Valve thru hull fittings..... to remove

[NYSail]

Hello all.....
So starting projects and have a need to consult experts. Have a thru hull valve with a male screw-in and barbed othe end. Currently straight. Would love to remove straight fitting and put a 90 degree fitting in its place. 15 years....... best way to remove without harming valve. most times I would just cut it out and replace new (and I still may). A bit of soaking? Heat? What works best for you.....

Thanks
Greg

 

[dlochner]

If it won't budge with some PB Blaster or WD 40, then heat.

It may be easier to put it in a vise than trying to use 2 wrenches.

 

[capta]

Use two wrenches of the correct size instead of adjustable wrenches. Stand on one and use your foot on the other. With the bronze and SS, it shouldn't be too hard to get them apart. Do not heat, that valve may have plastic inside. I can't tell from pic, but that is not a proper seacock, just a valve, possibly from a hardware store. If that was mine, and below the waterline, I'd change it out for a marine thruhull and seacock.

 

[dlochner]

I can't tell from pic, but that is not a proper seacock, just a valve, possibly from a hardware store. If that was mine, and below the waterline, I'd change it out for a marine thruhull and seacock.

Ball valves, properly designed for boats are OK. If I recall correctly, valve issues are common with Beneteau.

 

[NYSail]

It’s a beneteau ball value..... they are a bronze alloy. Europe stuff. Skin fittings are bronze but they cheaped-out.
figure I’ll soak a bit and yes two wrenches and a foot!

 

[NYSail]

If it won't budge with some PB Blaster or WD 40, then heat.

It may be easier to put it in a vise than trying to use 2 wrenches.

The one that I want to remove is still on a valve in place on boat..... the picture is one that I removed and am glassing over the hole.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Ouch ! ! ! ! The body appears to be SS and the hose/MIP thread adapter is cast bronze (sand casting marks showing). No obvious signs of any type of sealant/release on the outlet side. That is NOT going to be fun to remove given the 1-1/4" diameter.

If it's still in the water, try penetrant first. No go, try very quickly heating the valve skin to about 200 deg. and then go at it. The teflon ball will. be fine as soldered ball valves go much hotter that that. Whatever you do, ensure your first wrench and backup wrenches and are balanced when you do this. Use a couple of snipes.

No feet and no fooling around if you are still in the water and the going gets tough. Arm strength only. One slip and an 1-1/4" hole where the inlet pipe was, would be a sight you'd never forget .

 

[NYSail]

Boat is on the hard..... want no torque to valve and below to skin fitting. Valve is not stainless..... it’s a duplex brass used by beneteau for years.

thanka

 

[dlochner]

If you heat it, try using a heat gun rather than a torch.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

it’s a duplex brass used by beneteau for years.

Things are looking up. No galvanic corrosion there. It's gong to be a bugger due to its size so soak with penetrant for a week or so and then hit the torch and wrenches.

Use a fine tip torch oxy/acet. if available. You want to heat the valve (only the part over the thread) as fast as possible so it expands thermally but the internal pipe doesn't have a chance to get hot, stays cool and doesn't expand. Give it hell as fast as you can. Good to have a torch man (not the arsonist type ) and a wrench man on this together. Speed is of the utmost.

 

[BigEasy]

Hello all.....
So starting projects and have a need to consult experts. Would love to remove straight fitting and put a 90 degree fitting in its place. 15 years....... best way to remove without harming valve. most times I would just cut it out and replace new (and I still may).Greg

Greg,
I am no expert; however, I do know that Beneteau used an inferior grade of bronze (some say marinized brass) fittings. They are definitely not stainless steel. To make matters worse, you’ve got a tail piece that is a different alloy than the valve that corroded due to dissimilar metals. Best bet is to replace them. I have gradually replaced mine with quality bronze fittings from Groco. They have a BSPP line of bronze thru hull fittings, valves, and tail pieces that all have common threads that eliminate mixing straight & tapered threads. You can order them directly from Groco.

 

[NYSail]

Yes..... A project is to eliminate the redundancy beneteau has (have already removed and glassed over 3 fittings) gradually replace all of the skin fittings and ball valves. Biggest problem on the 423 is that when they put the fittings in for the bathroom, they appear to have done it prior to dropping the internal lining in, so its a very tight fit..... also the fittings are on a sloping wall that does not make it possible to put the correct sea-cock set up in. Just a skin fitting, to a 45 degree street elbow to the ball valve then to another fitting for the hose. The good news about that is they are away from anything falling or stepping on them. Matching the street elbow to everything else seems to be challenge. Groco does not make them.
Fortunately every one that I have eliminated so far are in still good condition.... Bronze skin fittings have all looked good when I cut them. The ball valves are strong still working fine. Will hopefully have most replaced in a season or two.

Thanks for the input!

Greg

 

[BigEasy]

. Biggest problem on the 423 is that when they put the fittings in for the bathroom, they appear to have done it prior to dropping the internal lining in, so its a very tight fit..... also the fittings are on a sloping wall that does not make it possible to put the correct sea-cock set up in.
Fortunately every one that I have eliminated so far are in still good condition.... Bronze skin fittings have all looked good when I cut them. The ball valves are strong still working fine. Will hopefully have most replaced in a season or two.

Yes, I have had similar experience. The last one that I changed was in a sloping wall inside a cabinet in the head compartment. No way to put a proper seacock; therefore, I replaced with a thru hull, straight ball valve, & tailpiece. Others that I have replaced would have required grinding away the hull liner to accommodate a sea-cock. All of the ones that I replaced appeared to be in good condition as were yours. Still have two 1 1/2" fittings at galley sink and head discharge remaining.

 

[NYSail]

Yes, I have had similar experience. The last one that I changed was in a sloping wall inside a cabinet in the head compartment. No way to put a proper seacock; therefore, I replaced with a thru hull, straight ball valve, & tailpiece. Others that I have replaced would have required grinding away the hull liner to accommodate a sea-cock. All of the ones that I replaced appeared to be in good condition as were yours. Still have two 1 1/2" fittings at galley sink and head discharge remaining.

Gotta love the French! Did you have to use 45 degree street elbows?

 

[BigEasy]

Gotta love the French! Did you have to use 45 degree street elbows?

Greg,
The OEM setup was straight all the way; therefore, I replaced with the same configuration using Groco BSPP fittings.

 

[NYSail]

yea mine all have a 45 street elbow attached to the skin fitting.... wont fit otherwise. They squeezed every inch on the 423 for living area......