Esbe products are quite popular today. The three-way valve is no exception. It is one of the many elements that are part of the life support system of residential buildings.
Need to use
This design, on the one hand, is quite simple, but on the other, it is designed to fulfill an extremely important task, being part of engineering networks. Everyone knows the rule that demand creates supply, which is why in the market today you can find many models that are represented by all kinds of manufacturers. However, valves manufactured by Esbe are superior in performance. A three-way valve of this type can be purchased at an affordable cost. This is confirmed by user reviews.
Design Features
In a wide range today you can find Esbe products. The three-way valve is no exception. This element has a regulatory component, which acts as a ball or rod. The latter moves vertically, but as for the ball, its movement occurs around its axis. For the reason that the movements of the regulating element do not allow to block the fluid flow, distribution and mixing take place. The most common and simple models are cranes.
Main plus
Their main advantage is low cost and simplicity. However, if you need to adjust the Esbe three-way valve, you should exclude the purchase of simple devices, as they have the main drawback, expressed in the absence of the ability to stabilize the temperature at the outlet.
Installation work
Almost all of the valves described on the market are connected based on one circuit. Most often, mixer taps are used in water supply systems. Their main goal is to reduce the risk of reverse flow. A pressure drop will inevitably occur between the flows of cold and hot water. It can cause backflow. If you install the valve, then you will not encounter such a problem. If we are talking about a heating system, such devices are used only in three directions, namely, to stabilize the temperature regime of the coolant flow in the incoming pipeline of boiler equipment, to reduce the supply of high temperature water from the heating device to the pipeline, as well as in the conditions of mixing systems like underfloor heating.
Connection in the mixing unit
If you are interested in Esbe products, the three-way valve can be purchased at any store of the relevant products. You just need to consider how the tap is used in the underfloor heating system. The use of the mixing unit allows you to create an additional circuit in the system. With two points it is connected to the distribution manifold, this allows for constant circulation of water at the outlet. As for the entrance, the flow is provided only if there is a need to obtain additional heat. The valve with a thermostat is connected to the mixing unit. For the reason that all valves are located at the point, they are narrowed, which can cause insufficient consumption of pumping equipment. To increase it, it is necessary to create an additional line with which you can reduce electricity consumption by the pump. During installation, it is worth remembering that a second line is not always required. A number of valve models have a sufficiently large passage. The Esbe three-way valve, the wiring diagram of which can be developed based on the instructions presented in the article, may assume insufficient flow power on the first line. In this case, the thermostat does not have the ability to open the passage of the required size. This issue can be easily solved in two ways: the first involves narrowing the second line, while the other option is to install a balancing valve on it . The latter option is considered more productive, as it allows you to configure the stream.
Alternative installation
The installation of the Esbe three-way valve can be carried out using another method. It does not involve the use of a balancing crane. The pump is connected to the second line, in the end, the temperature of the output and input flows is equalized. The thermostat valve is in single-circuit systems. The simplest example of such systems is underfloor heating in small rooms. In this case, it is not always justified to create a mixing unit with large dimensions. It will be best to connect the underfloor heating system using one circuit. If you are thinking about how to connect an Esbe three-way valve with an electric actuator, then it can be located on the return line along which the cooled water runs. In this case, the thermostat will lead to the movement of valves, the cross section will be increased, and the flow will be open. Once the pipe is heated, the temperature sensor will detect this and reduce flow.
Mounting a valve for a heating boiler
This issue, according to professionals, must be considered separately. The main task of the installation is to prevent the flow of cold water into the inlet pipe, which is connected to the heating equipment. If this requirement is not taken into account, condensation will occur on the pipes, temperature differences will lead to deformation at the joints. If we talk about the consequences of deformation, then in the best case you will encounter a small leak, while in the worst case it will be necessary to completely change. In order not to need repair of the Esbe three-way valve, it is important to connect the shut-off valves to the boiler, which is characterized by temperature differences during operation. If you install a mixing valve, then you can ensure that water does not enter the equipment inlet, the temperature of which is below 50 degrees. The temperature difference is significantly reduced, the negative impact of the cold is reduced. Experts advise supplementing systems that are equipped with plastic piping with mixing valves. In this case, the task is to prevent the ingress of high temperature water into the pipeline. Despite the fact that polymers have many advantages, they cope quite poorly with frequent temperature extremes, which can turn out to be higher than working ones.
Under the influence of such conditions, the pipeline system will soon fail. Experts advise you to choose Esbe products. The three-way valve, the installation instructions of which are presented in the article, has been manufactured by this company for a long time. If you use this element, then you can provide temperature indicators in the range from 75 to 85 degrees, which are recommended by specialists. Mounting the valve allows you to cope with many problems, however, the model must be selected in accordance with the characteristics of the network, and also have a sufficiently large passage.
Adjustment Features
When purchasing Esbe products - a three-way valve, the installation and adjustment instructions of which are presented in the article - you must remember that with this device you can achieve mixing of cooled water from the return to the supply. For high-quality regulation, not only a three-way, but also a four-way valve, which must be present in the heating system, is independently installed in the system. It is placed directly in front of the underfloor heating circuit. The handle allows you to open the bypass, while the circulation pumps and equipment draw the cooled coolant from the return, where it is mixed with hot water. In order to make the adjustment as efficient as possible, you should figure out what happens at certain positions of the handle. The latter can be set to the bypass shut-off position, while the hot coolant will enter the pipe of the underfloor heating system. As for the mode in which the supply is shut off, water enters the tank and runs in a small circle. The third position allows you to feed the supply from the return system, without blocking the full cycle of the passage of water throughout the circuit.
Conclusion
Recently, experts are increasingly recommending the purchase of Esbe brand products. A three-way valve, an instruction whose electrical diagram is presented in the article, is just an example. It can be an indispensable element of the heating system and part of the boiler equipment, however, it is important to choose the right model and install, observing the technology.