Seacock Lubrication and Maintenance

[sailcapt340]

I need some advice as to how and what to use to lubricate the Seacocks (6) on my 2000 340. None of them are hard to operate, stiff etc.
I just want to take advantage of the winter and do some preventive work. Thanks for the help.

 

[Maine Sail]

I need some advice as to how and what to use to lubricate the Seacocks (6) on my 2000 340. None of them are hard to operate, stiff etc.
I just want to take advantage of the winter and do some preventive work. Thanks for the help.

Hunter uses Apollo/Conbraco bronze valves. No need to lubricate them just exercise them regularly and replace when they get stiff.. If Marelon it would be different because they have plastic balls and they do require lubrication. Word is Hunter recently switched or is switching to Marelon but I have not yet seen a boat built with them.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Hunter uses Apollo/Conbraco bronze valves. No need to lubricate them just exercise them regularly and replace when they get stiff..

MS- I have all Apollo/Conbraco valves in my 1997 and some are very stiff and some operate easily. This has always been so since the boat was new. So what makes a valve hard to operate? Following your advice, I would have needed to replace several brand new valves in 1997.

How do you lube the Marelon valves, and can that technique be used on the Apollo?

 

[Maine Sail]

MS- I have all Apollo/Conbraco valves in my 1997 and some are very stiff and some operate easily. This has always been so since the boat was new. So what makes a valve hard to operate? Following your advice, I would have needed to replace several brand new valves in 1997.

How do you lube the Marelon valves, and can that technique be used on the Apollo?

When they change from how they've always operated is a good sign they need replacement. Due to manufacturing tolerances some ball valves turn easy and some harder this is neither good nor bad just the realities of ball valves.. What you're looking for is a change from the manner in which they've always operated. If they begin to get stiffer than normal consider changing them out....

The proper way to lube Marelon valves is to use an artists brush and their grease or even Lanocote. Close the valve and paint the ball from the out side. Now remove hose inside and paint the ball on the inside. Now work the handle and repeat if you want to... Alternatively you can partially open the valve and draw the grease back across the top of the ball but it does not work as well as removing the hose.

 

[Allan12210]

I use the swab method ...in effect create a large Q-tip with a stick and bit of cloth that will still fit the bore. I like to use silicone grease. It is not water soluble and completely chemically inert. That is fine with all valve materials including Marelon.

 

[John T1594]

Spray lubricant

I also have a 2000 H340 with the same seacocks - I assume. Mine are all bronze and I lubricate them every spring by spraying some pressurized white (lithium) lubricant outside the hull and up through the thru hulls into the valves. I then go on board and exercise each valve. The seacocks for the A/C raw water intake, the intake for the head and for the engine raw cooling water each have a 90 degree elbow on the thru hull with the seacock attached to that followed by a Sherwood 3/4" seawater filter. This makes it hard to get any lubricant to the seacock itself from either inside or outside the hull. (the head intake has no filter). After 12 years of service, all the valves seem to be working well with no binding.