# Ball valves off Amazon or Ebay?



## Pipewrench78 (Dec 21, 2021)

Have you ever purchased ball valves from Amazon or eBay?

I use mainly Watts ball valves, but saw some no name brands on those sites for a pretty good price.

Example: x10 3/4 ball valves for for around $65. NSF 61 Approved.

What are your thoughts?


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I’ve bought some fixtures/fittings off those sites, name brand. Not one issue so far. Only do it because my SH can’t get anything anymore!


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## Shadyear (10 mo ago)

If they are sweat id stay away, who knows if the seals can take any heat, and that is one of my least favorite feelings, when everything is soldered together and the ball valve weeps from the seam


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## Tom F Ohio (6 mo ago)

I just had that happen a couple weeks ago. Get it all soldered up and water back on and then there it is a brand new ball valve leaking at the seem.
I hate tearing things out that I just did.


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## Pipewrench78 (Dec 21, 2021)

Tom F Ohio said:


> I just had that happen a couple weeks ago. Get it all soldered up and water back on and then there it is a brand new ball valve leaking at the seem.
> I hate tearing things out that I just did.


 Was the valves like the one's I was talking about; the no namers? or was it a watts, legend, sioux chief...etc?


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## Tom F Ohio (6 mo ago)

Sorry it was a legend..


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## Pipewrench78 (Dec 21, 2021)

Tom F Ohio said:


> Sorry it was a legend..


 Legend makes a decent product, too, in my opinion. I agree, it blows to cut your work out soon as your done!


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

I shop eBay for name brand first quality items only. Must be new and in the package.

I just bought these 10 Delta cartridges. Just picked them out of the mailbox


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

More than half the stuff you see on E-bay has probably been stolen by employees off their service
trucks and then re-sold in bulk ..... that has been going on for years.... 

One good example --- 10 rolls of sterling silver solder for 10 bucks each....


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Pipewrench78 said:


> Legend makes a decent product, too, in my opinion. I agree, it blows to cut your work out soon as your done!


Legend ball valves are junk... 
they cant handle the heat when you solder them with an acetylene torch
and leak at the threaded joint right from the get go 

Nibco seems to be the best quality around here


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## Pipewrench78 (Dec 21, 2021)

masterplumbermark said:


> Legend ball valves are junk...
> they cant handle the heat when you solder them with an acetylene torch
> and leak at the threaded joint right from the get go
> 
> Nibco seems to be the best quality around here


 Interesting. Yeah, never had a problem with Legend here.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

masterplumbermark said:


> Legend ball valves are junk...
> they cant handle the heat when you solder them with an acetylene torch
> and leak at the threaded joint right from the get go
> 
> Nibco seems to be the best quality around here


Sounds like you need to be more careful or use a smaller tip. Regardless of your torch, you shouldn't be overheating anything.

They probably use cheaper lead free brass. Good lead free brass that is easy to machine, dezincification and corrosion resistant, and easy to solder is expensive. We use mostly Red White valves, I don't usually have issues soldering them and all the seals are Teflon.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

skoronesa said:


> Sounds like you need to be more careful or use a smaller tip. Regardless of your torch, you shouldn't be overheating anything.
> 
> They probably use cheaper lead free brass. Good lead free brass that is easy to machine, dezincification and corrosion resistant, and easy to solder is expensive. We use mostly Red White valves, I don't usually have issues soldering them and all the seals are Teflon.


With the legend ball valves it always seemed to leak at the threaded joint that bonded both ends together..
like they used cheap ass pipe sealer when they put them together and then you
just soldered the joints and you ended up with a little micro leak that would not stop....


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

ThomasCarney said:


> Buying stuff like this on Amazon or eBay is not a great choice. I buy it in a store near my house. It's the only way to know if the valves are any good.


Thanks for leaving the good deals for me 😘


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## Tom F Ohio (6 mo ago)

I bought a legend ball valve at the supply house, soldered it up and had water coming out of the seem. I can't tell a good one from a bad one.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tom F Ohio said:


> I bought a legend ball valve at the supply house, soldered it up and had water coming out of the seem. I can't tell a good one from a bad one.


We get RWV valves with packing nuts. But you don't know if the ball seals are good until you turn the water back on.


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

Master Mark said:


> More than half the stuff you see on E-bay has probably been stolen by employees off their service
> trucks and then re-sold in bulk ..... that has been going on for years....
> 
> One good example --- 10 rolls of sterling silver solder for 10 bucks each....



Like my 36" aluminum Ridgid pipe wrench for 100.00 off ebay, or a pair of greenlee stud punch for 75.00 off ebay? Stolen, nah. i think they were liquidating someones cluttered garage.


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

https://www.copper.org/publications/pub_list/pdf/A4108-NoLeadSoldering.pdf


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

I bought these off eBay. I hope they’re decent. Webstone wing handle










https://www.supplyhouse.com/Webstone-51703WT-3-4-Sweat-Full-Port-Ball-Valve-w-T-Handle-Lead-Free


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