One Valve, Three Jobs: Control, Shutoff, Fire Protection
Most plants buy a control valve, an isolation valve, and a firesafe ball valve as three separate line items. The AVCO 1900 firesafe control ball valve does all three in one 3-piece, 316 stainless steel body with NPT ends and a 60° vee-port ball. It throttles across the stroke, closes to tight shutoff for isolation duty, and carries API 607 fire type-testing.
API 607 is worth explaining in failure-mode terms. The test confirms the valve keeps containing pressure during and after fire exposure. When flame destroys the primary soft seat, a secondary metal-to-metal or graphite seal takes over containment, so a burned seat stays a burned seat instead of becoming a leak path. The 1900 series is designed to ASME B16.34, and AVCO's spec blocks reference ANSI Class 150, 300, and 600 ratings across the series.
Standardizing three functions on one valve also cuts your spare-parts count.
Why the 60° Vee Port Matters for Throttling
A standard full-port ball dumps most of its flow change into the first third of rotation. That gain curve makes throttling a guessing game. The AVCO 1900 solves this with an engineered vee cut into the ball, machined to tight tolerances that minimize hysteresis. Less backlash between handle position and actual flow means repeatable setpoints, and it matters even more if you mount a pneumatic or electric actuator later and run this valve in a modulating loop. The manual locking handle works today; the actuator can come when the process does.
AVCO offers vee balls in 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°. Smaller angles give fine authority at low flows, and 90° passes maximum capacity with coarser control. We recommend the 60° for most 1" throttling services because it holds usable resolution across the stroke without starving the line. If you have a target Cv or a specific flow condition, call 888-825-8800 and we'll run the sizing with you.
Built for Real Plants: 316 SS, 3-Piece Body, Locking Handle
The 316 stainless (CF8M) body earns its price in chloride exposure, chemical service, and washdown areas where brass and carbon steel corrode out early. The 3-piece construction pays off at the first seat change: loosen the body bolts, swing the center section clear, and swap seats and seals with both pipe ends still made up. Nobody cuts the line. The platform offers a choice of seat and seal materials, so match them to your media when you order.
The locking handle accepts a padlock for OSHA lockout/tagout, which turns this ball valve into a legitimate maintenance isolation point rather than a handle anyone can bump. Ends are NPT per ASME B1.20.1 for 1" pipe. The same valve ships with 150# flanged ends or butt weld ends, and the NPT version comes in 1/2" and 1-1/4" sizes for plants standardizing on one series.
Matching seat and seal materials to your media? Call 888-825-8800 before you order and we'll spec the trim with you.
Talk to a Real Engineer Before You Buy
Get the vee angle, seat materials, and end connection right the first time. Call 888-825-8800 (Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–6:00 PM) or reach out here for Cv calculations, vee-angle selection, or actuation packages. You'll get a real engineer in Exton, PA, not a call center. ValveMan has specified control ball valves since 1965.
