We have received a lot of questions about the frustration with ball valves wearing out with the pressure pot sandblaster. We have discovered that a lot of folks are using ball valves incorrectly, as I have done when I first started sandblasting.
There are typically 4 ball valves on the pressure pot sandblaster:
- Air Valve– this is at the top which connects the air line to the pressure pot and controls the main air to flow in the pot or system in general.
- Throttle Valve– this is usually at the top tee which control the added air going to the bottom tee. It basically gives the dropped abrasive an extra boost out to the hose.
- Abrasive Valve– this controls the amount of abrasive being forced from the tank to the bottom of the tee.
- Nozzle Valve– this is the highest wearing ball valve at the end of the hose. It is also know as the trigger valve since it controls the abrasive coming out of the whole system
Technically, the last two valves are supposed to be either a 100% open or 100% closed during use or they will wear out quickly. However, like many folks, I adjust the abrasive valve to control how much abrasive I want because it really doesn’t wear out too often.
Why the Nozzle Valve Must be Open or Closed 100%
On the other hand, the nozzle valve needs to be open or closed all the way while in use. Or you will face the issue of it wearing out within an hour or two.
We offer a steel ball valve nozzle on Amazon here which is an upgrade from the brass ball valves that many folks use. Although our steel nozzle will last much longer than the brass version, it will also wear out quickly if you have it partially closed while blasting.
The blaster ball valve is not designed for controlling the amount of abrasive coming out of the nozzle. It is only designed to control the abrasive from being fully on or off.
When the ball valve is even mostly open (even 90%) during use, that will still direct the abrasive toward the plastic seals on the side of the ball, deteriorate it and maybe even dig out a hole in the side.
This shows the plastic seal that the abrasive will deteriorate if the valve is partially closed while in use. To reduce the likelihood of this seal becoming worn away, we will be making it thinner in hopes that it has less room to carve through to the side.
It’s Important to Use the Nozzle Valve Properly!
I hope this was informational and helps you prolong the life of the nozzle valve whether you have ordered our parts or using another brand. In hopes of bringing more awareness to this important fact, we have been providing the above note on the card with every order. In addition, we have lately placed a warning sticker on our ball valve nozzles.
Sandblaster Nozzle with Hose Info.
Some of our nozzle kits come with a hose. Please read this section on how to replace the hose or remove it so the nozzle can be configured inside a cabinet.
Please let me know if you have any questions in the below comment section.
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Very informative. I have my system up and working finally. This article is very helpful because I have been doing some things wrong.
Very helpful information
Hi Eric so far my sand blasting unit is very simple as I rarely use it. A type of venturi to allow air flow in the side of a 20mm ID tube 250mm long, stuck in a bucket of grit with a short length of hose to a cheap ebay handset, run of a small air compressor at 6 to 8 bar. Thanks for your explaination of the pressure pot valves. This has encouraged me to get on and make one. Thanks Heaps, Martin Falls