Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-10-2011, 01:15 PM   #1
Guru
 
Shoalwaters's Avatar
 
City: Rodney Bay Lagoon
Vessel Name: "Dragon Lady"
Vessel Model: DeFever 41
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 681
Seacock servicing

The seacock (a/c cooling water) in the pic below is getting progressively more difficult to turn. It will soon be haulout time and I intend to service it. Any advice on dismantling would be appreciated? The core (bit that moves) appears to be tapered. No maker's name that I can see.

Edit: Ooops! sorry, posted in the wrong category.*I can't find how to move or delete, so here it stays.

T.I.A.
Mike


-- Edited by Shoalwaters on Wednesday 10th of August 2011 02:20:32 PM
Attached Thumbnails
10082011033.jpg  
Shoalwaters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2011, 01:38 PM   #2
Scraping Paint
 
City: -
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
Seacock servicing

Normally there are removable plugs on one or both sides of the seacock body. You open the seacock, remove a plug, and force waterproof grease into the hole until you can jam no more of it in while you work the seacock back and forth a little bit to distribute the grease between the body and the barrel. Don't do this with the seacock closed because you'll probably just fill up the the hole through the middle of the barrel with grease. If the seacock has a plug on both sides of the body, use the same procedure on both sides. I just force the grease in with my finger. I suppose you could get all technical and install a grease fitting but I'm not that interested.

But that's all there is to it.* I can't think of any reason to take the thing apart unless it's leaking and you can't adjust the leak out with the adjustment nut.* They're pretty simple devices and the bronze ones are pretty bulletproof.


-- Edited by Marin on Wednesday 10th of August 2011 02:40:23 PM
Marin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2011, 04:53 PM   #3
Veteran Member
 
septembre's Avatar
 
City: Montreal
Vessel Name: septembre
Vessel Model: eagle 32'
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 57
RE: Seacock servicing

thank you David for this practical website, very helpful.
septembre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2011, 05:50 PM   #4
Grand Vizier
 
Delfin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,816
RE: Seacock servicing

That one looks like the old school type seacock*where if you loosen the nut to the point where it covers the threads, then tap it, and the handle and cone will loosen as a single unit and can be removed.* Then you can grease it properly and reinstall.* I like long fiber grease.
Delfin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2011, 06:07 PM   #5
Guru
 
jleonard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,037
RE: Seacock servicing

Replace it...it's old.

One man's opinion.
jleonard is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2011, 04:22 AM   #6
Guru
 
Keith's Avatar
 
Vessel Name: Anastasia III
Vessel Model: Krogen 42
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,716
RE: Seacock servicing

Damm... so am I!
Keith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2011, 05:54 AM   #7
Guru
 
Anode's Avatar
 
City: Missourah
Vessel Name: M/V Scout
Vessel Model: Sundowner Tug 30'
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 645
RE: Seacock servicing

If it was mine...I'd replace it along with the thru-hull. Get rid of the nylon bushing and use a properly sized tail piece. Replace the hose on the suction side of the water pump with a 'hard wall type' and use solid ss hose clamps.
Anode is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2011, 08:33 AM   #8
Guru
 
Phil Fill's Avatar
 
City: Everett Wa
Vessel Name: Eagle
Vessel Model: Roughwater 58 pilot house
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,919
RE: Seacock servicing

I had all the sea cock below the water line taken out and filled in except for the two for the engines and one for everything else, and all with in easy reach.* When at anchor or the dock all through hulls are closed.* 9 total.* So you might want to eliminate it?*
*
The next haul out going to take out 3 above the water line and move 2 higher up the hull as they are at the water line.* When are anchor or the dock only the 6 bilge pump through hulls are open.*
Phil Fill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2011, 08:57 AM   #9
Guru
 
Capn Chuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 897
RE: Seacock servicing

These are old and a pain in the, well...you know. Do yourself a big favor and replace it when you haul out. We just removed the last one on our last haul out and we are happy campers. Here is the last to go,
http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot....-and-teal.html
Chuck
Capn Chuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2011, 10:18 AM   #10
Scraping Paint
 
City: -
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
Seacock servicing

It's a bronze valve. That's what they look like after awhile. All eleven of the seacocks in our GB look like that and did when we bought the boat 13 years ago and probably did when the boat was five years old or less. Assuming it's in good internal condition the one pictured probably has a hundred years of life in it yet as long as its lubed and serviced properly.

And I'm glad to see that the hose is properly clamped with double clamps.


-- Edited by Marin on Thursday 11th of August 2011 11:20:26 AM
Marin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2011, 01:27 PM   #11
Guru
 
motion30's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,181
RE: Seacock servicing

I have a tapered bronze water intake valve It is very stiff I was prepared to replace it but after reading this...I will service it Thanks
motion30 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2011, 05:33 PM   #12
Guru
 
Keith's Avatar
 
Vessel Name: Anastasia III
Vessel Model: Krogen 42
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,716
RE: Seacock servicing

If you do replace the rubber cone seacocks, there's a good market for them on E-Bay since they're not being made any more. Lots of people need spares.
Keith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2011, 10:26 AM   #13
Member
 
cyril444's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 14
RE: Seacock servicing

I don't understand why some of you are saying 'replace it cause it's old.*

those type of seacocks will out last just about everyone here. Just do some minimal servicing on it ,waterproof grease once every few years. If it is getting stiff take it apart clean it grease it and put it back together, just remember to not over-tighten the big nut that holds it together. I just finished doing 4 of mine that looked much worse but now look new. Scotch-brite and brasso. Do you really need to spend money on a pretty new valve that is designed to fail in a few years!*
cyril444 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2011, 10:59 AM   #14
Guru
 
