# Stuck/sticking pvc ball valves?



## jmsaltfish797

sticky pvc valves are pretty common unfortunately. it does help to actuate them on a regular basis, but they still seize up eventually. if you have to change the valves out, i would check out pvc gate valves. they look similar to an outdoor style faucet. they are also a little easier to use for fine tuning flow, and less prone to sticking.


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## HD Blazingwolf

As the poster said, turning them frequently helps, they can be hard to turn as well


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## PlantedRich

I find this is often a problem with PVC ball valves on pools as they are outside. The solution for me was a DIY tool so I can get a better grip. With the way your valves face the front of the stand the same tool might work for you. 
Using a regular wrench is likely to break one of the ears off the valve, so don't go there. 

If you are into DIY a homemade tool is fairly easy to make. Aluminum or steel pipe are stronger but PVC pipe works. Find a pipe that just fits over the center red portion of the valve. Cut a notch in the pipe so that it slips down over the red valve handle. Cut the tool pipe long enough to come out of the stand where you can get a good grip. Drill a hole through this pipe and slip a good sturdy bar in that will give you plenty of leverage to turn it even if it is sticking. 
To save myself the trauma of breaking the pipe or valve, I used a magic marker to draw arrows on the tool for which way to turn to open and close. That seems really dumb but I would rather be dumb than dumb with broken pipes.


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## sns26

*Thanks!*

I made the tool you suggested, closed the valve to disconnect the rest of the plumbing, then drained the tank low enough to replace the valve. The tool will make it easier to regularly open/close the valve. Thanks!


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## PlantedRich

I actually made the cheater so my wife could do the pool! Sometimes the best way to get work done is to make it easy for somebody else.


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## sns26

From what I can tell, the problem is that the black plastic "ball" is really two ears that close off the valve when in the correct position. When you are turning the valve to that position, the shape of the valve body forces the ears up against the valve openings. 

My guess is that the plastic in the "ball" just gets stiff if you don't use it, so that it becomes very hard to force it into the closed position.


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## PlantedRich

Sounds like it could be. The ones I have are round balls inside with holes to let the water through but they are hard to open or close. It just seems to be a really tight mechanism.


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## dan34406

*Picture of "DIY homemade tool"?*

I have a stuck bronze ball valve and subsequent low water press to entire house. I have tried a wrench but no luck (and i bent the handle..). I would like to try the DIY homemade tool that PlantedRich explained in detail. I am a visual learner and I think a picture/drawing would be extremely helpful during the DIY process. I tried searching the web for an image but couldn't find anything. If PlantedRIch could please post a picture, or if anyone else has a pic, I would really appreciate it.


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## Celamar

It would be like a curb key 
https://www.google.com/search?q=cur...DyzVMuBIKu1sASp0oDgDg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&dpr=0.9


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## Celamar

Also the handles for ball valves can be replaced without removing the valve. There is a tutorial on youtube. replacement handles available on the internet.


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## PlantedRich

Given a few minutes, I can draw up a picture?

Okay got a small picture. 

Use a PVC or steel pipe if you need it stronger, cut it long enough to get it out where you can get a good grip. Make it out of pipe big enough diameter to fit down over the valve handle and let the "ears" stick out. Generally the tighter the fit around the valve the stronger the "wrench" might tend to be but if using steel it is likely to be strong enough. PVC tends to flex as you turn but it is also much easier to cut the notches so that's a tradeoff. Cut a notch in one end for the valves ears and drill a hole somewhere at the other end for your choice of tools to get leverage. Piece of ground rod, small pipe, large screwdriver, will all work. 
Slip the rod into the hole for a handle, slide the tool down over the valve handle and --make sure you are turning the right way! 
This will give you enough grip to break the handles off if you are turning the wrong way? 










Enjoy but use with caution as you don't want the wife to know. She might want to do it for you, it'll be so much fun! :hihi:


As an added thought, I would suggest trying to turn first one way and then the other. Depending on history of the line, t may have rocks or gravel in the line from some time when there was a cut. These rocks tend to go with the flow until they get to a ridge like inside a valve. Turning kind of wiggles them and they may move out of the way IF they are there at all. Just a guess and doesn't really mean they are there. If lucky it will just be one that was not turned good and is now stuck. When there is gravel in a line, it can get to be a bear to fix as you have to keep chasing it down the line toward some other small spot like a faucet or pressure valve where there is a screen to filter stuff like that.


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## Tpm419

Can someone point me in the direction of a replacement handle? I had a red handle I wound up breaking. The black screw underneath it is there but I can't turn it. I can get a wrench on it but I'm afraid I'll break it. Thanks


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## Paula P

*Ball Valve Wrench*

Hello everyone on this thread. We have created the perfect wrench for your ball valves. It works even on broken wings as long as there is a little stump left one of the wings. This product is currently in manufacturing and will be available to ship soon. We don't have our web page up yet but you can stay updated by visiting our Facebook page - BALL VALVE WRENCH https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ball-Valve-Wrench/457852867718109. You can also reach us at [email protected]. Our hope is to be on the market by the first week of July 2015. We hope to hear from you so that we can get one shipped out to you ASAP! Paula (Pat./TM Pending)


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## Diana

Tpm, if you cannot find a replacement handle, you could buy a new valve, and take the handle off that and put it on your old one.


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