Johnny-Canuck
Member
This question comes from a dummy so I know it will sound pretty silly. Over 20 years ago I installed what I now recognize must have been a cheap quarter turn shutoff to a sink. (In my defense, 20 years ago, "cheap" was important ... "quality" / "durability" was not as important).
My question. So I have this admittedly "cheap" (= not Dahl) 1/4 turn ball valve. It's been doing it's job in it's open position for the last x years. I don't remember the last time I actually tried to close it, but I want to close it now. So I recognize it's cheap + it's small + it has a thin metal little handle + I don't see anything that prevents me from turning it left (counter clockwise) or right (clockwise) to close it ... which I now want to do.
The handle is currently open ... so it's lined up parallel to the direction that matches the water flow.
My problem is it's now 20 or more years later and I now want to close it, but it's "stuck"
= I can't easily turn it in either direction to turn it 90 degrees to turn it off
= I can't easily turn it left (counter-clockwise) or right (clockwise) to turn it off.
Before I take the chance of breaking something, what's your suggestion about the direction I should prefer when I try to "force" it?
1. Left (counter clockwise)
2. or Right (clockwise)
3. or do you think it doesn't matter = since I can't see any obvious stop piece that will stop the movement in either direction, it seems like it probably can go 1/4 turn in either direction. (In fact, I should probably be able to keep turning it continuously in either direction and it will change from full open to full close to full open etc. as long as I keep turning.
Thanks in advance for all suggestions before I try to "force" it.
My question. So I have this admittedly "cheap" (= not Dahl) 1/4 turn ball valve. It's been doing it's job in it's open position for the last x years. I don't remember the last time I actually tried to close it, but I want to close it now. So I recognize it's cheap + it's small + it has a thin metal little handle + I don't see anything that prevents me from turning it left (counter clockwise) or right (clockwise) to close it ... which I now want to do.
The handle is currently open ... so it's lined up parallel to the direction that matches the water flow.
My problem is it's now 20 or more years later and I now want to close it, but it's "stuck"
= I can't easily turn it in either direction to turn it 90 degrees to turn it off
= I can't easily turn it left (counter-clockwise) or right (clockwise) to turn it off.
Before I take the chance of breaking something, what's your suggestion about the direction I should prefer when I try to "force" it?
1. Left (counter clockwise)
2. or Right (clockwise)
3. or do you think it doesn't matter = since I can't see any obvious stop piece that will stop the movement in either direction, it seems like it probably can go 1/4 turn in either direction. (In fact, I should probably be able to keep turning it continuously in either direction and it will change from full open to full close to full open etc. as long as I keep turning.
Thanks in advance for all suggestions before I try to "force" it.