Back to Thermostat Guide >>>Gas Valve Buying GuideWhat is a gas valve?
A gas valve is a device that regulates gases such as natural gas and liquid
propane. Used for several applications gas valves are available in a variety of
sizes flows, inlet and outlet ports, and pressure ratings. One is made of
plastic such as polyvinyl, polytetrafluoroethylene, chlorinated polyvinyl
chloride, or a metallic substance such as brass, bronze, steel, iron, copper, or
aluminum, to name a few. If you are on the market to replace your gas valve, be
sure to have your type and model number ready to start narrowing down your
options and making your final decision from our full selection or go straight to
one of our universal Honeywell gas valves, the
Honeywell VR8304 Gas Valve. What are some types of gas valves?Solenoid, electrically actuated ball, proportioning, elliptic, pinch, check, diaphragm, elliptic, metering, needle, plug, pressure relief, and stopcock are all types of valves with specialized characteristics to choose from. Valves come with different sealant materials as well. Some of these are NBR (Buna-N), EPDM (Ethylene Propylene), FKM (Viton), and PTFE (Teflon). NBR is the most common sealant and used for temperatures from 0 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. EPDM is for hot and some fluid applications, in the temperature range of -10 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. FKM is specifically for hydrocarbons such as gasoline and its temperature range is from -10 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. PTFE is used for many temperature ranges as it is the most chemical resistant sealing material. Certain gas valves are specifically designed for an individual product or product line, so if a name is unrecognizable from what you have discovered from this information, this could be the type of valve you have come across.
How should I choose my gas valve?
First of all, you need to differentiate between your system type, liquid or gas,
and match the necessary valve material. When pressurized gases are involved, it
is necessary to use a metal valve. Teflon is appropriate for stronger, more
corrosive chemicals. Next, decide between the pressure and flow rate your system
will require. (Metal can handle higher pressure.) Also keep in mind that
solenoid valves are best for continuous on/off cycling and ball valves are
easiest to maintain. Finally, decide on a normally closed or normally open gas
valve depending on how often you expect your valve to be in use. Some factors to
also consider when choosing your gas valve are pipe size, orifice size, pressure
and vacuum range. What standards do I have to meet?
Terms to remember are the PSIG—maximum pressure and INHG—maximum vacuum. Maximum
pressure indicates the amount of substance that can safely flow through the
valve, but can also be affected by temperature or chemical makeup of the gas
substance. Maximum vacuum indicates the top vacuum pressure that the valve is
capable of operating, also affected by temperature or chemical makeup at times. Any suggestions on a specific gas valve?Because proper sizing is key when replacing your gas valve, paying attention to NPT, or National Pipe Thread ports, is the simplest way to go as then you will be eliminating the chances of error with your new Honeywell gas valve. Orifice size also is important as this indicates howch fluid is able to flow through the valve. Yet, for one of the easiest ways to go, we suggest trying a universal gas valve, where you can forget the chances of making a mistake in sizing or maximum pressure. We suggest one of Honeywell's universal gas valves such as the Honeywell VR8304 Gas Valve.
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