How to lube a ball valve

I lube the valves on the thru-hulls every year with Super Lube. My technique is to close the valve, lube it using a long, small brush from the exterior, and rotate the valve to distribute the grease.

I haven't been able to figure out a good way to lube the valves that have an elbow between them and the thru-hull. (See attached.) Removing the hoses -- some of which are 2" -- isn't practical.

Any creative solutions?

Is that a plug on the valve on the right? Might be able to pull the plug and pump some grease in there.

Ted

Close the valve...disconnect the hose and apply lube to the ball?

Lots of spray grease options with long flexible nozzles should be able to access from outside. The pictured thru-hulls are all above the water line, so they can be done while in the water, others would have to wait for haul-out.


https://www.google.com/search?q=spr...o6HhAhVDiOAKHc1oBsAQ_AUIDygC&biw=1360&bih=631


Todd

That appears to be a fairly standard end loaded full port ball valve. It will have a chromed brass or 316 ball. The seats and stem packing are PTFE (aka Teflon). There really is nothing to lubricate there. Most effective maintenance you can do for them is cycle them once a month to keep growth off.

Northern Spy said:

That appears to be a fairly standard end loaded full port ball valve. It will have a chromed brass or 316 ball. The seats and stem packing are PTFE (aka Teflon). There really is nothing to lubricate there. Most effective maintenance you can do for them is cycle them once a month to keep growth off.

Click to expand...

I agree with Northern Spy but so many people want to grease ball valves that Groco added a zerk fitting to their ball valves. If you still feel the need to lubricate your valves, and they are equipped with drain plugs, you can install your own zerk fittings.

If they are not equipped with drain plugs, they are not really Marine valves and you should go ahead and replace them with Groco valves.
https://www.groco.net/products/valves-seacocks/inline-valves/ibv-series-inline-valve

Are the valves all above the waterline?

Good suggestions. Thanks.

Strangely enough, all of the valves below the waterline do NOT have an elbow before them. I've lubed them (as does the ocean) and they move freely.

Most of the valves above the waterline are behind elbows and get very little (or no) water thru them. I exercise them once a year but they are still much stiffer than I would prefer. I don't know that exercising them more frequently would make a huge difference--and so the idea to lube them.

Spray lube would be easy if I knew which type of lube would not damage the valve seats and packing. (And I don't know for sure what those are made of..)

Not much harms PTFE. Except hydrofluoric acid, (think Breaking Bad season 1, episode 2) and other fluorides.

Again. Pretty much a standard Chinese ball valve. Chromed ball compressed by PTFE seats and SS stem with PTFE packing. Maintenance free.