Stuffing box water line

[Sailor of Fortune]

I too have trouble finding bronze in small fitting. Brass may have been used and I am sure has been globally for small parts....the only thing I can think of is small part small leak.

Pretty sure the PSS shaft seals use a nylon hose barb. Stonger than plastic, but not marelon. Could go that way.

But I know in the past, someone here had an on line supplyer that had small bronze hose barbs...hopefully they will post soon.

Try Rose's Marine in Gloucester , Ma. They are usually good with this kind of stuff. They are a Marine supplier,shipyard and machine shop. Most of the Boatbuilders in Maine get their shafts supplied and machined here. They will be able to advise for a suitable substitute. Excellent peeps there, a wealth of knowledge Rose's Marine Supplies, Marine Exhaust, Pumps, Hatches, Marine steering systems, Gloucester, Massachusetts, Boston (978) 283-3334. I would call them on phone.

 

[angus99]

My 2 centavos worth --

Angus, RTF nailed it. There is a reason and quite simply it is to keep things cool and wet with fresh sea water. When doing ER checks i do two things. If the hose is cool the touch water is flowing. Second, shoot the stuffing box with your IR gun.

I too have the feed line coming from the vented anti siphon loop. My feed line is clear wire braided water line. The loop serves several useful purposes, back flooding the engine at rest being the most important. Your system is fine, several types of hose will suffice, as previously noted by others

BTW, a very smart naval architect designed and approved your system. When contemplating a design change, ascertain if the suggesting party trumps Art.

Thanks, Sunchaser. If you have a photo if your vented loop, I'd love to see it.

I try to never second-guess Art . That said--and I'm first to admit I may be over-thinking this--Art wasn't privy to GFO packing, if that's indeed a factor here.

Also, if this is cooling water being supplied by these lines, it's about 180-190 degrees. I'm suspecting it has to do more with lubrication of the embedded cutless bearings and maybe providing oxygenated water to the shaft at a point where water doesn't normally flow--maybe to discourage crevice corrosion.

Really guessing here, but I do plan to reinstall these lines once I find fittings (3/8" hose barb adapters) that I feel comfortable installing below the water line.

 

[angus99]

A friend just pointed me to US Plastics, of all places, which has 316 SS hose barbs in the smaller sizes.

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=90053

Since the shaft logs are well-protected by the bonding system, I'm going with these.

Thanks again, all.

 

[sunchaser]

Thanks, Sunchaser. If you have a photo if your vented loop, I'd love to see it.

I try to never second-guess Art . That said--and I'm first to admit I may be over-thinking this--Art wasn't privy to GFO packing, if that's indeed a factor here.

Also, if this is cooling water being supplied by these lines, it's about 180-190 degrees. I'm suspecting it has to do more with lubrication of the embedded cutless bearings and maybe providing oxygenated water to the shaft at a point where water doesn't normally flow--maybe to discourage crevice corrosion.

Really guessing here, but I do plan to reinstall these lines once I find fittings (3/8" hose barb adapters) that I feel comfortable installing below the water line.

Two things

Art was very familiar with GFO. Didn't dislike it, he just preferred drip less systems. Since Wilson a protege, he has carried on with drip less as evidenced by newest DFs. My raw water line coming off the vented loop runs about 15 F higher than water temperature. Yes, I'll send you a few pictures.

 

[angus99]

Two things

Art was very familiar with GFO. Didn't dislike it, he just preferred drip less systems. Since Wilson a protege, he has carried on with drip less as evidenced by newest DFs. My raw water line coming off the vented loop runs about 15 F higher than water temperature. Yes, I'll send you a few pictures.

Thanks, I stand corrected. Was really opining where Art's head might have been in the '80s when he was designing the 44, but I wasn't clear. I was also making a supposition about the temps on that line. The only thing I remember for sure is that the stuffing boxes ran nice and cool. Thanks in advance for the pix!

 

[angus99]

Just to close the loop (no pun) on this (yeah, OK, it was a pun).

