Do not use lifting lugs or eyes provided on the gear or actuator, if present, to lift the entire assembly.
To avoid the ingress of debris or sand into the ball and seat area, the protective covers should not be
removed until the valve is ready to be installed in the line. When the valve is ready to be installed in the
line, remove the protective plastic or wooden flange protectors.
During installation, the valve must be fully open and the line sections between which the valve will be
installed must be aligned, cleaned, and correctly spaced. Should the valve be closed, the exposed face of
the ball must be protected with grease or other anti-adhesive product.
320F3 ball valves may be installed in any position with flow from either direction. However, for best
service life there is a preferred vertical or horizontal position to maximize sealing and minimize the
accumulation of sediment. In the vertical position, it is preferred to have the upstream pressure from
above so the weight of the ball will assist the pressure in sealing. With the valve in a horizontal position,
it is preferred to have the stem lying horizontal (i.e. toward the viewer). During operation, flow will act
as a siphon and minimize retention of sediment.
When handling or installing a valve, keep the valve in the full open position whenever possible to
prevent foreign object damage to the ball. When installing the valve, allow for possible deformations
caused by the expansion of the line. The valve must not support the line. Avoid any strain in the valve
body.
CAUTION: Do not overload the valve beyond the design piping loads stated in the requirements.
Use studs, nuts, and raised face gaskets or ring joints for the given size and class that conform to ASME
B16.5. Alternately tighten the studs using a cross pattern method, several times, following the
procedure recommended by ASME PCC-1-2010 “Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint
Assembly” or gasket manufacturer specification.
CAUTION: While all 320F3 floating ball valves have self-relieving seats as standard equipment, it is
recommended that appropriate safeguards be put into place to prevent exceeding the
pressure/temperature limits given by the manufacturer.