Oil line tap

[Colin Blackburn]

I have an oil line flowing to a stove and the stop tap is of a design I've not come across and I'm not sure which way is open and which is closed. Okay, ultimately I can try it both ways then wait and see, but I wondered if anyone knew how this tap worked. Fixed width font diagram:

. _ . || Threaded rod . ____||____ . |__________| Knurled wheel . || . ____||____ . | | Fixed T piece . | | . ______| |_______ . . OIL-> OIL->

. _________________________

The knurled wheel screws down against the fixed T-piece in an anti-clockwise direction and then continues tightening against it for a few turns, is it lifting the rod. Turning it clockwise lifts the wheel away from the T-piece. I've always assumed clockwise closes and anticlockwise opens but is that the case here?

Colin

[John]

You have there a fusible wheel type firestop valve. The threaded rod "should" rise out of the body of the valve when you turn the wheel anti-clockwise (Conventional open tap) and when you turn the wheel clockwise the rod should be drawn back into the body by internal spring pressure, eventually the rod "homes" and then the wheel rises up it away from the body of the valve. Inside the valve the rod couples to a plunger which closes onto the valve seat and shuts off or opens the valve. Their drawback is that often the rod sticks and does not close the valve when needed to do so. For that reason such valves are not now approved as means of fireprotection. To meet current standards you need a remote operating firestop valve outside the building with capillary link to a sensor bulb inside the protected area (normally the bulb will be found sitting in a clip within the boiler casing or suitably located in an area which will get hot in the event of fire in the appliance. Various manufacturers make them but Teddington Type KBB is the favourite one that comes to mind and is available with 1.5 to 10 metres lengths of capillary. Of course you can still use the valve you have as a convenient local isolator for servicing etc if you so desire.

HTH

[Colin Blackburn]

[...]

Excellent. Thanks.

Colin