Shoalwaters's Avatar
 
City: Rodney Bay Lagoon
Vessel Name: "Dragon Lady"
Vessel Model: DeFever 41
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 681
RE: Seacock servicing

Thanks to all who responded. I have decided to keep the existing seacock, dismantle, clean, and lubricate as several of you have suggested.
Shoalwaters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2011, 10:35 AM   #15
Guru
 
Capn Chuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 897
Seacock servicing

I really don't understand the comments that new valves will fail in a few years. As a service tech for over 30 years I have never seen a new style valve fail that an old style bronze valve would not have also failed. For any of the advisors on the board, can you give me one example that you personally witnessed where the new valves failed and why? Too many times we hear this going around the net so many times we believe it. As to electrolysis, solid bronze valves are just as susceptible as the bronze valves with SS balls. The old style are much more maintenance, will and do jam, requiring a lot of banging on the valve, which can break it, and if not seated properly, leak. Both our boats, including our sailboat which we cruised for 17 years, had the old style and after a few years of dealing with them, they all where replaced. The new valves were NEVER a problem even after ten or more years. Yes, keep them if you like but be sure it is for the right reasons. Chuck


-- Edited by Capn Chuck on Sunday 14th of August 2011 11:36:20 AM
Capn Chuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2011, 05:31 PM   #16
Guru
 
Capn Chuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 897
Seacock servicing

Quote:
DavidM wrote:
Capn Chuck:

I had an 1-1/2" Apollo bronze ball valve fail on my Island PacketCat. The body threads holding the ball failed and the valve fell apart. The only thing keeping the sea out was the nylon seat. If it popped out, there would have been an 1-1/2" gush of water in the engine room. The valve was bonded with #8 wire to the boat's bonding system. There was another 1-1/2 Appolo valve on the boat in similar service and it still is going strong with no apparant corrosion. Maybe the bonding wire was loose or corroded and not making good contact.

So, they do fail!!!

A tapered seat seacock would not have failed with that much corrosion.

David
*Sorry David but more than likely, whatever cause the valve to fail would have done the same to an all bronze valve. There is just not that much difference in the galvanic table to say that because there was stainless present this valve failed. the fact that your second valve was not affected is a pretty good statement that something else was going on. I can give you several first hand examples of older all bronze valves coming apart in my hand. Not because they were all bronze but because outside sources caused a problem. Chuck


-- Edited by Capn Chuck on Sunday 14th of August 2011 06:33:24 PM
Capn Chuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-14-2011, 05:39 PM   #17
Guru
 
Capn Chuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 897
RE: Seacock servicing

Lets put the electrolysis issue aside for a moment and consider another issue with the older bronze valves. Over the year we have had a couple of dozen, yes dozen, instances where the owner, or myself or another tech has loosened the nut on the side of the valve to either open or close the valve. The entire end of the cone fell off leaving nothing to hold in the cone. We used large hose clamps to keep everything in place until the boat could be hauled to have the valve replaced. Never had anything like that happen with the newer valves. Again, my point is , by all means keep the older ones if you are comfortable with them. But do it for the right reasons. Chuck
Capn Chuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2011, 04:16 AM   #18
Guru
 
Anode's Avatar
 
City: Missourah
Vessel Name: M/V Scout
Vessel Model: Sundowner Tug 30'
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 645
RE: Seacock servicing

My experience is the same as Capn Chuck's.*I also had*thru-hulls sanded thin from years of bottom sanding. For my piece of mind and my boat*I replaced all of the underwater thru-hulls and seacocks. All of the the above water ones were removed, serviced and re-bedded.

Bolted flanges on solid fiberglass bases for the new ones. Thru-hulls mounted in new epoxy glassed bottom.

Here's a picture of the new ones being fitting to the new bases before installation.
Attached Thumbnails
sdc10366.jpg  
Anode is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2023, 07:04 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
grahamdouglass's Avatar
 
City: Vancouver Rowing Club, Coal Harbour, Vancouver, B.C.
Vessel Name: Summer Wind 1
Vessel Model: Marine Trader 41
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 411
That's the exact same seacock I have

I have to do a haul out latter this year for an insurance survey. When I showed a picture of my sea cock to the shipwright that is going to do some servicing on my boat he recognised the seacock. He told me how bullet proof it was and how to properly service it and use it. He said you loosen the nut on the opposite side of the handle to open and close the seacock and to exercise it regularly. You then tighten the nut when it is in the open position or tighten the nut when you close it at the end of the season. I probably own the same make and build of the posters boat.
grahamdouglass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2023, 07:42 PM   #20
Guru
 
OldDan1943's Avatar
 
City: Aventura FL
Vessel Name: Kinja
Vessel Model: American Tug 34 #116 2008
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 10,595
Quote:
Originally Posted by grahamdouglass View Post
I have to do a haul out latter this year for an insurance survey. When I showed a picture of my sea cock to the shipwright that is going to do some servicing on my boat he recognised the seacock. He told me how bullet proof it was and how to properly service it and use it. He said you loosen the nut on the opposite side of the handle to open and close the seacock and to exercise it regularly. You then tighten the nut when it is in the open position or tighten the nut when you close it at the end of the season. I probably own the same make and build of the posters boat.
Did he mention the zerk plug?
If so, what size?
Can the hull valve be service without hauling the boat?
__________________
Two days out the hospital after a week in the hospital because of a significant heart attack.
OldDan1943 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
distance of sea strainer from seacock? Woodsong Other Trawler Systems 4 01-02-2011 11:50 AM
Seacock maintenance Chris Foster Other Trawler Systems 12 10-04-2010 02:27 AM
Servicing Your Trawler's Cooling System marinetrader Power Systems 5 06-13-2009 06:20 AM

» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012