Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel Solenoid Valves (2-Way)
ElectricSolenoidValves.com is proud to offer a full line of food grade, stainless steel solenoid valves. Designed with straight in and out, female threaded ports, these valves come in normally open or normally closed and in a variety of voltages and sizes. Large inventory and same-day shipping available!
This page is for our stainless steel electric solenoid valves. If you are looking for a different type of electrically controlled stainless steel valve, please see the below:
WHY IS STAINLESS STEEL USED FOR VALVES?
Stainless steel, like all types of steel, are made mostly out of iron and carbon. To make the metal “stainless”, chromium and other alloying elements like nickel or molybdenum are combined during the formation of stainless steel. This addition of chromium causes the steel to naturally create a protective film coating when it interacts with oxygen in the air or water.
The transparent film layer protects the surface of the steel from corrosion and can “self-heal” if it is scratched. This feature plus the strength of the steel makes electric solenoid valves with a stainless steel body include the following benefits:
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Higher corrosion resistance than brass valves
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High strength and durability
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FDA Approved Food-Grade Material
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Safe to use with drinking water
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Absorbs and withstands heat better than plastic
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Easy to maintain and clean
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Ability to be used in marine applications
STAINLESS STEEL GRADES
There are several different grades of stainless steel created for different applications. Each grade is made of different amounts of alloying elements.
304 and 316 grades are both austenitic grades and the most commonly used. 304 grade stainless steel valves are made with 18% chromium and 8% nickel, which is why it is often called 18-8 as well. 316 grade stainless is made with 16% chromium, 10% nickel, and 2% molybdenum.
The addition of molybdenum and extra nickel makes 316 stainless steel much more resistant to corrosion, but also much costlier. Unless your valves will be subjected to long-term use in salt water or other highly corrosive environments, the significant price difference between 304 and 316 would be unwarranted for other applications.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SS SOLENOID VALVE
As you can see from the catalog above, there is a large selection of stainless steel solenoid valves to choose from. Below are a few important criteria to consider before buying a valve, based on your application and requirements. If you still have any questions or need guidance, feel free to contact us for some assistance.
Media
What type of media do you need to control? Stainless steel valves are excellent for hot water, air, weak acids, glycol, and fuel (gas or diesel). Unlike brass valves, stainless steel valves are safe to use with drinking water.
Normally Open vs Normally Closed
The two types of solenoid valves are normally open and normally closed. A normally open valve will allow media to run through it consistently until it is energized to close the valve. Normally closed solenoid valves will block media from flowing while in the off position and require electricity to open and stay open.
Choose normally open if you need to keep media flowing through and need the valve to shut off the flow. Normally closed would be used if your application requires keeping the media in place and you want to use the valve to open up the flow, such as when installing a sprinkler system.
DC vs AC Voltage
What is the power source you plan to connect your valves to? The connections should always match the source. For example, if your power is coming from a car you would likely need a 12VDC valve. If you are connecting your valves to an outlet in a house, you would likely need it to be 120VAC.
Pressure & Flow Rate
The pressure range and flow rates vary depending on the size of the valves, power ampages, and the type of media being used. These levels should be considered before attaching your valves. All ranges are available on the specs of each product page. Pressure levels will also vary depending on the media flowing through the valve.
Temperature Ranges
The temperature ranges from 15 to 250° F (-10 to 120°C). Brass and steel valves are both capable of higher and lower temperatures than a plastic solenoid valve.