I often encounter this situation in my life. It isn't easy to turn a bathroom valve that has not been used for a long time or is newly installed. It is difficult to open it successfully when you want to open it, but the water suddenly spits out. It is also easy to splash the surrounding environment and wastewater resources. This situation is probably because the bathroom valve did not choose the appropriate lubricant for full-life lubrication during the manufacturing process.

To find the right special lubricant and achieve a smoother use experience for bathroom valves, we must comprehensively consider the valve's structure and usage characteristics.

Effect of structure on lubricants

Behind the simple appearance of bathroom valves, there is an extremely complex kinematic design. Taking a faucet as an example, the core of its working system is the valve core, which can adjust temperature and water flow through the relative movement of the ceramic valve plate.

During use, friction or wear may occur between components, and different materials can further increase wear and tear. In addition to wear and tear, it is also required to maintain service life and lubrication effect within the temperature range so that the lubricant is not washed away by cold and hot water. Even after being idle for a long time, it can still achieve damping, even and smooth movement (the feel/touch of a single-lever faucet), and no frustration or stick-slip is felt when moving.

Therefore, in order to make the faucet open smoothly, each valve core uses about 0.5 to 1.5 grams of lubricant according to different design requirements. The lubricant used here can be composed of base oil, thickeners, and additives to increase the consistency, such as grease using various base oils such as silicone oil, PAO, or fatty acid-based oil, to help valves and components operate reliably for a long time during their service life. Bathroom valve lubricants can be used on all friction points where water flows, including those in permanent contact with drinking water.

Effect of materials on lubricants

Material factors also influence lubricant selection. Bathroom valves are usually made of a variety of materials. The valve core is composed of plastic parts, ceramic valve discs, and rubber seals; the parts are usually made of brass or steel, and some also use coated functional surfaces. The lubricant used here is chemically neutral to rubber parts (such as EPDM, NBR, silicone rubber, etc.) and plastics (such as ABS, POM, PP, etc.). Reduce friction and wear when materials move relative to each other while not chemically reacting with them to avoid affecting functions.

Different plastic and rubber parts require different lubricants. Therefore, the polarity between material and lubricant must be taken into account during the lubrication process and it is recommended to conduct individual tests for compatibility. For example, contact and possible reaction between the seal and the lubricant may occur. At the same time, few lubricants are suitable for use with ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). However, you may use a formula containing a silicone-based oil or Formulas containing fatty acids to perform the lubrication task.

Impact of regulations on lubricants

Unlike other foods, drinking water resources are often subject to stricter safety regulations. Internationally, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have the most stringent certifications. In addition to assessing the smell, taste and appearance of water, toxicological and microbiological tests are also included in the assessment.

To comply with drinking water regulations, choosing the right raw materials for lubricant production is important. Usually in valves and accessories that come into contact with application water, silicone-based oil formulas that are odorless, non-toxic, neutral in taste, and chemically inert are used, fully matching the German KTW-BWGL, American NSF, French ACS, British certified WRAS, and other regulatory documents. Require.

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