R-Pro › Field cases › Components
Ball Valve Internal PTFE Seat Wear — Partial Leakage
Likely causes
PTFE seat wear from repeated open/close cycles
Check: Check for bubbles at valve body and stem with soapy water; isolate circuit and do pressure wedge test across valve (inability to hold differential confirms internal leakage)
What to do: Disassemble ball valve → check PTFE seat ring wear depth (>0.3mm replace) → if ball surface has no mirror finish or visible scratches, replace ball+seat together → use refrigeration-rated valve (no plumbing valves) → stem nut torque 20~25 N·m after assembly
Erosion accelerated by mid-position operation
Check: Check valve handle position — prolonged mid-position use causes concentrated PTFE erosion; ball surface wear shows semicircular (one-side only) damage pattern
What to do: Ball valves must be fully open or fully closed only; replace with globe valve if flow control is needed; improve insulation in systems prone to winter freezing
Never leave a ball valve in mid-position. Field cases of seat erosion from throttling are common. Use a globe valve for flow control.
All 565 cases work offline in R-Pro, with error codes for 62 brands and P-T data for 108 refrigerants.
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