
This onefull bore ball valvewith DN50 and internal thread - it would seem like an ordinary part for water hoses, but there are so many pitfalls that pop up during installation. Often customers demand “just a reliable faucet”, not taking into account that polypropylene with fiberglass behaves differently under the sun, and a threaded connection on the 50th diameter requires pinpoint precision when joining with hoses.
When you pick one upfull bore valve, the first thing you check is that the fiberglass reinforcement is not uniform. Sometimes we came across specimens with voids in the body, where the fiber was concentrated near the surface. After three freezing cycles, such samples developed microcracks in the thread zone. Now, before starting a project, we make sure to do a spot check of the section.
The G2' thread would seem to be a standard, but it is on DN50 that misalignment often occurs when connecting to the union nuts of the hoses. We had to develop the simplest gauge for installers - a steel ring with perpendicularity control. A trifle, but it reduces the percentage of defects on objects.
O-rings made of EPDM seem to be suitable for water, but in systems where contact with fertilizers is possible... I remember an incident at a greenhouse complex when three taps began to leak during the season. It turned out that the manufacturer saved on seal material. Now we always clarify the chemical composition of water.
In projectsShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,LtdFor smart agricultural parks, we install such cranes in areas where flows are switched between sections. It is important that the full bore design provides minimal pressure loss - this is critical for drip irrigation.
At a facility in the Rostov region, we had to deal with crane deformation after winter. It turned out that the installers did not take into account the linear expansion of the PP at differences from -25°C to +35°C. I had to redo the fastening units with compensation gaps - since then in the technical data sheetsShandong Lingyao Co.,Ltdthe corresponding item appeared.
An interesting point: when automating systems, we often encounter the need to retrofit cranes with electric drives. With DN50 it’s easier - manufacturers offer compatible solutions, but you need to make room for mounting the drive in advance. On the websitelyzhihuinongye.ruIn the water filtration equipment section there are examples of such kits.
The most common mistake is exceeding the tightening torque. Although polypropylene with reinforcement is stronger than usual, the thread “leads” when tightened. Particularly critical when connecting to steel fittings. We have developed simple instructions: tighten it all the way, then another half turn - no more.
Another point: many people forget about thermal expansion. When installed outdoors in the sun, a DN50 tap can extend by 4-5 mm - this is enough to create stress in the supply pipes. Now we always recommend flexible hoses or U-shaped expansion joints.
Does the locking handle seem like a small thing? But precisely because of it, there were cases of spontaneous shutting off of taps due to vibrations from pumps. I had to switch to models with fixation in two positions. In the catalogShandong Lingyao Co.,Ltdsuch positions are marked with a special code.
When integrating into automatic irrigation systems, it is important to consider not only the diameter, but also the response speed.Full bore valve DN50with internal thread allows you to minimize water hammer during remote control - this was checked on a test bench with frequency equipment.
Chemical resistance is important for hydraulic engineering projects. Fiberglass reinforcement provides an advantage over conventional PP - less creep at constant pressure. In the specificationsShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltdthis is taken into account when selecting materials.
An interesting observation: in systems with pressure sensors, it is better to install such valves up to the measurement points - due to the minimum hydraulic resistance, the error is reduced by 2-3%. It’s a small thing, but it’s important for precision farming.
For high-pressure water hoses (up to 16 atm), I advise you to check not only the passport characteristics, but also real tests. Once they took a batch of taps with a declared 25 atm, and during testing at 18 atm the body already began to leak. Now we require independent test reports.
The color of the case seems to be aesthetics? But black polypropylene with fiberglass tolerates UV radiation better. This is important in the field. For indoor use you can also use gray ones, but for outdoor installation only black ones.
Service life - manufacturers claim 50 years, but this is under ideal conditions. In reality, irrigation systems rarely last more than 15-20 years. Then the seals begin to age, and play appears in the ball mechanism. We keep statistics on used cranes - so far they coincide with our forecasts.
In general,ball valve full bore PP+fiberglass DN50- not a detail you should skimp on. It’s better to overpay for a high-quality copy than to redo the connection nodes later. In projectsShandong Lingyao Co.,Ltdthis rule has become an axiom.