Home Depot ball valves.

[G_P]

Was fixing up a 30gal Sanborn compressor today. Got it all ready to go and put a 1/4" ball valve on the output with a female Quick connect on it.

Fired up the compressor and it barely made it past 25psi and the valve made a loud PING sound and split down the side. It was only on hand tight for a quick test so overtightening it was not the problem. Just a cheap *** pile of **** valve. I bought it months ago and just got around to getting the compressor going so I no longer have the reciept or the paper tag that was on it. Not sure what the COO is.

Im just glad it let go at a low pressure and not at 100+psi where it could have done some serious damage

Just a heads up if your using any of these. Keep an eye on them!

 

[pipsters]

At my local HD I noticed the older ball valves are from Italy where as the new ones are Chinese.

 

[G_P]

Probably Chinese then. I have used the Italian made valves before "Mueller" I think the name was. They were good valves.

 

[fordbroncodave]

at my home depot the ball valves are on clearance. i bought a 1/4" and a 3/4" both were less then $5 each

 

[Outlawmws]

It was metal and did that?

I just had to get a 3/4" gate valve for the house main water line. I had a choice at ace, $20 for an Italian made valve or 12 for Chinese... I went to Italy..

 

[bigcaddy]

At least you ended up with just a broken valve and not a broken hand!! My family is in the fire protection industry so we deal with all kinds of valves, big and small. We once had to replace a USA made valve on a system but were given a China made one from the supply house. The Fire Inspector opened the valve for a test and the thing blew apart in his hand, smashing it against the wall.

My grandfather always insisted on buying the best and even now, we will spend the extra money for american made valve. My dad holds his nose if he has to purchase anything made in china.

If you can locate a plumbing supply in your area, you should be able to buy American/Italian made valves and not have any problems. Local scrap yards should also have a retail section for stuff like that. They get "new" valves that might be a bit dusty, but are worth more then the scrap price.

 

[paranoid56]

just take it back and get a refund/store credit. you dont need a recipt.

 

[Builder302]

I have been inside the Mueller factory in Italy, it is amazing. Highly automated and very clean. They made several parts for a pump company I used to work for, very good company, at least 10 years ago.

 

[darkzero]

I'm also using Mueller ball valves purchased from HD in 3/8" for the drain, 3/4" for the outlet, & 1/4" on my spare tank. The brass bodies have Italy casted on them & the backside of the handles are stamped China. I've never had a problem with these ball valves or any other ball valves I've had. I can't understand how the body of a brass ball valve would split or crack under normal use. I'd think you were just unlucky & got one with a manufacturing defect.

 

[Dahammer72]

Mueller also has factories in the US, 2 of which are in MS, a copper tubing factory and a copper fitting factory.

 

[ishiboo]

Just get an Apollo, cheap and made in the USA.

 

[G_P]

Im going to get another. But I will make sure it is a QUALITY valve! I found a Itialian made Mueller 1/2" valve and used bushings to bring it down to size and it works great other than the fact that its huge when it does not need to be.

What ***** too is that there was a brass close ****** threaded into the other end of the broken valve. No way to get it out of there without destroying the threads on it so that might as well be garbage too.

Its amazing how cheaply made these asian import fittings are. My father was a plumber years ago and still has a bunch of parts in his basement. Its night and day when you compare a NOS 30yr old brass fitting to one made today. The old one weighs nearly twice as much and is just so much beefier overall.

 

[darkzero]

I personally don't like Home Depot, I like to go to Lowes. When I was shopping for ball valves, Lowes only carried the China stuff so I went to HD & paid more for the Italian ones even though I probably would not have noticed a difference. In fact the China ones at Lowes did not have any play in them like the Italian ones from Home Depot.

 

[joeswamp]

If you want quality valves you really should go to a reputable plumbing supply house.

 

[cwlo]

Home depot dropped the Mueller stuff, and started carrying cheaper stuff by a company called Homeneeds if my memory is correct. I needed some copper fittings, and purchased some of the newer stuff. The T's were obviously a cheaper casting than any T I've ever seen before. Needless to say, when it came time to use it, it would not draw any solder in because it fit too tight on the copper pipe. Anyway, I told the Plumbing guy, and he said they were going to drop that line. That was about a month ago. Not sure if its happened yet, or even if he's a reliable source, but that is my experience.

Chris

 

[bsaint]

Apollo makes the best ball valves.