Look what I got.....

[Sono]

These ones? https://amzn.to/42MgrVM I'm seeing that they're $10 which is pretty good! Are you using them on a bucket or pipe?

yes

 

[Sono]

The description in this link is suspect
"releasing a small amount of water onto the lower lip of the nipple"
there is no lower lip on these vertical nipples.

i assume they meant the rod as a lip

 

[Sono]

These were the ones we bought and they came with washers. We needed a few to replace one of ours we bought in 2018 and those are "unavailable." These seem just as good.

these didnt come with "gaskets" but i dont use them as i use the sealant

 

[Sono]

The spring is made of silicone....or the seal gasket??

the seal acts as a spring, so its a positive seal. The ball style uses gravity and the ball/rods just dont seem to keep a good seal after awhile in use. Mine tended to start dripping during the winter and would never seal correctly even after cleaning. I love these with the silicone seals as they have never leaked. I just cleaned out my coop and the bedding was soaked underneath the top layers because the ball/rods leak constantly. So if I get to it this weekend I will have all the nipples replaced. I plan to move the water barrel to make additional room in the coop, just unsure of that plan just yet.

 

[aart]

the seal acts as a spring, so its a positive seal. The ball style uses gravity and the ball/rods just dont seem to keep a good seal after awhile in use.

So it's still gravity just with a softer material to seal.

 

[Sono]

So it's still gravity just with a softer material to seal.

Gravity for the water but the nipples will seal at any angle because the silicone seal just flexs when the birds peck it.... Ill post a couple pics in a few here.

 

[Sono]

Here are pics , I attached to a wire so I can rotate them together to show how the new nipples stay sealed regardless and the ball/rods only work with gravity and I assume not enough weight to seal the ball/rod properly and can only be used in a plumbed vertical position. New silicone seals will seal even if the nipple isnt plumb as well as 360 degree rotation.
If you noticed the ball and rod style nipples have no retention to seal other than a perfect vertical plumb installation.

 

[aart]

New silicone seals will seal even if the nipple isnt plumb as well as 360 degree rotation.

So there must actually be a spring inside.
Wish I could touch one.
...and take it apart like this horizontal nipple:

 

[Sono]

So there must actually be a spring inside.
Wish I could touch one.
...and take it apart like this horizontal nipple:
View attachment 3755410

well these new brass ones dont have any way of taking apart, I wont chance damaging one just to look unless one goes bad in the future. From what I see there is no springs, just silicone rubber BUT I could be wrong.

 

[aart]

well these new brass ones dont have any way of taking apart, I wont chance damaging one just to look unless one goes bad in the future. From what I see there is no springs, just silicone rubber BUT I could be wrong.

The silicone seal might peel off the shaft.
That's how the HN's come apart, pretty easy.