septic gate valve replacement

[allanc]

My 20 year old septic field has a corroded gate valve. I could cut it out and replace it, but the valve housing looks good.
Ideally I'd like to by the same valve from the same manufacturer and just replace everything but the housing. Can anyone
recognize the manufacturer from the attached photo?

 

[allanc]

There is a number 125 below the 2 that isn't quite seen.

 

[breplum]

(all gate valves are crappy old tech), thin washer on the handle below the nut is where the valve I.D. is always located on gate valves.

Given the corrosive nature in your circumstance, you are much better off with a lever handle ball valve which are all S.S.

 

[allanc]

I appreciate that advice. I did look that up and indeed lever/ball is superior. However, I'm trying to
limp along with minimal changes as my field is very old and will need to be replaced eventually.
That's why I'm hoping someone here can recognize the valve manufacturer/model.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I appreciate that advice. I did look that up and indeed lever/ball is superior. However, I'm trying to
limp along with minimal changes as my field is very old and will need to be replaced eventually.
That's why I'm hoping someone here can recognize the valve manufacturer/model.

It wouldn’t matter if we did know the manufacturer, after 20 years it’s typically not interchangeable.

 

[wpns]

What is the purpose of a valve in this application? I'd cut it out and put in a piece of pipe, but if you wanted a valve, get a PVC ball valve.

 

[allanc]

the valve switches half of a gray water field on and off.

 

[cliffyk]

the valve switches half of a gray water field on and off.

Why? It does not appear frequently used...

 

[MicEd69]

Like breplum said, the valve identification is on the thin washer under the nut holding the handle on. Your photo shows some readable information, but I can't make it out from the photo.

And as cliffyk said, it doesn't look frequently used. And even if it is, with the condition of the gate and with the stem corroded/broken off as it is, if you were turning the handle, you were probably just pulling the top of the stem up while the gate remained in the closed position. So, you never were really switching the gray water field on and off.

My recommendation is to dig up around the valve, cut the PVC on each side of the valve far enough to get a PVC ball valve with a piece of pipe glued into each side, and use a couple of Fernco shielded couplings to install it in the pipe. This would very likely be less costly than getting the part for the existing valve, even if you could find them.

 

[Twowaxhack]

A stainless ball valve with stainless handle would give better service. Pvc ballvalves have a tendency to get hard to turn then the handle breaks.

 

[allanc]

Why? <- i have a gray water septic field that has two halves. i manually go swap the fields about once a week.
Label <- ya, i went to my other existing valves looking for a readable label - they aren't unfortunately.
I guess I'm stuck replacing the valve.

 

[MicEd69]

A stainless ball valve with stainless handle would give better service. Pvc ballvalves have a tendency to get hard to turn then the handle breaks.

I thought stainless might be out of his price range for him to "limp along" as he wants to do. But Amazon is something else!



A 2" PVC is only around $10, but I agree the additional $18 for stainless would be well worth it for sure!

 

[cliffyk]

Why? <- i have a gray water septic field that has two halves. i manually go swap the fields about once a week.
Label <- ya, i went to my other existing valves looking for a readable label - they aren't unfortunately.
I guess I'm stuck replacing the valve.

 

[cliffyk]

If it gets exercised once a week PVC should be fine--stainless would be better of course, provided it's not some cheap Asian version of "stainless", in which case I'd go with PVC.

Also, if possible, get it up out of the dirt with some 45° "ells"...

 

[MicEd69]

For this service, I think I would still opt for the stainless steel rather than PVC, even if it not to ASTM standards. And as he apparently operates this weekly, I would assume he has a box with a lid over it for access to the valve.

 

[cliffyk]

For this service, I think I would still opt for the stainless steel rather than PVC, even if it not to ASTM standards. And as he apparently operates this weekly, I would assume he has a box with a lid over it for access to the valve.

Looks to me like it's been partially covered in dirt--anything that contains/retains minerals and moisture, and also exposed to air is a recipe for corrosion...

 

[wpns]

Also, if possible, get it up out of the dirt with some 45° "ells"

Won't that block the flow? I'm assuming the leach fields are downhill from the septic tank, and bringing a section of the pipe up would create a reverse P-trap...

 

[cliffyk]

Won't that block the flow? I'm assuming the leach fields are downhill from the septic tank, and bringing a section of the pipe up would create a reverse P-trap...

Just 2 or 3 inches to get it out of the dirt--how much head is there? Creating a "reverse "P-trap" would require "reverse gravity"--and if you've figured out how to do that what are you doing hanging around here?

 

[wpns]

You know what I mean, a gravity-fed pipe that goes upwards. There should be zero head, it's an open pipe with water flowing along the bottom of it.

 

[MicEd69]

Just 2 or 3 inches to get it out of the dirt--how much head is there? Creating a "reverse "P-trap" would require "reverse gravity"--and if you've figured out how to do that what are you doing hanging around here?

All 2" sewer lines should slope 1/4" per foot. Raising the line for the valve 2" would allow a buildup above the valve that would extend 8 feet. Raising it 3" would result in a backup 12 feet with 4 feet of that line being a pipe full of wastes. Gray water or not, leaving a waste line full for weeks isn't a good thing.