Micro Ball Valve hard to turn

[FishTri]

Anyone else have a problem with push-fit ball valves that are hard to turn?

These are the typical white valve body with 1/4" push-fit connections on either side, and a blue handle on top which opens or closes the valve with a quarter turn. (John Guest style, although these are DM brand from one of the bigbox stores). I use them for RO/DI, and feeding makeup water to the aquarium.

There doesn't seem to be an obvious way to get the blue handle off to lubricate the stem. I've tried getting some silicon grease onto the ball, but nothing really seems to free it up. Some of the valves turn with very little effort, but others require that you hold the body firmly and apply continual pressure to get the handle to rotate. It takes a good three seconds to make that quarter turn, and my fingers hurt after its done :-(

Any ideas?

 

[Psirex]

Is there pressure on the valve? i.e water flowing through the valve?

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[Gatorfan]

I've only used one since March, but mine on my RODI moves without any resistance.

 

[neilp2006]

I've never heard of those binding. I have 3 in my system and I can push them with zero resistance with one finger. Don't even have to brace it.

If I were to guess- don't do this, I'm not saying this'll work- id say it was press fit and you could pull it off. However, it maybe has tabs holding it on, and they might break making it useless.


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[FishTri]

Is there pressure on the valve? i.e water flowing through the valve?

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There is no pressure. I'm just holding them in my hands before installing them into a system.

Some operate smoothly. Some take both hands to operate.

 

[FishTri]

I'm not saying this'll work- id say it was press fit and you could pull it off. However, it maybe has tabs holding it on, and they might break making it useless.

I think you are correct. There is no hardware holding the blue valve handle on, so it was clearly pressed on to begin with.

I tried grabbing the handle with pliers to wiggle it off, but no luck. Next step would be to insert a screw driver under the lip and try to pry it off, but as you say, it could destroy it. I was hoping someone already had some experience with this before taking that route.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Cherry pick the lot , return the bad ones for better ones.

 

[FishTri]

Unfortunately, these are items I've had for a while...

 

[billdogg]

Cherry pick the lot , return the bad ones for better ones.

Unfortunately, these are items I've had for a while...

If you still have the packaging, HD/Lowes will take them back pretty much whenever you take them back.