Automated Ball Valve with Extended Butt Weld Ends — 3-Piece 316, JIS Sch 5S, ISO 5211 (V-3AM-L2)

Product Description

An automated ball valve in 316 stainless steel, three-piece body, 1000 WOG, full port, 3/8″ to 4″. The butt weld ends are extended — noticeably longer than a standard weld end — and the valve is driven by an air actuator on an ISO 5211 pad for remote on/off.

It is the actuated version of our manual extended butt weld valve. Everything about the body is the same; the difference is the actuator on top instead of a lever.

Read the two sections below before you order. One tells you why the ends are long. The other tells you what pipe this valve fits, and what pipe it does not.

Why the Weld Ends Are Long

A ball valve seals on PTFE. PTFE begins to degrade well below the temperature of a weld pool.

On a standard butt weld valve, the weld sits close to the body — and the heat travels down the metal into the seats. That is why people weld a valve in, pressure-test the line, and find the valve leaking. The seals were cooked during installation, before the valve ever saw a drop of product.

The extended ends move the weld away from the seats. The extra length is the heat sink. You weld the valve in fully assembled — no dismantling, no removing the ball and seats.

And because the body is three-piece, you can still take it apart afterwards for servicing: undo the body bolts, lift the centre section out, replace the seats, put it back. The ends stay welded in the line. Nothing gets cut out.

Air Operated Ball Valve: Double-Acting or Spring-Return?

The valve is turned by a rack-and-pinion pneumatic actuator in aluminium alloy, mounted directly on the valve’s ISO 5211 pad — no adapter kit, no field re-piping.

• Double Acting (DA) — air opens, air closes. For lines with a steady, reliable air supply.
• Spring Return (SR) — air opens, the spring returns the valve on air loss. Choose the spring direction (fail-open or fail-closed) for your process.
• Air supply: 4–8 bar.
• Add-ons: solenoid valve, limit switch box (position feedback), and a positioner for modulating control.

Not sure DA or SR? Tell us what happens to your process if the air fails, and we will tell you which one — and which spring direction — you want.

What Pipe Does It Fit? (Read This)

We would rather lose the order than have you weld this valve into the wrong pipe.

If you are running Schedule 40 pipe, this is the wrong valve and we will tell you so. Send us the pipe spec — standard, size and schedule — before you order, and we will confirm whether this valve mates with it. That one email is cheaper than a valve you cannot use.

What It Is Made Of

The wetted and pressure-holding parts, and what each one is made of.

← Swipe the table to see all columns →

Specifications

Valve body

Actuator

Prefer a Lever, or a Different End?

This is the actuated, extended butt weld version. If that is not quite what you need:

• Manual version of this valve — same extended butt weld body, hand lever instead of an actuator.
• Pneumatic 3-piece ball valve (threaded / socket weld / standard butt weld) — same air actuator, but standard end connections instead of extended butt weld.
• Manual 3-piece ball valve — PT threaded / socket weld / butt weld — choose the end connection, hand lever.

Applications

• Pump and compressor skid piping — vibration and thermal cycling work threaded joints loose, so these lines are specified with welded ends.
• Hazardous or corrosive fluid transfer lines — welded joints are specified to cut the number of external leak paths.
• Mostly-welded OEM skids (pump, filtration, dosing) — the bolted three-piece body still opens in place, so seats can be replaced without cutting the valve out.
• HVAC chilled- and hot-water piping built from thin-wall Schedule 5S/10S stainless pipe.
• Insulated process piping — a butt weld leaves no threaded gap to trap moisture, which is where crevice corrosion starts.
• Automation duty — chemical dosing manifolds, compressor packages and control-system isolation points, where the valve has to open and close on a signal instead of by hand.

Send us your pipe spec and whether you want DA or SR — and we will confirm the valve and actuator before you commit.

FAQ

Why are the weld ends extended?

To keep welding heat away from the PTFE seats. On a standard butt weld valve the weld sits close to the body and the heat travels down the metal into the seats — which is why a valve can pass inspection, get welded in, and then leak on the pressure test. The extra length acts as a heat sink, so you can weld the valve in fully assembled without dismantling it.

What pipe does this valve fit?

JIS pipe dimensions, Schedule 5S wall thickness only. It will not mate cleanly with Schedule 40 or heavier pipe without machining a transition — the wall thickness does not match and the bore will step at the weld. Send us your pipe standard, size and schedule and we will confirm before you order.

Is it made to JIS pipe dimensions?

Yes. The bore, pipe outside diameter and wall thickness follow JIS pipe standards, Schedule 5S — the thin-wall stainless dimensions used in Japanese-standard plant and across the JIS supply chains in East and Southeast Asia. That is the reason to choose it over an ANSI/ASME valve: it mates with JIS pipe without a transition piece.

Double acting or spring return?

Double acting (DA) uses air to open and air to close, for lines with a reliable air supply. Spring return (SR) uses air to open and a spring to return the valve when the air fails — you choose whether it fails open or fails closed. Tell us what your process needs to do on air loss and we will specify it.

What is the actuator mounting?

ISO 5211, sized F03 to F10 depending on the valve size. The pad is on the valve, so the actuator bolts straight on with no adapter kit.

Can I add position feedback or modulating control?

Yes. A limit switch box gives open/closed feedback, a solenoid valve drives it from a control signal, and a positioner is available for modulating (throttling) duty.

Can I service the valve after it is welded in?

Yes — that is the reason for the three-piece body. Undo the body bolts and lift the centre section out to replace the seats. The welded ends stay in the line. Nothing is cut out.

What sizes do you make?

3/8″ to 4″ — ten sizes. Bore, face-to-face length, pipe outside diameter, wall thickness and the ISO 5211 pad code for every size are on the dimension sheet PDF at the top of this page.

What is the pressure rating?

1000 WOG, full port.

Is there a manual version?

Yes — the same extended butt weld body with a hand lever instead of an actuator. It is linked above.

Do you have a minimum order quantity?

No. Tell us what you need and we will quote it.