Questions re: Pressure Reducing Valves

[tooljunkie4]

I purchased the last of several batches of stuff from the estate of an old plumber. He hoarded a few categories of things. Snap-on hand tools, Marlboro cigarette points, cats, and, to a lesser degree, plumbing parts.

A lot of the brass and copper had been pissed on - well and often - by feral cats. I'm not going to have nightmares about any of it, but I'm washing all of the affected tools with vinegar before moving through normal stages of repair.

Two items escaped the fire hose. Both are marked as reducing valves. One is new in box. The other is just new (the box had been sprayed and did not come home with me).

How do I tell if these things are trustworthy? What does a person have to do to these things in order to render them bad? If they can't be trusted, they can't be made useful. If that's the case, I'll scrap them.

One is a Bell & Gossett 110192LF FB-38. SKU on the box is 683328238449. Made in India.

The other has a tag marked SPARCO Reducing Valve FM450-451 Adj: Range 60 PSI set at 12 PSI Italy. Code 09 11

 

[The Cobbler]

if you want to take the time & hook water to them, you can easily test them . and as long as the adjusting screw isn't ceased they should be ok . not a lot to go wrong with them

 

[tooljunkie4]

if you want to take the time & hook water to them, you can easily test them . and as long as the adjusting screw isn't ceased they should be ok . not a lot to go wrong with them

That's a relief. Each unit's screw is locked down with a nut. There is no corrosion or visible contamination on any of the threads, so no apparent issues there. If undoing the nut and turning the screws won't mess up preset pressure values, it looks as though that would take only a moment.

Edit: I need to stop posting late at night. I'm leaving out words left and right.

 

[The Cobbler]

they are preset to a value. if you loosen the nut & turn the screw ( count turns) and put it back in the same place you'll be fine . is there a tag on them that shows the psi?
if they are clean they are probably in fine condition

 

[tooljunkie4]

they are preset to a value. if you loosen the nut & turn the screw ( count turns) and put it back in the same place you'll be fine . is there a tag on them that shows the psi?
if they are clean they are probably in fine condition

The Bell & Gossett has a tag marked Reducing Valve 2M81 Part No. 110192LF Model No. FB-38 Max. Press. 125 PSI Max. Temp. 225 F Set At 12 LBS Made in India Morton Grove, IL, USA V57130 Rev#3. It smells like an old cigar.

The Sparco one has a tag marked SPARCO Reducing Valve FM450-451 Adj: Range 60 PSI set at 12 PSI Italy. Code 09 11. The side of the casting bears a stylized W.

Edit: Both adjusting screws move freely. The hardware on the Sparco unit is metric. Good deal.

 

[The Cobbler]

you should be able to offload those at a decent price

 

[tooljunkie4]

Cool. I'll add them to the list of things to be added to the classified section. Thank you.

 

[metlmunchr]

PRVs preset at 12 psi are intended for use as fill valves on hot water heating systems.

 

[fitter30]

Hot water boiler fill valves b&g $100 sparco $68

 

[tooljunkie4]

The Sparco appears to have been discontinued. If that's so, I'd wonder why.