Brass or Bronze fittings for thruhull and fittings

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May 2, 2011
35
Oday 34 Fort Myers
I am going to add a new mermaid air conditioner to my 1984 34' O'Day.I am installing the system myself and will tap off an existing seacock used for my head for the seawater pump. It is a 3/4 " ball valve that has a straight hose barb fitting screwed into it. My question is , I am going to take out the existing straight nipple that is in the valve and replace it with a 90 degree NPS/hose barb fitting.Does it matter if this fitting is brass or bronze.I have been reading that you must use bronze fittings?And can anyone recommend a good supplier of these fittings.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,760
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
I am going to add a new mermaid air conditioner to my 1984 34' O'Day.I am installing the system myself and will tap off an existing seacock used for my head for the seawater pump. It is a 3/4 " ball valve that has a straight hose barb fitting screwed into it. My question is , I am going to take out the existing straight nipple that is in the valve and replace it with a 90 degree NPS/hose barb fitting.Does it matter if this fitting is brass or bronze.I have been reading that you must use bronze fittings?And can anyone recommend a good supplier of these fittings.
You'll definitely want bronze and tapered threads not straight. Perko, Groco, Apollo/Conbraco and others make what you need.

Keep in mind that turning a sharp 90 is a great place for weeds and eel grass to accumulate so try and find a smooth sweeping one piece adapter like the one below. You can do this with a bronze street ell and adapter as well but it is more connection points and less of a smooth turn.

Hamilton Marine or even here on the Sailboat Owners Chandlery should have what you need.

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/bro...-hose-.75-38415-90-degree-106049-/4,2807.html
 
May 2, 2011
35
Oday 34 Fort Myers
Thats exactly what I'm looking for thanks.The current valve points up so I have to keep the hose as low as possible with the 90. I have to now tap the existing head and the ACpump line to the elbow and am thinking of using a short hose attached to the elbow and then into a 3/4" tee. All I have found are plastic ones, are they OK and strong enough for below waterline use or should I look for a bronze tee.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
You will sleep better if you buy bronze whenever and wherever you can get it. Besides "Tees" you can sometimes find "Wyes" which will serve better in some cases.
This vender and website is a great place to learn the finer points about brass and bronze. http://www.anchorbronze.com/
 
Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
I used a 'full flow' elbow on one seacock(head waste) to maximize the cross section of flow through every part of the outlet. If you use 3/4" to 3/4" fittings, it must taper down for the fitting to fit back into a 3/4" hose.
If you have 3/4" seacocks you should have 1" hoses to make the cross section all the way through to be at least 3/4" diameter.
I have a dedicated 3/4" seacock with a 3/4" elbow that is not full flow for my marine air, I pull something out of there EVERY TIME I go to the boat. I think that elbow knecks down to 1/2" to fit inside the 3/4" hose that connects to it. Most things never make it to the strainer, they just hang up in that elbow.
If someone knows what sizes are involved here as far as ID of 3/4" elbows versus 3/4" full flow let us know.
 
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