a simple and therefore inexpensive ball valve design has a fixed closure on one side, followed by the ball seal, the ball, the ball seal on the opposite side and the connection block is pressed in using an O-ring.
This is why there is a flow direction for this ball valve, otherwise there would be a risk of the pressed-in connection block being pushed out by the water pressure when the union nut is opened. the pressed-in connection block would be pushed out by the water pressure when the union nut is opened.
When the union nut is tightened to secure the insertion socket, the pressure is transferred directly to the internal ball.

A screwable ball holder (safety block) prevents the direct transfer of the tightening pressure of the union nut. The basic setting of the contact pressure on the ball using the screw-on safety block is therefore ideal and is intended exclusively for sealing the ball.
The ball valve can be installed without observing a flow direction.
If the seal needs to be readjusted at a later date, this can be easily carried out using the safety block. Please refer to our additional information “Adjustable safety block”.

HDPE Ball seal

Ball seals made of HDPE are the standard equipment of a ball valve. HDPE is a softer plastic, e.g. by applying pressure with a fingernail a fingernail can already create an impression or a small groove in the HDPE plastic.
The advantage: minor injuries or grooves in the HDPE sealing ring can be compensated for by further actuation of the ball valve as the softer HDPE plastic can be pressed in again by the harder PVC-U ball.

PTFE (Teflon) ball seal with EPDM O-rings

PTFE is a hard plastic that is much more thermally and mechanically resilient than, for example, HDPE and has a higher dimensional stability under extreme conditions.
This makes the selection of the ball valve with Teflon (PTFE) seal the best choice for high-quality piping systems in the industrial sector.
Even the inclusion of a hard pine needle between the ball and the HDPE seal can irreparably damage the HDPE seal, This is why the use of Teflon (PTFE) is also worth considering for simpler designs, e.g. in the pool area.

PTFE (Teflon) ball seal with FPM (Viton)

Viton was originally a trademark of DuPont and is now generally used as the name for a fluoroelastomer called FKM or FPM (international designation according to ISO).
FPM is characterized by excellent resistance to high temperatures, ozone, oxygen, mineral oils, synthetic hydraulic fluids, fuels, aromatics, many organic solvents and chemicals.