Gas side ball valve lubrication

[browntown52]

I recently bought a manifold from one of our sponsors that have the ubiquitous "stainless steel" ball valves pre installed. I took them off and found a few things:

The only stainless is the nipple for the hose, the body is poorly plated brass. Also, the body hex size doesn't match any of the metric or standard wrenches I own (all snap-on if your instinct is that I used cheap wrenches).

Whitworth maybe? Taiwanese special 16.7mm?

Anywho, I destroyed most of the valves just unscrewing them as the wrench rounded the body.


Since brass is fine on the gas side (your regulator is brass, the tank valve is brass), I sought out some Made in USA 1/4" npt brass ball valves. I got 20 NOS apollos in an auction on ebay. Very happy, I opened them up out of their individual packages. They've been sitting for probably 10-20 years. The valves are tight. I'd like to lubricate them or loosen them up but want to keep them safe for carbonating the liquid bread.

Ideas? They have tfe seats and buna-n seals. Keg lube maybe if I break them down first?

edit.. I tore one down, and seems to turn easier now. Whatever thread sealant was originally used turned to powder. the threads of the little bits are small though, so tape might not be an option. Time to break out the rectorseal #5 and a toothpick. Probably risk a leak now that I took it apart, still looking for a way to just lube it up without tearing down

 

[Stealthcruiser]

TFE seats and Buna-n seals?

Soak them in some hot cleaner, and see how they move.
Both of those compounds should be slick enough after cleaning, especially the TFE.
Do you think it is the "stiction" on the shaft seal causing the issues?

 

[browntown52]

I think it was the pipe dope they used to put them together. I soaked some in hot water and vinegar then worked the action with pliers a few times, and they work well enough. I put together my new manifold with those. With the remainder, I actually took them apart and found lots of pipe dope was used. I haven't put them all back together though, because it is a real chore to apply pipe dope with a toothpick and get everything back together properly. Even then I'll have to set up some sort of test hose to make sure they're air tight. I'll try to post some pics later. I got my manifold done, and am awaiting the bulkhead piece, then I'll try to get all the pics up at once.