Gate or ball valve? brass or S.S.

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R

R. Bounds

Small thru hulls on my boat are ball vlvs. and 2" are gate valves. Any reason they can't all be ball type. Also, would stainless valves be ok if Rector Seal or comparable sealant is used on the threads of the bronze thru hull fittings to prevent corrosion between the two metals?
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
RBounds, The purpose of the valve on a through

hull is to be able to keep water on the outside. It is best that you buy marine grade valves and not plumbing hardware.
 
S

S. Sauer

Ball Valves

I changed out the larger original gate valves on our 28.5 years ago to ball valves from WM. The ball itself is polished stainless, the body is bronze and the ball appears to have a teflon or nylon 'seat' separating stainless from bronze. I initially used a couple Forespar Marelon ball valves but one became bound up and the handle broke off. Since they cost about the same and there was no replacement policy at the time from Forespar, it too was replaced with the bronze / stainless ball valves. One 3/4" Marlon remains on the head intake. Check the thread size and type in the store by screwing a bronze thru hull into the ball valve and the appropriate straight or elbow fitting into the top end.
 
R

R. Bounds

Maybe you missunderstood

I was not talking about Home Depot hardware, I'm talking about industrial grade #2000 T-316 S.S. ball valves. P.S. - the "marine hardware" I see at most bluewater stores is only equal or sometimes inferior to the quality of what we have at most of our piping suppliers.
 
D

David Williams

Valves

Gate Valves are a slow close type of valve. Unless you are flowing alot of a fluid; it is not necessary to use a gate or slow close valve. Quickly closing a valve of on high flowing fluid will cause the fluid to stop and all of the pressure will be applied to the plumbing/valve. I like ball valves and they can be used on most applications. Be careful that a stainless is marine grade. I do not deal with salt water much, but in fresh water brass is great, better than most stainless steels.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
R.Bounds, Industrial grade 316 SS valves will

be fine. just make sure you work them occassionally.
 
R

R. Bounds

Where do you sail in Abilene?

Last time I went that way just saw rolling plains and dry creeks. How far do you have to go to get to the lake to sail?
 
F

Fred

Just make sure if you use bronze, that it's

bronze, not brass. Lots of folks (older Catalina Yachts for instance) use cheap brass valves and get away with it, but bronze is the right stuff, and the valves are all thet stands between you and the deep. Ball valves have fewer moving parts. If you can put a bit of vegetable oil down the pipe and work the valve back and forth now and then, it will help keep them free.
 
Apr 19, 1999
1,670
Pearson Wanderer Titusville, Florida
The problem with gate valves

You really cannot tell if they're fully closed or not. If you're in a hurry, or if a stranger is closing the valve, who's going to remember to count the number of turns from full open to full closed? There's no such potential for confusion with a ball valve. Peter H23 "Raven"
 
C

Capt Ron;-)

No Bounds

Marleon is the best there is now on the market and cheaper than the others. Have a maintenence sched for the 1st of the month say, and USE all through-hull handles, run some vinegar through the head, distilled water in batteries, clean the terminals, check all bilge pumps, shake dry chem fire extnguishers, etc..etc..the fixed fire system in the engine bay should be weighed, or certified annually. Log all procedures. Over forty foot yachts must have a 'waste management system' in a log or journal aboard.
 
Jun 4, 2004
844
Hunter 28.5 Tolchester, MD
WM Pricing?

I respectfully disagree from personsl experience with 1-1/2" and 3/4" sizes of both; the Marelon valves are two pieces which can be tightened or loosened and bind the ball with the result that the valve stem is then much more likely to break. Moreover, they are more expensive than either stainless or bronze ball valves from WM's current catalog, page 447.
 
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