Which option would convert a 4/2 DCV into a 3/2 DCV?

• A. Block the tank return port
• B. Connect the pump directly to outlet port A
• C. Block the tank return port and connect the pump directly to outlet port A
• D. None of the above

Answer: (A)

Understanding how port count controls a directional control valve’s behavior is what this item is about. A 4/2 DCV has four ports: pressure, tank (return), and two work ports. A 3/2 DCV has three ports: pressure, one work port, and exhaust. If you block off the tank return port, you remove one path from the circuit, leaving three usable ports. The valve can still route pressure to one work port while the other side provides an exhaust path through the remaining port, so the system effectively operates like a 3/2 valve in that setup. The other options either bypass the valve or add more changes than necessary and don’t establish the three-port arrangement with a single modification. Blocking the tank return port is the simplest way to convert a 4/2 into a 3/2.