Big Horn - 3 way ball valve - Hot Water Heater By-Pass

[57chevyconvt]

The 3 way ball valve handles will not operate the valve. The plastic handle to brass stem engagement is only 3/32". The plastic portion of the valve handle to valve stem has rounded out, no longer square. Therefore it will not operate the valve. I wonder if any one else has encountered this problem with the 3 way valves for the Hot Water Heater By-pass and Winterizing fluid injection port.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

The 3 way ball valve handles will not operate the valve. The plastic handle to brass stem engagement is only 3/32". The plastic portion of the valve handle to valve stem has rounded out, no longer square. Therefore it will not operate the valve. I wonder if any one else has encountered this problem with the 3 way valves for the Hot Water Heater By-pass and Winterizing fluid injection port.

What type of handles do you have? The little black ones? I don't know if a metal replacement handle/knob is available. If you can remove the handle try taking it to an ACE or other reputable hardware store to try and find something with a set screw type attaching method.
Did you by chance try to turn the valve the wrong direction? They are really only a 2 way valve.

 

[57chevyconvt]

Ray,
The handles are white plastic with no metal insert. The valve stem only protrudes 3/32" which is not enough engagement even if the valve handle were some type of metal. There is very little valve stem metal (brass or bronze) left after the 10-32 tapped hole is machined in the end of the raised protion of the valve stem that engages the plastic handle. I have found a 1/2" npt brass 3-way ball valve as replacement (Apollo Mfg. part #70-603-10) which has a metal handle and of good quality. I have specified thousands of the Apollo ball valves in my former company's applications. But the hickey here is that the Heartland supplied valve should be of sufficient design and quality to perform the job without this type of failure. I am quite supprised that others have not experienced this same problem. Maybe I am the only person that has winterized and by-passed the hot water heater using these two valves.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Your pictures certainly make things clearer. I wonder if a replacement handle might be available. Something similar to the ones NIBCO uses on THESE valves. I agree the factory supplied valves should work without failing but there has to be some logical reason for the handles to have failed as they did. Perhaps they shouldn't be operated while under pressure? Yours is the first post I have seen regarding this type of failure. I'm not trying to say you did anything wrong, just trying to understand the cause.

 

[57chevyconvt]

Ray,
Thanks for your continued interest in the 3-way valve stem/handle problem. The NIBCO and Apollo ball valve stem extends through the handle with a threaded end and nut to hold the handle in place. The stem is a separate piece from the ball which is stainless steel. These valves are known as 3 piece ball valves (body, ball, and stem). The stem in the case of the NIBCO and Apollo valves have two flats machined on either side to accept the handle which is metal. Industrial valve design was my speciality some years back, co-inventor of several plug valves for severe chemical service. No bragging right on my part. The valves were not operated under pressure. These types of ball valves are assembled with a special lubricate that allows them to be initially operated with very little friction between the ball and Teflon seats. One the lubricant is dispersed, the ball becomes more difficult to make the quarter turn. This is what has happened in the case of the valves under consideration. In my opinion, this valve stem to valve handle design as supplied by Heartland will never stand the test of time. Hopefully others, like yourself will take a closer look at their 3-way valves and make some determination as to the viability of the valves install in their RV prior to having the problem that I had that cause me several day of misery with no hot water because the hot water heater was by-passed rather than in the 'normal' position as indicated by the valve stem. Thanks for your comments and concerns.

 

[cookie]

Actually I was surprised to see the type of valve handle that you have. I have owned two Bighorns, 2008 and 2011. Neither has the type of valve handle that is seen in your pictures.
Both have looked like the one pictured here.

Peace
Dave

 

[57chevyconvt]

Actually I was surprised to see the type of valve handle that you have. I have owned two Bighorns, 2008 and 2011. Neither has the type of valve handle that is seen in your pictures.
Both have looked like the one pictured here.

Peace
Dave

The valve in the attached pictured looks to be a SWAN Industries valve which is very similar to the top works of an Apollo valve. The valve(s) that I have are made by vir. My rig is a BH 2010 model 3410RE. I will definately have to retrofit with a valve similiar to the one that is used in your rig.
Thanks for the info and picture.
Jim

 

[57chevyconvt]

Heartland didn't take responsibility for the 'inadequately designed 3-way valve' because the RV was out of warranty. All that I can say is 'same song, second verse.'
For those that might have the faulty 3-way bronze ball valves, I purchased two replacement valves of same configuration from <globalindustrial.com> for $20 each.

 

[jolar3329]

Mine are out of round also. 2009 Big Horn 3670. I have them on my Goshen repair list. I'll use a wrench until they are replaced. I haven't seen replacement handles any where.

 

[57chevyconvt]

Mine are out of round also. 2009 Big Horn 3670. I have them on my Goshen repair list. I'll use a wrench until they are replaced. I haven't seen replacement handles any where.

If your 3-way valves are identical (see the pictures in my previous post) to the ones that were installed in my 2010 BH model 3410RE, there is no substitue handle that will operate the valve stem that only protrudes 3/32" into the handle. This is the point that I tried to point out to the Heartland service folks, with no luck. Your best solution is not to try and find a suitable valve handle, but to replace the valve with one of proper design such as the Apollo or SWAN Industries valve which is pictured in Dave's reply. The replacement valves range in price from $20 to $42 depending on where you purchase the valve. You will not find a replacement valve at Lowe's or Home Depot. I located the replacement valve that I purchased on Ebay and Amazon.com. In addition to replacing the valves, I also replaced the pipe to hose right angle fittings with a brass fitting. Several of the PVC fittings that were installed by Heartland were cracked in the pipe threads.