Quick question on this hose bib

[Giantsean]

Hi All,

I'm going through and replacing my ancient gate valves and hose bibs with quarter turns. Bought this one at Orange Box Store as it was the only one I could find w/ a full 3/4 sweat connection.

Anyway, I sweat it together w/ a MAPP torch... did not overheat it but things did get a little steamy (kept the valve open). Installed and no leaks... EXCEPT for the tiniest little weep from the brass nut under the handle (circled in pic)... if it were a drip an hour I'd be surprised.

I decided to pull off the handle and nut and see what was up, and to my surprise there was no o-ring or washer or anything in there. I snugged it a bit and it has not leaked since, but it makes me wonder, for this design, what does that nut actually do? From my understanding quarter turns don't really have replaceable parts, the shaft didn't pull out or fall out once the nut was gone, and tightening did not seem to have any effect on the smoothness of opening and closing the valve.

Thanks!

 

[Sylvan]

The "nut" is actually a packing gland and it should be loosened during soldering or place a heat sink on the valve stem assembly

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Giantsean]

The "nut" is actually a packing gland and it should be loosened during soldering or place a heat sink on the valve stem assembly

Thanks (and noted for when I do it's twin on the other side of the house) I actually wondered if there was supposed to be packing around the stem, but all my stuff is so old they all have cord in them already. Is the idea that as it wears and starts to leak you just add packing?

Also, would me leaving the nut on while soldering be the cause for the weeping, or could it have just as easily always been that way? Only asking because if I wrecked it and the prognosis is not good, I might as well change it out now.

 

[Sylvan]

On most older valves we used to remove the packing gland and remove the graphite and wrap new packing as we installed oakum in cast iron

Cut the packing so the piece can make a circle around the stem then cut another piece that the split is 180 deg from the last one and continue and then tighten the nut to compact it gently

Over the years if the stem leaks you can gently tighten the nut again

Over the last few decades, graphite packing had been replaced with Teflon packing as it does not score the valve stem


Also, lamp wick AKA Ball wick can also be used as packing (Not recommended for steam applications )


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