Brass General Purpose Normally Open Differential Solenoid Valve

Size 1/4" to 2" BSP
Function Normally Open (power to close)
Valve Operation Servo Assisted
Body Brass
Seat NBR
Pressure Range 0.3 to 16 BAR
Media Non aggressive media

• What is a Normally Open Brass General Purpose Differential Solenoid Valve?

  A Brass Normally Open General Purpose Differential Solenoid Valve is a valve whose body is constructed of Brass and needs a differential pressure to operate (a certain minimum of pressure differential between the inlet and outlet). It is made for general purpose applications such as water and air and any other inert media that is applicable. It utilizes an NBR diaphragm which is a great all round material but can't take elevated temperatures (above 80°C). This covers a wide range of applications and is the most commonly sold Solenoid Valve (for Normally Open Valves). It is Normally Open which means when there is no power to the valve it is open (power to close).

• How does a Brass Normally Open General Purpose Solenoid Valve Work?

  Solenoid valves can broadly be put into two categories; zero differential and differential. This relates to whether they need a differential pressure to operate. This Normally Open Brass General Purpose Solenoid Valve does need a differential pressure to operate, which means it needs a minimum pressure drop across the valve to work. This is sometimes called servo assisted. Its basic principle is the relation between a bleed on and bleed off hole on top of the diaphragm. In its resting state, which is normally open (no power to the valve) the bleed off hole is open so pressure can escape off the top of the diaphragm faster than it can come on therefore leaving it off the seat and allowing flow through the valve provided you have the minimum pressure differential present. When the valve is powered on, an electro magnetic field created by the windings in the coil moves the armature assembly to block the bleed off hole not allowing pressure to escape off the top of the diaphragm. This closes the diaphragm onto the seat therefore stopping flow through the valve as pressure can move onto the top of the diaphragm but not off.

• How do I know that a Normally Open Brass General Purpose Solenoid Valve is the right valve for me?

  The first thing to check is whether you want a Normally Closed (power to open) or Normally Open (power to close) solenoid valve. This valve is Normally Open however Normally Closed (power to open) is far more common. The next thing to check is whether you have enough differential pressure in your system. This is usually satisfied if it is on mains water or downstream of a pump or air compressor (or something else that creates pressure). From here you will need to check the operating pressure and temperature of your system as well as the media type and make sure that the valve can handle these. From here you also need to check the port size of your valve and the voltage of your system. If the valve can satisfy all of the above then you should be a long way to getting the correct one (other items such as the external environment and where it is located can also influence the valve selection).

• How long will my Normally Open Brass Differential Solenoid Valve last?

  Like any valve this depends upon the usage case, duty cycle and external environment of the valve. The pressure, temperature and characteristics of the media (eg. is it corrosive, clean etc) will have a large bearing on how long your valve lasts. If your valve is cycling every second, 24 hours a day (ours are 100% duty rated which means they can do this as long as the heat can be dissipated) then its life will be shorter than one which is used once a day. The electrical supply to your coil can also determine the valve's life as voltage spikes can short the coils (the same as any electrical equipment). 

• What are typical uses of a Normally Open Brass General Purpose Solenoid Valve ?

  By far the biggest share of usage cases we see for the Solenoid Valve is water or inert gasses such as compressed air. It does however have a wide range of other uses that it is suited as long as they have a differential pressure (this will rule out low head applications such as tank drain). The media for a solenoid valve must always be clean as well as any suspended solids can block the holes in the diaphragm so this rules out applications such as recycled water (unless it is filtered). We do see some users utilise the valve as a changeover systems where it is normally open and they have it powered close. If power fails the valve then automatically opens up.

• How do I install my Normally Open Brass General purpose Solenoid Valve?

  This Solenoid Valve must be installed with the correct direction of flow. On the side of the valve there is an arrow indicating the direction of flow, this must be followed otherwise the valve will not work. It can however be installed on any orientation (eg vertical or horizontal). As the ends of this valve are female BSP threaded a male nipple will be screwed into this, thread tape or sealant will need to be used to achieve a bubble tight seal. Make sure when you wire the DIN Plug that it is facing down with a sufficient drip loop on your lead so water will not run down and into this which will cause it to fail.

• How long will my product take to get to me? 

  This depends upon where you are based and the freight method chosen. If the express freight option is selected it is usually next day delivery to metropolitan areas in Australia for under 5kg. If free freight has been selected it will go by road freight which can be anywhere from 1 to 10 days depending upon your location. It usually averages 3 days. You can rely on us to do everything to despatch your order the same day we receive it, this is what we do.

• What warranty do I get?

  We have been manufacturing Solenoid Valves for over 30 years so we have a lot of experience at making a great valve. All of our products come standard with a 12 month warranty. The good news is we have very strict quality controls and all solenoid valves leave our warehouse tested (full material and testing certificates are available) and inspected so there are rarely any issues. Also once your valve is in and operating it will most likely continue to do so for a very long time barring any debris getting caught in the valve or power spikes causing the coil to fail.