Return pump gate valve leaking

[SallyWho]

The gate valve on my return line appears to have a slow leak. It's been in continuous use for about 7 years, so I'm not surprised. What do you think the odds are of it blowing anytime soon? My return line is a frankenstein-level mess, so if I had to remove the gate valve for replacement I would redo the whole run. But I need some time to figure out what I'm going to do and how. Think I've got some time before catastrophe strikes?

 

[Dom]

What I see is salt creep. I've never had a gate blow.

 

[UncommonSense]

The gate valve has a shaft going from gate to handle; this has a rubber sealing ring… your seal ring (aka packing gland) is shot, allowing water to creep past the handle shaft seal!

The nut shaped plastic under the handle is specifically for gate valve disassembly to service it; seals are an off the shelf part, typically!

 

[SallyWho]

The gate valve has a shaft going from gate to handle; this has a rubber sealing ring… your seal ring (aka packing gland) is shot, allowing water to creep past the handle shaft seal!

The nut shaped plastic under the handle is specifically for gate valve disassembly to service it; seals are an off the shelf part, typically!

I can just find a new sealing ring online? Oh, that's helpful as heck! Thank you!

 

[cilyjr]

Quick question,
Why do you have a gate valve on a return line?

 

[UncommonSense]

Quick question,
Why do you have a gate valve on a return line?

this is the old school way of throttling return pump flow!

When running an AC return pump, it is at 100% output at all times… so, you either had to really study pump flow curves and size your pump exactly to your system, or oversized your pump and throttle it back with a valve!

 

[SallyWho]

Quick question,
Why do you have a gate valve on a return line?

My return is a DC pump. I can throttle it up and down, but I like having the extra control of a gate valve. If I change something and need to tweak the flow, it's so much easier to just nudge the gate valve than to go into my Apex settings and reprogram it.

 

[cilyjr]

this is the old school way of throttling return pump flow!

When running an AC return pump, it is at 100% output at all times… so, you either had to really study pump flow curves and size your pump exactly to your system, or oversized your pump and throttle it back with a valve!

I know, I was there. But one needs to tee off at the valve. Restricting an AC pump puts back pressure on an impeller.

 

[UncommonSense]

I know, I was there. But one needs to tee off at the valve. Restricting an AC pump puts back pressure on an impeller.

As does any well height you add in your plumbing!

Restricting a pump outlet with a gate valve is no different than just lifting water higher; artificial head, and all that!