What is the best lubricant for ball valves?

Author: Oral Hermiston  |  Last update: Monday, October 27, 2025

RS Clare's Ball Valve Lubricant (BVL) has been designed specifically with the unique challenges of ball valves in mind, specifically: Consistency is slightly softer than Valve Lubricant 601™ - this is felt by many operators to be important in ensuring that the spring loaded seats function correctly to achieve a seal.

What lubricant for ball valves?

Stick to synthetic, water-insoluble, oil-based lubricants; avoid any clay- or solid-based lubricants that may build up inside the valve cavity. Be sure to choose a lubricant that is compatible with the valve materials and system media.

What can I use to lubricate my PVC ball valve?

No, you should use a lubricant specifically designed for PVC materials, such as a silicone-based lubricant.

What is the best lubricant for valves?

Chemola™ Desco 660 is a superior gate valve lubricant/sealant formulated with 100% synthetic oils and non-soap thickeners. It is very effective in gas service (except chlorine, bromine, fluorine, and oxygen) and highly resistant to washout.

How to keep a ball valve from sticking?

Regular maintenance is key to preventing your ball valve from becoming stuck. This includes cleaning, lubricating, and inspecting the valve for wear and corrosion. Replacing seals and ensuring proper pressure levels in your system also helps keep the valve in good working condition.

How to choose the right grease - Complete Guide

How do you unstick a ball valve?

Ball valve stuck
  1. Manual operation. Turn off the main water supply. ...
  2. Using a lubricant like WD-40. Note: WD-40 is a lubricant that can reach and lubricate even the most difficult joints of a shutoff valve by removing the rust and corrosive metals. ...
  3. Turn the water supply on and keep turning the ball valve until it gets loose.

Can you spray WD-40 on a water shut off valve?

Use of the Day: Keep valve stems and faucets rust-free by spraying them with WD-40.

Can you lubricate valves?

Lubricants serve four main purposes in valves: 1) to grease metallic mechanical joints such as those found in stem to bushing and gear interfaces; 2) as a hydraulically activated surface coating to enable lubricated plug operation as well as allow some gate and ball valves to operate smoothly; 3) as an injectable, ...

Does slide grease work on valves?

Slide grease is different and is specifically intended for the slides. Valve oil is thinner and is designed to help with the quick movements of the valves. Slide grease is thicker, which helps the slides move easier, but not too quickly, so you have better control.

Is valve oil safe to use as lube?

Ultra-Pure Professional Valve Oil is made of synthetic oils and is considered to be safe for its intended use as a lubricant for brass instruments. It is colorless and has no noticeable odor.

How to free up a stuck PVC ball valve?

Spray the lubricant onto the valve where the valve handle enters the actual valve body and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Then, try loosening the valve by hand again. If it doesn't move, or is still difficult to turn, tap it lightly with the hammer.

What lubricant is safe for PVC?

Silicone lubricant is safe to use on PVC and can actually be a great way to keep your pipes in good condition. Just be sure to clean the area around the pipe before applying the lubricant. After doing some research, we have come to the conclusion that the best lubricant for PVC pipe is WD-40.

What type of seal is used in ball valves?

The hard seal of the ball valve is the metal-to-metal seal, and the valve body and seat are all made from metal. They are used for those working under high pressure which is usually greater than 35Mpa. While the soft seal is the metal-to-nonmetal seal with nonmetal materials such as nylon and PTFE.

How to lubricate a PVC ball valve?

How To Lubricate A Pvc Ball Valve
  1. Turn off the water to the valve. Locate the PVC ball valve handle. ...
  2. Remove the handle. ...
  3. Use a lubricant on both the inside and outside of the ball. ...
  4. Reattach the handle. ...
  5. Turn the water back on.

Why does my ball valve keep dripping?

To fix a ball valve leaking at the handle, first turn off the water supply and relieve pressure from the valve. Then, tighten the packing nut or gland nut located just below the handle; if this doesn't stop the leak, you may need to replace the packing material or O-ring inside the nut.

How to maintenance a ball valve?

Maintenance
  1. Cycle the valve once a month or more if it is not used regularly.
  2. Relieve the system pressure before maintaining the valve.
  3. To remove from pipework reverse the installation sequence.
  4. Replace valve seats and seals by removing the end plates.

Can you use vaseline instead of slide grease?

Repeat this process with the other end of the slide tube. When completed, insert the slide as normal and remove all excess grease. NEVER use Vaseline in place of slide grease. This will corrode your trumpet.

What is the difference between valve oil and slide oil?

Slide oils differ in the way that rather than using a mineral oils base, they typically have a petroleum-based oil and often take the form of a grease. Valve oil refers to a lubricant formulated specifically for valves of brass instruments.

Can I use olive oil as valve oil?

Using WD-40, mineral oil, olive oil, or other oils found in your home are not recommended for oiling trumpet valves. Although it may be tempting to use these since they are typically easily accessible, it is wise to wait until you can buy proper valve oil. These home-remedies can severely damage a brass instrument.

What is a valve lubricant?

Valve lubricants can either be synthetic or organic and their main role is to reduce surface-to-surface friction in the moving parts of the valve. Without a lubricant, the surfaces will wear out very fast.

How often should you oil your valves?

It's generally recommended to oil the valves every 1-2 weeks for optimal performance. But I do it by feel. If my valves are moving well, I leave them. If I pull my horn out and they are a bit sluggish, I'll oil them.

What is the best lubricant for water valves?

Silicone grease is commonly used in plumbing due to its compatibility with plastics and rubber. It's the go-to option for elements in contact with potable water systems. Silicone greases are nontoxic, nonhazardous, and can withstand various temperatures. They're perfect for faucet valves, rubber washers, and O-rings.

Where not to spray WD-40?

7 places to never use WD-40 — you'll be surprised
  • Hinges. (Image credit: Shutterstock) ...
  • Bike chains. (Image credit: Shutterstock) ...
  • Locks. (Image credit: Shutterstock) ...
  • Polycarbonate and clear polystyrene plastic. ...
  • Sensitive electronics. ...
  • Wax polishes and some wax coatings. ...
  • Anything that comes into contact with food.

How do you lubricate a stuck water valve?

Then spray some penetrating oil on the stem so it can seep down through the rubber washer or packing material, which will hopefully free up the corrosion inside the valve which is causing the stuck shut off valve. Wait a couple of hours, and then try to loosen the valve.

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