A plumber shaved “under the canadian”, dressed in a “Muscovite” who had seen herself, sawed off a rusted ridge with a “grinder”, intending to put an “American” instead. Translate such a phrase to an Englishman or an Italian, and he will be lost in the labyrinths of interpersonal relations of our hero. And only the stern Russian locksmith only smirks, continuing to open the can of sprats with “Finnish”. Of the above international women's plumbing team, we dwell on the "American".
Ball valves with "American" began to be actively used in plumbing, heat and water supply as shutoff valves since the beginning of the 2000s. Although, in principle, the crane can be not only a ball valve, but speaking of an “American”, they mean a quick-release threaded connection (BRS), which includes three main components: a hexagonal nut and two threaded threaded unions (depending on their configuration, it can be used gasket).
Driving. Exodus
Prior to this, in places where it was difficult or impossible to make a connection, for the installation of shut-off valves, sheaths were used, which even now can be found in the gas and water supply systems of old buildings. They were a construction of a metal tube with a long thread, a coupling connecting it to the reciprocal thread, and a lock nut. The installation of the drive required high accuracy when combining the axis of the connected elements, bulky tools (gas "popkey" key), implied the installation of a sealant (tow) and a good knowledge of the Russian language in terms of untranslatable national folklore.
American Beauty
Even an experienced craftsman, not to mention the young specialists, who at least once tried the “American” crane in their work, as a rule, forever refused the use of drives. The coupling of the quick coupler is carried out with a simple adjustable wrench, by pulling together two self-centering elements. In fact, the ball valve device in general, and the American valves in particular, revolutionized the world of plumbing. Since most of the improvements came to us from abroad, and, given the presence of overseas inches in the marking, the technical slang was replenished with a new word from the light of an unknown plumber. The term "crane" American 2 "or 1/2" "firmly entered into our everyday life.
The skaters, the more expensive
Such valves are most often equipped with a quick-release threaded connection of two types: with a conical or flat surface of the connected elements. The first option is somewhat more expensive, but much more reliable. Cone-shaped fittings provide excellent tightness and easy mating of parts; they are manufactured with or without rubber seals.
Because of the lower price, the second option is more often used, where only a ring-shaped gasket made of rubber or paronite, clamped between two planes with a hexagonal nut, provides the connection. Over time, the sealant slightly sags, and the "American" of this type has to be tightened. Seating is determined in inches (for example, an American ball valve 1 inch, ¾ inch, etc.). Product labeling provides information on size, material of manufacture and nominal pressure.
Ball mechanism
The ball locking mechanism itself, like all ingenious, is simple. It is a shutter enclosed in a metal housing in the form of a ball with a through hole equal to the diameter of the pipe. The flow level is controlled by a lever.
According to the stated technical conditions, the standard American crane can be used in the temperature range from -20 to + 120 ° C (but not lower than the freezing temperature of the coolant), with a service life of up to fifteen years or 10 thousand cycles. It should be borne in mind that the crane should be used only in two operating states - open or closed. The ball valve is used only as a stop valve and is not designed for adjustment. Of course, if you don’t completely cover the shutter, disaster will not happen, however, the device’s service life will decrease significantly, and in addition, the pressure on the valve seals will seriously increase. For controlled flow, other types of “American” valves are used, for example, a direct control valve.
Ball Shape "American"
Rotary handles for small diameters of ball valves are made in the form of a “butterfly”, the wings of which, alas, often break off, but with a close arrangement of several valves this may be the only way to control the valve. Handle levers are installed on large-sized ball valves , which are much stronger and more convenient to use, and not so long ago began to produce reinforced “butterflies” with stops at the edges, a very successful improvement.
Modern plumbing is easy
For installation of the heating system, a 3/4 ball valve is most often used with an American connected on both sides of the radiator, and if you install an automatic temperature regulator or a direct control valve, you will be able to adjust the temperature mode during operation. A similar method of strapping the radiator has already become standard. In case of repair or replacement, dismantling the heater becomes a matter of ten minutes. It is enough to shut off the taps, unscrew the union nuts and ... everything, the radiator can be removed. A huge bonus in this case is that there is no need to drain the coolant from the system, which during the heating period will allow you to keep the heat in your home. By the way, all of the above applies equally to the dismantling of the heated towel rail, circulation pump or water meter. For installation in hard-to-reach places, as well as for aesthetic reasons, angular "American" cranes are used, which differ from the standard only in their shape.
How to pick up the keys to the "American"?
When installing the press fitting, when the "American" is mounted on pipes with an internal thread (the same heating radiators), use a hexagon or a special internal key, which has the shape of a cylinder with two recesses for hooks. You can, of course, tighten the mount with pliers, but if you install more than one tap, it is better to buy a hexagon, it is cheaper than the spoiled "American" and it is much more convenient to work with it.
So similar on the outside, so different on the inside
The nomenclature of materials used in the manufacture of "American" is quite extensive. Stainless steel taps are considered the most durable, but professionals prefer brass valves with inclusions of chrome and nickel. Cast iron valves and integrated solutions based on polypropylene and metal are also on the market. In this case, another positive property of this type of connection is manifested - this is the ability to reliably combine elements of different materials (plastic, metal, metal-plastic).
As you can see, quick couplings in general (and "American women" with ball valves in particular) on all fronts are defeated by drives and classic screw valves due to ease of installation, practicality of use and aesthetic appearance, although they require a more delicate attitude.