# Repairing Pressure Reducing Valves



## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

I've got a customer with a 2" main water line feeding into the mechanical room of a 36,000 square foot building. 


It's a 25AUB Z3 2" from Watts, 25-75 pressure range, and I tested 100psi.


Rebuild kit is $65.00, if I bought the entire assembly, nearly $360.00. 


No need to get involved with installing a new one when I can just switch the internals out. It's easy to get to, almost 5' off the ground. 


Pictures, video to come. 


I've replaced the innards of a few N55's I had to warrant as well, 3/4". 


This isn't my customary 'way' of working on PRVs but I don't want the work associated with breaking down the water line, fighting drawdown or any other situation creeping up. There's like 8 restrooms in this building, 2 kitchens, utility room.


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## HOMER (Jun 5, 2011)

Ive rebuilt a couple of 1½" wilkins regs and both times wound up with a callback within 2-3 months

NOT WORTH IT

what kind of warranty could you offer ?

is there a limiting factor that would make changing out entire assembly 
impractical aside from drain down ?
can you easily swap in a new PR ?
or would you have to change fittings ?

I know you'll make the correct decision

this message will self destruct in 10 seconds
good luck Mr Dunbar


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

I never seen one up close. All the areas I work in have supply pressure under 80 PSI. Most common its around 50 to 65 PSI.


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

I'll rebuild the larger ones ONCE. I tell the customer that and explain that a rebuild is not going to be the same as a new PRV but will be cheaper. The next time it fails, I will replace it. Around here, with supply pressures over 150 lbs in a lot of areas, PRV's don't last very long. So a rebuild every other year or so, on a high priced valve can save the customer a decent amount of $$$.





Paul


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## grandpa (Jul 13, 2008)

I would tell the customer that rebuilding a valve under field conditions ( as opposed to a bench/factory overhaul ) is not the same and tail-light warranty only.


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

HOMER said:


> Ive rebuilt a couple of 1½" wilkins regs and both times wound up with a callback within 2-3 months
> 
> NOT WORTH IT
> 
> ...


 

Little longer than 10 seconds. I won't install or rebuild a Wilkins, ever. They just don't hold up in my area. If this was a Wilkins I'd be switching to Watts, instantly.


For the cost of the internals, cost is 1/4 the price of a new PRV. 


Given this building is 36,000 square feet, a drain down would be massive with no isolation valves and one thing;

I've been there, done that in apartment buildings, and there's nothing worse than management, staff, tenants all hustling you to get the water turned back on and you can't, either because you can't get the pipe soldered or you haven't even started to solder yet.

I don't know if they even had 2" getswets back then, can't remember. Now, if I had a propress, I'd still rebuild this particular prv instead of replacing. 

The body of any PRV is not the failure point of the product, it's the cartridge/innards that when you buy replacements, it's the same as if you bought the entire assembly.


Now, IF I wanted to make more money out of the equation, turn it into a larger job, yes; I could say that total replacement is the option. But would you do that to every single DCVA or RPBA you come across when it fails... or a toilet?

No. 

Plus, there's no money in this one for me. I advertise heavily in this building (indoor soccer/basketball/volleyball/karate) and I want to move some signage in the building, so I offered to rebuild the valve, replace a T&P along with an expansion tank and fix one bad 1/2" 90 that obviously was contaminated when soldered. 


As much as I hate to say this, I tend to stay away from threaded connections in potable water supplies now as I'm older. Seems to be more difficult now then 20 years ago. I'm only 41, but you'll get to my spot soon enough.

1/2" doesn't bother me but as many 3/4" dielectric unions, gas lines I've cranked in my 24+ years in the biz, I'm wearing down. 

It seems like PEX is nothing but going back to threaded connections... 


I'm still hailed as the only active service plumber in my area that hasn't put 1" of CPVC in a home, same with PEX. It feels good, and I've got work, always.


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

2nd call today, I finally got the chance to tear down that 2" PRV and rebuild it.


It went fairly well, simplistic in design, just took a little bit of time to figure out how to dismantle the spindle inside the device. 

Integral strainer had quite a bit of calcium carbonate stuck in the screen. 


O-rings were shot or missing inside the assembly, few were wore out just after 5 years. 

Put it all back together and no leaks, took a rebuild quite well. Set it at 60 pounds and finally able to take care of the other repairs in the building.


$68 for the rebuild kit for the 2" 25AUB.


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## 2266bill (Nov 27, 2011)

Granddaddy on that!!


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

In 2014, when the federal no-lead law kicks in, good luck finding parts for non LF valves. The few guys I know in CA who specialize in backflows, both testing and repair, tell me that they often have to replace rather than repair because of a lack of suitable parts.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Plumbus said:


> In 2014, when the federal no-lead law kicks in, good luck finding parts for non LF valves. The few guys I know in CA who specialize in backflows, both testing and repair, tell me that they often have to replace rather than repair because of a lack of suitable parts.


That's why us back flow guys keep most everything that comes out of ones we replace.


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## HOMER (Jun 5, 2011)

DUNBAR PLUMBING said:


> The body of any PRV is not the failure point of the product,
> 
> 
> QUOTE]
> ...


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

Are you speaking of the seat facing? I can agree with that.


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## Piyush (Aug 3, 2021)

I think these are repairable. And I wanna suggest that always go for those which can easily be repaired as it will definitely pocket friendly. In the case of Pressure Reducing Valves, the same method applies.


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## goeswiththeflow (Feb 24, 2018)

Plus, I like having that towel on my head when repairing them in humid weather to wipe the sweat away.


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