frozen seacock

[All U Get]

If you know how to care for them... you will never have any problems. It's that simple. So does anyone here know how to care for them? and please tell us how?

Thanks MRStargazer

Plastic is NOT the way to go.. They do age faster the BRASS.. and that's a fact.

Give this a try, found in this forum.

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/tapered_cone_seacocks

All U Get

 

[Maine Sail]

Hi all! Let me just add that 73% of all boater's with 85-5-5-5 do not know how to do any maintenance on the sea-cook's. That's why you here; 'I's stuck" or "it's weeping" so I have to change it out now.. If you know how to care for them... you will never have any problems. It's that simple. So does anyone here know how to care for them? and please tell us how?

Thanks MRStargazer

Plastic is NOT the way to go.. They do age faster the BRASS.. and that's a fact.

Part of the problem is that for nearly 30 years one manufacturer, of tapered cone seacocks, gave incorrect instructions for how to properly lap fit them....

I wrote & detailed the proper instructions a few years ago and that manufacturer has now made my instructions the "official" on-line instructions for servicing these valves...

Servicing Tapered Cone Seacocks

 

[DougM]

As a matter of personal preference, I wouldn't even trust those PVC valves in my house, let alone something that would sink! I still identify with the generation that considers most everything made of injection molded plastic as cheap ( meaning inferior). Its difficult to get over old predjudices.

 

[Merlin Clark]

I use them for fresh water plumbing in my boats. I reason that if the boat isn't sinking with that much water in the tank, it's not going to sink if the tank leaks.
I don't do the keeping the system pressurized with dock water thing. Isn't that hard to fill tanks when needed and one less thing to worry about.
Don't think I'd use them where it gets cold in winter though.

 

[Steve Dion]

There is no way that Defender would even sell an inferior product like a gate valve. You will not go wrong with Defender.
While a tapered cone is the undisputed champion of ever and forever valves, it possibly may be a tad overkill for your application.

Just buy a bronze valve, that more than likely is going to be a ball valve anyway, or the suggested Marelon. I've got to admit to being a little prejudiced, but I like bronze. Although the Marelon is a perfectly fine valve, and the caveat of it won't corrode. Ever.

Chris: You are not serious that they would not sell an inferior product are you? The manufacters purchase stock that they have determined to be of a certain quality and they turn out to be recalled. This actually happened to Hunter several years ago. It happens in all industries (ask Boeing for an example).

I agree that they are not knowingly going to sell something like this, but it happens with the best of mfg. I would guess that with overseas mfg going on at the levels that it does today, even the best mfg are going to have QC problems.

There is nothing like having all of your manufacturing in house. Even then, there are no guarantees!

 

[Warren Milberg]

StarGazer: FWIW, here is how I care for my bronze sea cocks that have chrome plated bronze ballls (now that is a sentence.....):

-- try to exercise them (keeps getting better....) monthly when the boat is in the water.

-- at end of season haul-out, I lube them as follows: close the handle and from the underside of the boat, insert a small dowell that has PTFE grease on it up into the unit until is touches the closed ball. Smear it around.

-- open the handle from inside the boat about halfway (you may have to play with this to get it right). Put some more PTFE grease on the dowell and insert it from the bottom into and through the half opened ball. Scrape the dowell around to get grease on the top of the ball.

-- get back into the boat and exercise the handles a few time to move the lube around the top and bottom of the ball.

I've been doing this for years and have never had a seacock freeze. Worth a try.

--

 

[Chris Patterson]

Chris: You are not serious that they would not sell an inferior product are you? The manufacters purchase stock that they have determined to be of a certain quality and they turn out to be recalled. This actually happened to Hunter several years ago. It happens in all industries (ask Boeing for an example).

I agree that they are not knowingly going to sell something like this, but it happens with the best of mfg. I would guess that with overseas mfg going on at the levels that it does today, even the best mfg are going to have QC problems.

There is nothing like having all of your manufacturing in house. Even then, there are no guarantees!

Oh I'm sure a turkey falls through the cracks on occasion. I often say, "It is manufactured by man, and it WILL fail". It's just a matter of when.
I was making particular reference to a gate valve in Defenders inventory.

 

[Maine Sail]

Oh I'm sure a turkey falls through the cracks on occasion. I often say, "It is manufactured by man, and it WILL fail". It's just a matter of when.
I was making particular reference to a gate valve in Defenders inventory.

Look for the Marine UL label on bronze seacocks. Gate valves, no matter what the material, are not seacocks. Groco, Apollo/Conbraco & Buck Algonquin all make 85-5-5-5 bronze valves and seacocks.

 

[Rich (P303)]

StarGazer: FWIW, here is how I care for my bronze sea cocks that have chrome plated bronze ballls (now that is a sentence.....):

-- try to exercise them (keeps getting better....) monthly when the boat is in the water.

-- at end of season haul-out, I lube them as follows: close the handle and from the underside of the boat, insert a small dowell that has PTFE grease on it up into the unit until is touches the closed ball. Smear it around.

-- open the handle from inside the boat about halfway (you may have to play with this to get it right). Put some more PTFE grease on the dowell and insert it from the bottom into and through the half opened ball. Scrape the dowell around to get grease on the top of the ball.

-- get back into the boat and exercise the handles a few time to move the lube around the top and bottom of the ball.

I've been doing this for years and have never had a seacock freeze. Worth a try.

--

U can grease the closed ball using a dowel... get back up in there... take the handle off... turn it 180 degrees with a crescent wrench... get back down below and repeat... entire ball is greased... rotate back to original position... put handle back on. There is no place for that PVC thing.