Hansen Threaded Fittings and Valves for Irrigation: The Complete Range
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Introduction
When it comes to connecting, controlling, and managing water in irrigation systems and storage tanks, threaded fittings and valves are the essential building blocks that hold everything together. Hansen is a New Zealand manufacturer with a long-established reputation for producing high-quality polypropylene threaded fittings and valves that are tough, chemical-resistant, and built to perform in demanding agricultural and horticultural environments.
IrriSmart stocks a comprehensive range of Hansen products covering everything from simple tees and plugs to float valves, level alerts, and ball valves. This guide introduces the full range and explains where each product is used in irrigation and water management systems.
Why Hansen?
Hansen fittings and valves are manufactured from high-quality polypropylene, giving them excellent resistance to a wide range of chemicals including fertilisers, acids, and chlorine — making them well suited to the demanding conditions of agricultural and horticultural irrigation. Key advantages include:
- Chemical resistance — polypropylene withstands fertilisers, pH adjustment chemicals, and disinfectants without degradation
- UV stability — suitable for above-ground installations exposed to sunlight
- Lightweight — easy to handle and install without specialist tools
- BSP threaded connections — compatible with standard UK plumbing and irrigation fittings
- Proven durability — trusted by farmers, growers, and water engineers across the UK and internationally
The Hansen Product Range
Hansen Ball Valve
The Hansen Ball Valve is a quarter-turn shut-off valve for inline isolation of water flow in irrigation pipework. Its polypropylene body and BSP threaded connections make it compatible with standard irrigation fittings, and its simple quarter-turn operation allows quick and reliable isolation of zones, supply lines, and individual components.
Ball valves are used throughout irrigation systems for zone isolation, maintenance access, and emergency shut-off. The Hansen Ball Valve is a cost-effective, chemically resistant alternative to brass or stainless steel valves in applications where metal corrosion is a concern.
Hansen Tank Connector
The Hansen Tank Connector (also known as a bulkhead fitting or tank outlet) is used to create a watertight connection through the wall of a water storage tank, header tank, or reservoir. It consists of a threaded body that passes through a drilled hole in the tank wall, sealed with a rubber washer and tightened with a back nut to create a leak-free connection.
Tank connectors are essential for connecting supply pipes, float valves, and outlet valves to water storage tanks. The Hansen Tank Connector's polypropylene construction makes it compatible with both plastic and GRP tanks, and resistant to the full range of chemicals used in irrigation water treatment.
View the Hansen Tank Connector
Hansen Tank Valve
The Hansen Tank Valve combines a tank connector and an inline shut-off valve in a single unit, allowing the tank outlet to be isolated without the need for a separate valve downstream. This simplifies installation and reduces the number of potential leak points in the system.
Ideal for water storage tanks, header tanks, and chemical dosing tanks where a simple, reliable outlet with built-in isolation is required.
Hansen Super Flo Float Valve
The Hansen Super Flo Float Valve is a high-flow ball float valve designed for automatic water level control in storage tanks, header tanks, and troughs. As the water level drops, the float falls and opens the valve to admit water; as the level rises, the float rises and closes the valve, preventing overflow.
The Super Flo design delivers a higher flow rate than standard float valves of the same size, making it well suited to tanks that need to refill quickly after irrigation cycles. Its polypropylene construction resists corrosion and chemical attack, and the valve is adjustable to set the desired water level.
View the Hansen Super Flo Float Valve
Hansen Super Flo Float
A replacement or spare float for the Hansen Super Flo Float Valve system. Over time, float balls can become waterlogged or damaged, causing the valve to malfunction. Keeping a spare float on hand ensures rapid maintenance without the need to replace the entire valve assembly.
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Hansen Leveller Valve
The Hansen Leveller Valve is a precision water level control valve designed for applications where maintaining a very consistent water level is important — such as hydroponic systems, NFT channels, and controlled environment growing systems. Unlike a standard float valve, the Leveller Valve uses a diaphragm mechanism that provides more precise level control and is less susceptible to pressure variation affecting the set level.
View the Hansen Leveller Valve
Hansen Level Alert
The Hansen Level Alert is a visual water level indicator for storage tanks and reservoirs. It provides an at-a-glance indication of the water level in the tank without the need to open the tank or use electronic sensors. A simple, reliable, and low-cost solution for monitoring water reserves in irrigation header tanks, chemical tanks, and storage reservoirs.
Knowing your water level at a glance is particularly valuable during peak irrigation periods when tanks can be drawn down rapidly, and helps prevent pump dry-running — one of the most common causes of pump damage.
Hansen Rain Relief
The Hansen Rain Relief is an automatic rain shut-off device that prevents irrigation from running during or after rainfall. It works by absorbing rainwater, which causes a hygroscopic disc to expand and mechanically interrupt the irrigation circuit — preventing the controller from activating solenoid valves until the disc has dried out sufficiently.
The Rain Relief is a simple, cost-effective alternative to electronic rain sensors, requiring no wiring or power supply. It is compatible with most standard irrigation controllers and is an easy retrofit to existing systems. Preventing unnecessary irrigation after rainfall is one of the simplest ways to reduce water use and operating costs.
Hansen Tee
The Hansen Tee is a standard BSP threaded tee fitting for branching off a water supply line. Its polypropylene construction makes it suitable for use with fertiliser solutions, treated water, and other chemicals that would corrode metal fittings. Available in a range of sizes to suit common BSP pipe and fitting sizes used in irrigation.
Hansen Plug
The Hansen Plug is a BSP threaded end plug for capping unused ports on valves, filters, manifolds, and other threaded fittings. An essential stock item for any irrigation installation or maintenance kit — unused ports left open are a common source of leaks and contamination.
Where Hansen Fittings Are Used in Irrigation Systems
Hansen products appear throughout a well-designed irrigation system:
- Water storage and header tanks — tank connectors, tank valves, float valves, leveller valves, and level alerts for filling, level control, and monitoring
- Pump stations — ball valves for isolation on pump inlet and outlet connections
- Filter stations — ball valves for isolation during filter servicing; plugs for capping unused ports
- Fertigation stations — tank connectors and tank valves for fertiliser stock tanks; chemical-resistant tees and ball valves throughout
- Zone control manifolds — tees and ball valves for manual zone isolation
- Controller wiring — Rain Relief devices connected to controller sensor inputs for automatic rainfall shut-off
BSP Thread Sizes: A Quick Reference
Hansen fittings use BSP (British Standard Pipe) threads, which are the standard thread form used in UK irrigation and plumbing. Common sizes used in irrigation include:
- 1/2 inch BSP — small valves, float valves, and fittings for 15–20mm pipe connections
- 3/4 inch BSP — the most common size for irrigation valves and fittings in horticultural systems
- 1 inch BSP — larger valves and tank connectors for higher flow rate applications
- 1.5 inch and 2 inch BSP — main supply connections and larger tank outlets
Always match the BSP thread size of your Hansen fitting to the thread size of the mating component. Use PTFE tape on male threads to ensure a watertight seal.
Conclusion
The Hansen range offers a reliable, chemically resistant, and cost-effective solution for the threaded fittings and valves needed throughout an irrigation system. From simple plugs and tees to precision level control valves and automatic rain shut-off devices, Hansen products are trusted by growers and irrigation engineers across the UK.
Browse the complete Hansen range at IrriSmart, or contact our team for advice on choosing the right fittings and valves for your system.