Lead-free chrome-plated brass ball valve
Lead-free chrome-plated brass ball valve
(OP)
Is the industry moving away from lead-free chrome-plated brass ball valves for domestic water systems?
As there was some confusion during a conversation with one supplier, I am referring to the ball being chrome-plated, not the valve body.
A Brand-X supplier said they stopped making them because chrome is not lead-free.
A Brand-Y supplier said when they say "chrome-plated," they actually mean "nickle-plated." And they claimed everyone else uses this terminology.
That is contrary to what I see here:
http://www.valvemagazine.com/web-only/categories/t...
"Chromium carbide gives a Rockwell scale (Rc) hardness of about 65 and resists erosion and extreme temperatures."
So what is reality for domestic water valves in a commercial/institutional project?
As there was some confusion during a conversation with one supplier, I am referring to the ball being chrome-plated, not the valve body.
A Brand-X supplier said they stopped making them because chrome is not lead-free.
A Brand-Y supplier said when they say "chrome-plated," they actually mean "nickle-plated." And they claimed everyone else uses this terminology.
That is contrary to what I see here:
http://www.valvemagazine.com/web-only/categories/t...
"Chromium carbide gives a Rockwell scale (Rc) hardness of about 65 and resists erosion and extreme temperatures."
So what is reality for domestic water valves in a commercial/institutional project?
- Is the chrome plating not lead-free?
- Do all the manufacturers tell us fiction when they use "chrome-plated" as code for "nickle plated?"





RE: Lead-free chrome-plated brass ball valve
Under pressure, they may provide cut sheets or other documentation, which can usually be trusted, after cross-checking that you are looking at the correct document for the correct product.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Lead-free chrome-plated brass ball valve
We still specify chrome plated for non lead free versions.
RE: Lead-free chrome-plated brass ball valve
Chrome plating and nickel plating are different finishes.
Contact the manufacturer directly for technical information.