wrote:

Frank Erskine wrote:
given the list of cons mentioned, why r they used?

They're cheap :-)



they're crap.
Plumbers are old fashioned and dont like to change to easy fittings.

There is one case where they are useful, and that is when you want to
accurately regulate flow (i.e. balancing different zones in CH system).
You get better fine control with a gate valve than with a quarter turn
ball valve

I always use the ball valve now for sheer convenience and ease of
opening.
gate valves almost always are stuck and you never know if they are open
or closed.

Yup, for use as service valves they are pants.

--
Cheers,

John.

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