The ball valves also cost just $1 or $2 more than a conventional shut-off valve and, in my opinion, are worth it. In fact, I would gladly pay even more money for the years of leak- and trouble ...

That’s the ball cock, or water inlet valve. This valve is operated by the “wire” and “ball” mentioned in your question. The wire is called the float arm and the ball is called the float ...

Ball Valves by Style Let’s start with two-way ball valves, which are used for traditional on/off control. These are the most commonly used, and lowest-cost type, of ball valve.