Recommendations on Pressure reducing valve..

housebuyer143

I have a habit of getting stuck with a decision when there are too many choices and I find myself stuck now, confused as to the best PRV to buy. 

I need to reduce my mains pressure from 7.4bar down to about 3. I need one that is 'drop tight' / controls static and dynamic flow I believe for the purpose I need it for (though please correct me if I have that wrong).

Can anyone recommend a good make that is reliable and quiet and doesn't reduce the flow too much.

The ones I have found are, but no reviews on the Inta one. 

Inta pvr2233
Reliance PRV at Toolstation with guage

ThisIsWeird

Hi.
 'Drop tight' was a new term to me, but appears to be that it maintains both static (no water flow) and dynamic (flowing) pressures. Which is surely what they are all meant to do?
Caleffi and Honeywell are known, reputable, makes, but these devices all seem to be very similar, and are actually pretty simple in design.
I see SF have a well priced model by 'Reliance', which one reviewer reckons is part of JGSpeedfit, another reputable brand.
What I tend to do when deciding is to obviously look at the review figures, read one or two of the 5-starers, but many more of the ones and twos. Dismiss the comments from folk who clearly don't know what they are talking about* (usually quite a few), and then see if there are common factors in the others that would suggest an 'issue' peculiar to that model.

Most comments on PRVS will be about noise and leaks - they all seem to actually perform ok. 

Yes, you need one with a gauge.

Many moons ago I fitted a Caleffi for my in-laws, as it was supposedly a good make (I daren't get anything wrong for mil...). It certainly worked, but it started squealing after a year or so. Fortunately they are very simple devices, so I dismantled it and gave the rubber seals and moving parts a good smear of silicone grease, and jobbie jobbed until they moved a few years later.

I also chose a Caleffi for my own house, and it has been trouble-free for over a decade now. Mind you, my incoming pressure was only a little too high, whereas mil's - on a new estate - was stupidly so; it actually blew the safety valve - a wee plastic ball - out off their electric shower like a bullet.

One reviewer says the Reliance model (which looks physically identical to the Caleffi) was noisy, but then so did another reviewer about the more expensive Honeywell.

Your pressure - at over 7 bar - is NUTS! I reckon that's going to test any PRV, regardless of make :-)

What to do? Toss-up between the Reliance and Honeywell - it'll be pure chance whether it'll become noisy over time. If it does, and it's within warranty, then jobbie jobbed. Or, DIY a sili-fix.

If you get a plumber to supply and fit, then they will be liable for its replacement should it go wrong.

They should all perform the same.

* One complained that the gauge faced the wrong way. Another that the instructions contradicted itself, and that fitting it one way directly challenged another instruction to fit it t'other.

housebuyer143

ThisIsWeird said:

Hi.
 'Drop tight' was a new term to me, but appears to be that it maintains both static (no water flow) and dynamic (flowing) pressures. Which is surely what they are all meant to do?
Caleffi and Honeywell are known, reputable, makes, but these devices all seem to be very similar, and are actually pretty simple in design.
I see SF have a well priced model by 'Reliance', which one reviewer reckons is part of JGSpeedfit, another reputable brand.
What I tend to do when deciding is to obviously look at the review figures, read one or two of the 5-starers, but many more of the ones and twos. Dismiss the comments from folk who clearly don't know what they are talking about* (usually quite a few), and then see if there are common factors in the others that would suggest an 'issue' peculiar to that model.

Most comments on PRVS will be about noise and leaks - they all seem to actually perform ok. 

Yes, you need one with a gauge.

Many moons ago I fitted a Caleffi for my in-laws, as it was supposedly a good make (I daren't get anything wrong for mil...). It certainly worked, but it started squealing after a year or so. Fortunately they are very simple devices, so I dismantled it and gave the rubber seals and moving parts a good smear of silicone grease, and jobbie jobbed until they moved a few years later.

I also chose a Caleffi for my own house, and it has been trouble-free for over a decade now. Mind you, my incoming pressure was only a little too high, whereas mil's - on a new estate - was stupidly so; it actually blew the safety valve - a wee plastic ball - out off their electric shower like a bullet.

One reviewer says the Reliance model (which looks physically identical to the Caleffi) was noisy, but then so did another reviewer about the more expensive Honeywell.

Your pressure - at over 7 bar - is NUTS! I reckon that's going to test any PRV, regardless of make :-)

What to do? Toss-up between the Reliance and Honeywell - it'll be pure chance whether it'll become noisy over time. If it does, and it's within warranty, then jobbie jobbed. Or, DIY a sili-fix.

If you get a plumber to supply and fit, then they will be liable for its replacement should it go wrong.

They should all perform the same.

* One complained that the gauge faced the wrong way. Another that the instructions contradicted itself, and that fitting it one way directly challenged another instruction to fit it t'other.

Thank you so much for your reply. I think at some point I deep dive the internet too much and then nothing I look at seems right 🤣 too much information and also not enough. Yeah, literally don't understand why one would only do dynamic pressure but I came across a few in my search with said this. Some state they do both, but most make no mention of it at all! 

