Do you have full port PEX ball valves?

Do you have full port PEX ball valves?

The answer is no! Unfortunately, there are widespread claims by many valve suppliers advertising their PEX ball valves are full port. This is simply not true!

Do not be fooled by this misleading information. A full-port valve specification refers to the bore of the valve having no restriction in the piping. So, if a full-port ball valve is fully open, you will not see any restriction from the pipe.

The minimum port diameter of a full port ball valve is defined in the IAPMO IGC-157 Standard as defined in section 4.3 copied below. There is no provision to call a PEX valve full port even if the port is of equal diameter to the connection inside diameter.

To compare PEX ball valves, what you need to look at is the port diameter.

The argument that has been presented is that they are close to the minimum dimension “B” in ASTM F1807 and that the port diameter is similar to the inside diameter of the PEX barb connection ends as defined in ASTM F1807, this is true. The port diameter does not create any significant restriction to the flow. However as with ASTM F1807 crimp type PEX fitting connections the valve does create a significant restriction if you were to look down the PEX pipe as per the diagram below.

Full-Port vs. Full-Bore Valves

Full port terminology is the common description in the plumbing industry. There is no difference between the terminology full port and full bore. Full bore terminology is commonly used in the industrial oil and gas industries.