BS EN 331 Gas Approved Ball Valves
Quick Summary
Knowledge: Intermediate
Read time: 3 – 5 min
We cover the BS EN 331 standard for gas ball valves, which ensures safety and performance in low-pressure gas installations. It covers key features like design requirements, pressure ratings and mandatory approvals, including CE marking and compliance with European gas directives. We’ll also highlight some common applications and the importance of using certified valves for gas safety.
Or, for more in-depth technical guidance, read the full article below.
BS EN 331 Gas approved ball valves are available from every plumber’s merchant in the United Kingdom. The question is, are the valves that your business is buying any better or worse than what we can offer you? The answer to that question is sometimes yes and sometimes no, as all EN331 gas ball valves have to meet a minimum standard set by the CEN (European Committee for Standardisation), which brings together 33 European standard agencies, including the BSI (British Standards Institute).
For the United Kingdom, the full standard is BS EN 331:2015 – TC, which is an update of the original 1998 and subsequent 2010 standards. The standard covers manually operated ball valves and closed bottom taper plug valves for gas installations in buildings. What you can expect is that whatever EN 331 gas ball valves you buy will have a yellow handle, a full bore and the relevant length of thread to ensure a tight seal on installation.
Tip: BS EN 331 Approved gas ball valves will always have a yellow handle, full bore, and correct thread length for a tight seal.
In the past all gas standards required each valve to have a BSP taper thread, the EN 331 gas ball valves standard altered this requirement because other European countries did not use taper threaded valves automatically on gas installations and also allowed the use of taper/parallel malleable pipe fittings which in the UK was frowned upon and even now the preferred malleable iron fittings are taper/taper.
Tip: BS EN 331 permits the use of parallel or taper threads, reflecting wider European practice, unlike older UK preferences for taper/taper fittings.
The Lyne T4 brass ball valve with EN 331 gas approval, available with tee or lever handles.
To add value to our BS EN 331 gas ball valves, we offer the Lyne T4 and Albion’s Art40P & Art40T which, as well as being covered for gas use under EN331, are also WRAS approved for use on potable water installations, but you should note that this is a voluntary code accepted by the UK water industry. This, unfortunately, allows the exclusion of European-approved water valves from most installations such as the Genebre Art3020, approved for potable water under 98/83/EC.
I believe that our instant acceptance of changes to the rules on gas installations due to the introduction of BS EN 331 gas ball valves leads to accusations of hypocrisy when the same rules are not applied to potable water systems in the UK. The fact is, these extra approvals have to be paid for by the consumer, as manufacturers have to pay for WRAS for their certification. If a single European standard were adopted, this would surely reduce prices for potable water-approved valves in the United Kingdom.
For more information on the BS EN 331 gas-approved ball valves we offer, or any of our other valves, fittings or pipeline products, please continue to explore this website or contact our sales team for more information.
Disclaimer: Information correct at the time of publishing (September 2015) but is subject to change. E&OE.
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