I'll probably just go with the reliance one, because at least there are reviews on that one and I know its drop tight.

Ha ha, yeah I always knew it was high (but that 7.4bar high!) but I think it's messing with the water tank now and so I tested it. I honestly can't believe no plumber who has been here and installed the tank, the boiler, the shower, replaced the toilet inners ever brought up about getting a PRV 🙄 

ThisIsWeird

housebuyer143 said:

Thank you so much for your reply. I think at some point I deep dive the internet too much and then nothing I look at seems right 🤣 too much information and also not enough. Yeah, literally don't understand why one would only do dynamic pressure but I came across a few in my search with said this. Some state they do both, but most make no mention of it at all!
I'll probably just go with the reliance one, because at least there are reviews on that one and I know its drop tight.
Ha ha, yeah I always knew it was high (but that 7.4bar high!) but I think it's messing with the water tank now and so I tested it. I honestly can't believe no plumber who has been here and installed the tank, the boiler, the shower, replaced the toilet inners ever brought up about getting a PRV 🙄 

That's the highest I've read about, and will almost certainly cause lots of issues over time. You'll likely even find that ceramic valve taps are more stiff to use, and they'll certainly wear out more quickly. As for the shocks to your pipes and fittings! Blimey.

I'd go for the Reliance too. Or perhaps the Honeywell... (Kidding!)

Yup - there's just toooo much stuff out there. I'm trying to help someone choose a mains booster pump at the mo', and have decided on Stuart-Turner as it has a low flow-trigger rate. They have two near-identical models, and I've had to ask them for help to decide. Lawdie.

On that note, I'll ask on here too...

ListysDad

I fit PRVs (incoming mains and also to UVCs) all the time and have never come across this drop tight phrase.

The model you choose depends on the flow rate you need otherwise it wears quickly and is noisy. Also bear in mind you need to carry out annual maintenance on it. Going for cheap for them is always a poor choice. 

housebuyer143

ListysDad said:

I fit PRVs (incoming mains and also to UVCs) all the time and have never come across this drop tight phrase.

The model you choose depends on the flow rate you need otherwise it wears quickly and is noisy. Also bear in mind you need to carry out annual maintenance on it. Going for cheap for them is always a poor choice. 

I've bought a Caleffi one in the end and I called the manufacturer who said it does both static and dynamic pressure. Hopefully it's as good as it claims to be 🤞

ThisIsWeird

Thanks ListysDad for confirmation. It doesn't really make much sense that a PRV doesn't control both static & dynamic pressures. Sounds like a manufacturer threw in a term they felt would give their device the edge...
Calaffi are a known, reputable brand, and are the models I used in il's and my house. As I recounted, the il's became noisy after a year or so, but had a much harder task there. Easily sorted with a simple strip-down and sili. Mine hasn't been touched in a decade, but it only needs to knock off around one bar.
Yours is gonna be tested! Anticipate regular servicing

housebuyer143

ThisIsWeird said:

Thanks ListysDad for confirmation. It doesn't really make much sense that a PRV doesn't control both static & dynamic pressures. Sounds like a manufacturer threw in a term they felt would give their device the edge...
Calaffi are a known, reputable brand, and are the models I used in il's and my house. As I recounted, the il's became noisy after a year or so, but had a much harder task there. Easily sorted with a simple strip-down and sili. Mine hasn't been touched in a decade, but it only needs to knock off around one bar.
Yours is gonna be tested! Anticipate regular servicing

I know! I asked the tech team at Caleffi why someone would only buy a dynamic pressure one and he only came up with "because they are cheaper" 🤣 he didn't really know why either, but they do make the different ones, so he gave me the model number of the one suitable for me. 

There is a popular Honeywell one selling at Screwfix which is actually dynamic only as well, but it doesn't say that so you see loads of reviews of complaints that it isn't working, when in reality it's doing as it was designed to. 

ThisIsWeird

housebuyer143 said:

I know! I asked the tech team at Caleffi why someone would only buy a dynamic pressure one and he only came up with "because they are cheaper" 🤣 he didn't really know why either, but they do make the different ones, so he gave me the model number of the one suitable for me.
There is a popular Honeywell one selling at Screwfix which is actually dynamic only as well, but it doesn't say that so you see loads of reviews of complaints that it isn't working, when in reality it's doing as it was designed to. 

Blimey, so when the flow is stopped - a tap shut off - the pressure in its supply pipe climbs? Nuts!

housebuyer143

If anyone is still reading, the new valve is nice. Not sure if it's fixed the tank issue but it's sorted my loud toilets and my taps are not fighting me when I turn them on and they are not dripping when turned off. That in itself was worth it 😄😄 
I'll report back to let you know if the main issue is solved in time. 

ThisIsWeird

Def worth doing, then. The reduction of stress on your pipes and fittings alone is worthwhile.
What is your actual 'water tank' issue? If you still think it's pressure related - tho' it shouldn't be at 3bar - you could always fit a second PRV - dialed down to 2 or less bar - in front of it.
Pick up a deal on t'bay.