Since I couldn’t find 3/8-inch fittings in bronze, I had the shaft logs drilled and tapped for half-inch. That seemed like a lot of potential water ingress if a hose failed, so I added a ball valve for safety. No, they’re not proper seacocks, but they’re well-protected and 20 times more robust than the copper/brass fittings that were there originally. The hardest part of this job was just getting access with tools.

Thanks again for all the counsel on this.

 

[Lou_tribal]

Just to close the loop (no pun) on this (yeah, OK, it was a pun).

Since I couldn’t find 3/8-inch fittings in bronze, I had the shaft logs drilled and tapped for half-inch. That seemed like a lot of potential water ingress if a hose failed, so I added a ball valve for safety. No, they’re not proper seacocks, but they’re well-protected and 20 times more robust than the copper/brass fittings that were there originally. The hardest part of this job was just getting access with tools.

Thanks again for all the counsel on this.

Ok I am not an expert so bare with me if my question is stupid but is that shaft seal requires a hose like that? From the little knowledge I have these are stuffing boxes lubricated by water coming from the shaft and do not need these kind of hose aren't they?

L

 

[angus99]

Not a stupid question at all. Wilson Lin, who builds Defevers, told me the injection hoses cool the cutless bearings just outboard of the stuffing boxes, in an “alcove” tight up against the hull. There is not a good natural circulation of water in those areas so he incorporates the water injection in many Defevers.

 

[CptnPete]

Just to close the loop (no pun) on this (yeah, OK, it was a pun).

Since I couldn’t find 3/8-inch fittings in bronze, I had the shaft logs drilled and tapped for half-inch. That seemed like a lot of potential water ingress if a hose failed, so I added a ball valve for safety. No, they’re not proper seacocks, but they’re well-protected and 20 times more robust than the copper/brass fittings that were there originally. The hardest part of this job was just getting access with tools.

Thanks again for all the counsel on this.

Interesting thread. Trying to sort out my stuffing box which does not have the water supply hose, water is supplied through the shaft log.

I think in the picture of your completed work that both nuts should be on the outside (as they look like they originally were in your first post pic). Mine are, the inner one adjusts the tightness of the stuffing box and the outer one locks the inner in place.

I also see your setup you have has no stuffing box hose. Looks like it goes straight into a shaft log sealed in lots of glass and resin. What is on the other side - the outside where the shaft comes out of the hull through a cutlass bearing?

Your logic for the shutoff valve location there vs at the source is that if the hose breaks the water would come in via the stuffing box/shaft? And that you can also shut off the supply to the raw water pump separately?

I also am trying to understand the need on my slow boat for a water supply to the stuffing box since it has gone so many years without one. Thanks.

 

[angus99]

Hi, CaptnPete. See answers below.

Interesting thread. Trying to sort out my stuffing box which does not have the water supply hose, water is supplied through the shaft log.

I think in the picture of your completed work that both nuts should be on the outside (as they look like they originally were in your first post pic). Mine are, the inner one adjusts the tightness of the stuffing box and the outer one locks the inner in place. Yes, the yard had installed them on the opposite sides of the flange. I moved them to the original config.

I also see your setup you have has no stuffing box hose. Looks like it goes straight into a shaft log sealed in lots of glass and resin. What is on the other side - the outside where the shaft comes out of the hull through a cutlass bearing? Correct.

Your logic for the shutoff valve location there vs at the source is that if the hose breaks the water would come in via the stuffing box/shaft? And that you can also shut off the supply to the raw water pump separately? Correct

I also am trying to understand the need on my slow boat for a water supply to the stuffing box since it has gone so many years without one. Thanks.Your boat may not need additional cooling lines. Not entirely convinced mine does, but the builder maintains they are needed — see post 39 — so I’ve kept them.

Hope that helps.

 

[CptnPete]

That's great. Thanks for the clarity.

 

[kapnd]

I’ve seen shafts just ruined in the stuffing box from sitting in salt water for extended periods.
Your raw water bearing/stuffing coolant system loves a fresh water flush as does the rest of the raw water system, I run fresh water through after every trip.