Frequently Asked Questions

I want to use your pilot-to-open checks on air. Will they work?

Yes, but….. Our valves are meant to work with hydraulic fluids; they are not protected against the water that is in compressed air. Corrosion is a real possibility. Valves that have 30 psi (2 bar) cracking pressures or lower (Z, A, B, and C spring ranges) have 2 springs in them--one to close the poppet and one to return the pilot piston. The spring that returns the pilot piston is worth about 30 to 35 psi (2 to 2,5 bar) of pilot pressure. The minimum pressure to pilot open a CKCB XCN, which is a 30 psi (2 bar) cracking pressure, is about 45 psi (3 bar).

To open a pilot-to-open check valve with 3000 psi (210 bar) at port 1, 1045 psi (72 bar) of pilot pressure is required at port 3; this equates to a 2.9:1 effective pilot ratio. To open a pilot-to-open check valve with 30 psi (2 bar) at port 1, 55 psi (3.8 bar) of pilot pressure is required at port 3; this equates to a 0.5:1 effective pilot ratio.