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Itap brass foot valves and non-return valves

Itap produces brass valves and fittings for water installations, and the parts listed here are the ones that matter most when a pump has to draw water from below its own level. Foot valves and check valves keep a suction line full, stop water running back when the pump stops and protect the pump from losing its prime. On a pool installation they appear on suction lifts from tanks, cisterns, wells and buffer vessels, and on the discharge side wherever backflow has to be prevented.

The range here covers two families, the Europa series and the York 108 series, in nominal sizes from DN10 up to DN25 with female BSP threads from 3/8 inch to 1 inch. All are brass bodied, so they suit clean water duties and are compatible with the brass and plastic threaded fittings normally used on pump suction and delivery pipework.

Europa and York series explained

Each series has a slightly different job, and the model number on the body is the quickest way to tell them apart.

  • Europa 105 — a spring loaded foot valve in brass, 1/2 inch female thread, DN15, rated to 25 bar. The spring closes the disc as soon as flow stops, which holds the column of water in the suction line.
  • Europa 100 — a brass non-return check valve, 1 inch BSP female, DN25, rated to 25 bar. Used in line rather than at the foot of a pipe, to stop reverse flow through pumps, filters or filling lines.
  • York 108 — a brass foot valve available in DN10 (3/8 inch), DN20 (3/4 inch) and DN25 (1 inch) female thread, PN12. The three sizes make it the practical choice when matching an existing suction pipe diameter.

Note the two different pressure classes in the list: the Europa valves here are 25 bar items, the York 108 valves are PN12. For ordinary pool suction and transfer duties both are generous, but if a valve sits downstream of a booster pump or on a mains fed filling line, check the working pressure of that part of the system before choosing.

Choosing the right size and thread

Getting the size right is mostly a question of reading the existing pipework rather than guessing from the pump label. Work through the following:

  • Measure the mating thread — these valves have female threads, so the pipe, nipple or hose tail screwed into them must be the matching male size. A 1 inch BSP male thread measures roughly 33 mm across the crests, 3/4 inch around 26 mm, 1/2 inch around 21 mm and 3/8 inch around 16 mm.
  • Match the nominal bore, not the pump port — DN10, DN15, DN20 and DN25 correspond to 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 inch. Fitting a valve smaller than the suction pipe narrows the line and increases suction losses.
  • Decide foot valve or check valve — a foot valve goes at the submerged end of the suction pipe; an in line check valve such as the Europa 100 goes anywhere along the run where backflow must be blocked.
  • Keep the suction lift realistic — the longer the vertical lift and the smaller the bore, the harder a self priming pump has to work, regardless of which valve is fitted.

Installation and service life

Foot valves should sit well clear of the bottom of the tank or well so debris and sediment are not drawn in, and fully submerged so air cannot be pulled past the seat. Seal threads with PTFE tape or a suitable thread sealant and tighten with a spanner on the hexagon, never by gripping the body or the strainer end.

The parts that age are the sealing disc and the spring. A valve that no longer holds its seal shows itself as a pump that loses prime overnight, a suction line that empties when the pump stops, or water draining back through the system. Grit lodged on the seat has the same effect, so a valve that has stopped holding is worth opening and inspecting before it is replaced. Brass bodies themselves generally outlast the internals, which is why fitting the same model again is usually the simplest route once a size is known.

Itap at PoolParthub.com

Here you will find the Itap foot valves and check valves most often needed on pool and water transfer installations: the spring loaded Europa 105 in DN15, the Europa 100 non-return valve in DN25, and the York 108 foot valve in DN10, DN20 and DN25. Each listing states the nominal size, the thread and the pressure class so the right item can be identified from the pipework already in place.

These are stocked because a failed foot valve is one of the most common reasons a self priming pump stops picking up, and because brass threaded valves in these sizes are interchangeable across a wide range of pump brands. Compare the thread size and nominal bore against the existing valve, and the replacement will screw straight back into the same position.