ABZ 402 buttefly valves 1

[pianoman1]

Anyone have any experience with these valves? I've been partial to a couple other log-standing manufacturers' high-performance butterflies, but I have vendors starting to quote these as a lower cost option.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[bcd]

First, they do work. How well? It depends upon how you will use them. You get what you pay for and it is high risk to simply take the lower cost device and start to use it. You should do some evaluation and testing first to convince yourself that the risk is acceptable. You don't want to find out the product does not meets your needs by having an uncontrolled pressure release that kills someone.

 

[pianoman1]

Thanks, but that's kind of a generic response, I was hoping for something more specific from someone with direct experience with this manufacturer. All these high-performance butterfly valves are manufactured to meet API 609, API 598, API 607, MSS-SP-68, so theoretically they're tested far beyond my capabilities. Our pressure and temperature limits are well within the valve's capacities, I was more interested in longevity, durability, quality of construction, etc.

 

[bcd]

That is my point. I have no idea what you need the valves to do. Overall, these are near the bottom of the food chain for quality, reliability, and performance. But, if your just doing something simple like occasional shut of a low pressure water supply, then they are perfectly OK. If I was selecting a valve for cooling water supply to a Nuclear reactor, I would definitely steer clear of this product. Another factor to consider is service. If and when you do have a major quality or performance problem, what is their ability to provide service and protect your investment? Will they just send you another valve and hope the problem goes away or will they do a real root cause analysis and get you product that meets your needs. This is a situation where the buyer must be aware of what they are doing and why. Anybody can tell you anything in a chat room like this.

 

[gerhardl]

Hello pioanoman!

I totally agree with bcd.

There will always bee new factories, often from new countries, with new products and unknown product qualities for your market. In our days such products will have all the tests, and might be of excellent quality, - or not. The valve-market is though all over the world, and the risk and cost if anything goes wrong comes in degrees varying from low up to not acceptable at all.

It is your decision to evaluate the cost over lifetime for a change from the type of valves you have, including cost of service, change, repair and cost of unplanned stops.

Also additional cost of automation (buing and mounting actuators) for new/exsisting valves could be a factor here, in addition to that 402 might not qualify or be approved for end of line service.

Normally I would require a new producer to give you two or three references (= persons you could contact directly) with visitable locations with longtime use of equal valves under equal applications. In addition it would be sensible to ask for free longtime testrun of som valves.

All above under condition that you have found the policy change from one to another type an economical and technical sound.

I would be suspicious if I had to search generally for experience references on my own without supplier support......

 

[pianoman1]

Thanks for your responses. We'll be sticking with Milwaukee or Dezurik for HP butterflies.

 

[MNValveGuy]

We've supplied a lot of ABZ valves to customers for a variety of applications, and haven't had any issues. ABZ's ABZolute Series HP valves (which the 402 falls under) are manufactured in South Korea and we've had good success with them in both manual and automated applications. If you're looking for longevity/durability and have had good success with both Milwaukee and Dezurik, I wouldn't hesitate to try ABZ.

ABZ is owned by Forum Energy - they are a very reputable company in the valve industry (also manufacture PBV ball valves which are on many pipeline and refinery specs)