trying to decide what brand/type to get. I see some valves with a round knob for draining. Is this a good thing or not necessary and just another place the valve may potentially leak?

Also, what is the difference between a big box store NIBCO valve (around $15) vs say a $28 WATTS valve vs a $45 Apollo valve if they are all brass, lead free and 600PSI WOG? Is there a difference in how they are serviced or durability?



Edited 1 times.

You can't go wrong with watts. Appolo is overpriced and not what they use to be. NIBCO is junk. Oh yea.... forget the petcocks (drain ports), there useless.



Edited 1 times.

The number of times you will actually use the valves makes their quality, other than zincavation, immaterial. I would go with the middle cost ones. Nibco is a good valve, just not as good as they used to be.I would, however, go with lever handles and just rotate the valve slightly so the handle swings above the adjacent valve when you close it.



Edited 1 times.

I have installed and have used many Kitz brand full port valves as well as have sold many thousands of them and honestly I believe Kitz makes excellent full port ball valves. They're smooth operating and for your application seem like the "perfect" brand.

I guess I can rotate them all 90 degrees so it swings out to close that way there is no interference at all, or is rotating just enough to clear the handle (plus finger) to clear the next pipe better?

vic, thank you, I looked up the Kitz valves here:

[www.plumbingsupply.com]

What is the difference between the potable drinking water and not potable? Is that related to the lead free rule or are there other considerations? When would someone ever use a non-potable valve? On a line going to a toilet or an irrigation valve?

On the ball valves that says "Full Port and Vented Ball" what does "vented" mean? Is that the thing that allows you to drain the valve or is this something else?

[valveman.com]

IF space is not critical, there is no difference.

Quote

What is the difference between the potable drinking water and not potable? .....

The potable valve is made from a lead free alloy.

'Generally' the lead is replaced by Cadmium.

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

Bernabeu, so the main difference is lead free vs some lead? In that case when would someone use a non potable valve in a residential application? For example in my case if I have a 12 port manifold, with 4 ports going to toilets and hose bibs it would be crazy to use 4 non potable valves for those because if lead is harmful, those 4 valves would have contaminated all the water sitting in the header. Even if I put a non potable valve at the other end of said line, that contaminated water can be siphoned back into the rest of the system when there is negative pressure in the system.

So where would one use non potable valves in practice? A dedicated irrigation system? A commercial fire sprinkler system?

Sum, in your case for drinking water definitely only install "potable" valves. Non potable valves can be used for gas and so on.

sum,

yes


eg. lead bearing valves OK: gas - irrigation - fire protection piping - hydronic heating - steam - fish tanks

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638