Tech Tuesday: How to Upgrade A&A Ball Valve to a T-Valve with #540234

Oct 13, 2020

It's Tech Tuesday here at ePoolSupply! Occasionally we like to provide our customers with in-depth guides to help them better understand their system and hopefully save some money in the process. Today we'll be showing you how to convert your A&A Top Feed 6-Port Ball Valve to the newer Glue-In T-Valve using the A&A Top Feed Complete 6 Port T-Valve Retro-Fit Rebuild Gear Kit. Lets dive in!

What is Included in the Kit?

Tools Required:

Pool Lubricant
Small Disposable Dish for Mixing Glue (Avoid thin plastic/Styrofoam)

Assembly Process:

Preperation

Before you begin to rebuild the gear assembly, you'll have to access the components inside the cleaning valve. The first step in disassembling the valve is to start with the union connection on the top of the valve housing. Loosen the union until the top is no longer connected to the pool return line. Next, you'll want to move on to the Band Clamp. Using the threaded knob, slowly loosen the clamp until it easily slides off the center of the valve housing assembly. From here you should be able to lift the Top Housing off of the Lower Housing to expose the internal gear assembly. From here you'll want to remove the assembly as well as the acrylic balls that cover each of the valve outputs. Don't forget about the Anti-Friction Discs and the Center Shaft!

Pre-Assembly

Before you start gluing everything in, you're going to want to do a dry run to familiarize yourself with the function and orientation of the cleaning system. Each Glue-In Flap includes a metal swing bar to allow the flap to open and close. They will be loose in each flap so be sure to keep your eye on them so they don't fall out. Install each of the six flaps without glue pressing the flap securely over the output port, while clipping the flap onto the valve base. Now you're ready for the glue phase!

Sticky Situation

If you've dealt with any two-part epoxy, JB Weld, or something similar then you know it's important to maintain adequate ventilation in your workspace.

Before cracking open the A&A Devcon Syringe, first remove the plastic stirrer stick from under the plunger and be sure to have your disposable dish close by to catch any potential drips. The Devcon cures incredibly fast, so do not pour all of it into the dish at once. You can use the cap to temporarily seal the glue until you need to add more to your dish. Be sure to mix the epoxy very well before applying it to the flaps. ONLY GLUE ONE FLAP AT A TIME! You will only need to apply the glue to both clips that hang on the base. Use the stirrer stick to apply an even amount to both clips. Make sure the flap is perfectly centered over the output port and there are no gaps underneath; you don't want any water to bypass when the valve is operational. Once you're certain the flap is secure and seamless you can move to the remaining five. Try to move swiftly but take your time and be precise so each flap installs smoothly. Allow the glue to cure for a full twenty four hours before running the system. Once the glue has dried, you can use the included sandpaper to smooth out the glue so the gear assembly installs without any issues.

Check out the video below to follow along with us! If you have any other questions or concerns don't hesitate to reach out to us directly! Our team of industry professionals is here to assist you through every step of the way!