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To Repair or Replace ...
An Expensive Question !! |
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The
valve is a powerful gatekeeper. It has the
important task of controlling the flow of
liquid, air, gases or particles for a larger
system. Yet even the most reliable of valves can
fatigue or become inoperable, thus shutting down
or affecting a system’s performance. As with any
mechanical apparatus, proactive maintenance of a
valve can extend life and ensure consistent
operation.
Often, a valve’s issue may be simple enough to
identify and fix on your own. The nemesis could
be the valve’s environment, the media or even
the application. Valves that have to work harder
often have a shorter lifespan about 1-3 years.
Through regular maintenance, users can extend
the valve’s lifespan and keep operations on
track.
Valve
maintenance first focuses on identifying areas
of wear and tear, and then replacing the
affected components. In addition, the valve’s
components are checked to ensure they are clean
and free of material buildup that can affect the
energizing and de-energizing of the valve system
as a whole.
Some
users wonder how maintenance of such a small
component can be worthwhile, or what difference
upkeep can make to the system. There are also
questions regarding the appropriate time to
repair versus replace a valve. This article will
shed light on these topics, as well as the
maintenance and troubleshooting processes for
valves. |
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When to Maintain
a Solenoid Valve |
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One of the most common questions we receive at
BDK Engineering Industries is:
When is the best time to service a valve? To
help guide users in this regard, the following
is a checklist of exploratory questions to
consider: |
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If the valve fails at an inopportune time,
what is the opportunity cost?
Is there a risk for safety hazards when a
valve fails?
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What is the financial cost of a total valve
failure? Figure into the equation the costs
for lost productivity and any work that
requires replacement.
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What is the cost for servicing a valve?
Include time and resources.
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As a
rule of thumb, when machinery is being taken
apart for servicing, this is the best time to
complete a valve maintenance procedure. A
proactive approach can extend product life and
create the best possible performance of both the
valve and overall system.
How
often a valve should be serviced depends upon
its design and application.
Certain applications are particularly damaging
to the valve’s internal and external components
and therefore require more attention. For
example, without lubrication, components can
wear quickly and may need to be replaced at
100,000 cycles or less. However, if the media
flowing through the valve is lubricated or
provides lubrication, it can provide component
life up to millions of cycles.
In
another example, a valve’s design may have small
clearances between moving parts and/or small
orifices through which media must travel. If the
valve controls unfiltered, corrosive or viscous
media, the liquid substance may have difficulty
traveling through the valve, substantially
increasing the likelihood of premature failure.
For
standard valves, it can also be a challenge to
control media as common as air and water.
Applications that involve dry air and rapid
cycling can be among some of the most damaging
to the valve’s operation. The lack of
lubrication combined with the constant pounding
of the internal parts can cause component
deterioration and warping. Alternatively, valves
that control water may have the lubrication to
operate but can experience mineral buildup,
which can worsen when the water sits idle in the
valve for extended periods of time.
In
these situations, building a maintenance regimen
can extend the valve’s life as well as keep the
application’s functionality running smoothly. It
is best to create a maintenance schedule and
consider the cost as necessary to avoid
expensive repairs or replacements in the future. |
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 To
make the repair-versus-replace decision,
consider the valve itself along with the overall
application. Different valves have varying
levels of durability. Simply designed and
constructed valves enjoy a low replacement cost,
making replacement the most simple and
cost-effective choice. Valves with high-end
designs, however, rely on the interaction of
components and field maintenance may not
replicate the valve’s original function. On top
of that, replacements usually cost more than
simple maintenance, especially custom-designed
valves. Although a complicated choice, replacing
a high-end design, though costly, is the best
recommendation.
Of
course, maintenance usually implies the
replacement of the rubber parts and springs.
However, any remaining parts showing wear or
damage should also be replaced. Another issue to
consider is the valve’s connection. If the
connection has sweat fittings or its location
makes removal of the valve difficult or
dangerous, it may be best to leave the valve
body in place and rebuild its components
regularly. Extra caution should be made to
verify the valve seat has not been nicked or
worn, as this can result in seat leakage, even
in valves with new seals.
Where
cost is the primary criteria, replacement is
most often the best choice. Generally, valves
are inexpensive in comparison to the cost of
service labor. The time and manpower it takes to
disassemble the valve, replace the parts,
reassemble, install and check for proper
performance often outweighs the cost of labor to
simply install a new valve.
Now,
with the information provided in this article,
you should be able to determine whether to adopt
a maintenance or replacement regimen for your
solenoid valves, as well as how to maintain one.
For problems and questions beyond those covered
in this article, always contact your nearest BDK
Engineering Industries office. BDK is your best
source of information on its particular valve
and can help you address any special needs you
might have based on the specific application. |
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To repair or replace please speak to your
nearest BDK office |
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BDK Certifications & Approvals |
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