New stuffing box question.

[CharlieO.]

My newly installed stuffing box comes with a water feed inlet and my old one did not have a water feed. My new shaft log has an additional cutless bearing at the stuffing box end. Where is the best most convenient place to feed the water from? Single Lehman engine. For now I have the 3/8 hose run to the barb on the stuffing box with 10' of hose and capped the end until I figure out where to plumb it to. I figure that will be safe enough to get launched and into my slip. Thanks.

 

[Brisyboy]

I have Lehmans and my water comes from the back cap of the large heat exchanger - the rear plate was removed, drilled and tapped to take a hose barb. The water is under pressure from the salt water cooling pump

 

[CharlieO.]

I have Lehmans and my water comes from the back cap of the large heat exchanger - the rear plate was removed, drilled and tapped to take a hose barb. The water is under pressure from the salt water cooling pump

Are you talking about the round plate on the end of the heat exchanger? Just wanting to make sure I understand. Thanks.

 

[jleonard]

My water feed came off of a pipe fitting on the exhaust elbow. You dont need much water to keep things cool and lubed. I think mine was only 1/8 or 3/16 ID.
Which brings up an important note: make sure when you winterize your engine that antifreeze comes out by the prop so you know you’ve displaced all the raw water in that cavity.

 

[Brisyboy]

Are you talking about the round plate on the end of the heat exchanger? Just wanting to make sure I understand. Thanks.

Yes, thats the one. I have 135s so its a straight run back - yours are on the back of the engine so perhaps a right angled barb would be the go.

 

[CharlieO.]

Jay, your water feed came off the same fitting that feeds the exhaust elbow/hose? Did it just have a tee to grab some of the water for the cutlass bearing feed? Thanks. I want to replace my exhaust elbow and this would be the opportunity to grab for my water feed.

 

[CharlieO.]

Here is the recommendation and pictures I got from Brian Smith at ADC and will follow. I needed to replace the elbow anyway. Thanks for the replies.

 

[jleonard]

Yes mine was something like that.

 

[twistedtree]

just use bronze, not brass.

 

[Steve DAntonio]

Tides offers an injection T fitting, those are easy to install and they are corrosion resistant, and they come with placement instructions. TK0875-3/8-.218

As Tanglewood says, do not use brass.

Ideally, if possible, you should install the pick up before any zinc pencils in the system, pieces of zinc are known to clog these small fittings. Do not use clear PVC hose like that sown in a previous photo, this hose is not rated for raw water use and it easily kinks and chafes. Type B fuel hose is well-suited.

More here Keeping Your Bilge Dry with Dripless Stuffing Boxes | Steve D'Antonio Marine Consulting

 

[douggairns]

My newly installed stuffing box comes with a water feed inlet and my old one did not have a water feed. My new shaft log has an additional cutless bearing at the stuffing box end. Where is the best most convenient place to feed the water from? Single Lehman engine. For now I have the 3/8 hose run to the barb on the stuffing box with 10' of hose and capped the end until I figure out where to plumb it to. I figure that will be safe enough to get launched and into my slip. Thanks.

Hi Charlie! I think I saw one comes off a small fitting on the elbow for the exhaust manifold just before it goes into the rubber exhaust hose! I also found out why some do and some don't. Apparently if the vessel can never exceed 12 (i dont know if it's mph or knots) the water pressure from the weight of the boat lets the water flow up the log to cool everything. If the boat may exceed the 12, it need's water flow from the front, or else the water would flow out the log and everything would get hot from lack of water. Same principle as pulling the plug on a tinny while underway, and all the water flows out!

 

[Datenight]

Tides offers an injection T fitting, those are easy to install and they are corrosion resistant, and they come with placement instructions. TK0875-3/8-.218

As Tanglewood says, do not use brass.

Ideally, if possible, you should install the pick up before any zinc pencils in the system, pieces of zinc are known to clog these small fittings. Do not use clear PVC hose like that sown in a previous photo, this hose is not rated for raw water use and it easily kinks and chafes. Type B fuel hose is well-suited.

More here Keeping Your Bilge Dry with Dripless Stuffing Boxes | Steve D'Antonio Marine Consulting

Tides lists the fittings as brass. Does anyone have a source for bronze hose barbs?

Rob

 

[Comodave]

Tides lists the fittings as brass. Does anyone have a source for bronze hose barbs?

Rob

McMaster-Carr, General Propeller. Lots more with Google.

 

[CharlieO.]

Yes, Doug I wasn't sure how necessary the water feed is being a slow boat but the guys that built my parts recommended it because they added a cut less bearing on/in the forward end of the new shaft tube/log.
I will be trying to source the feed hardware in bronze.