Stuffing box packing
- Thread starter Bob Mc
- Start date
I've had good luck and good service out of Gore GTU packing and would recommend it.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...alogId=10001&storeId=11151&partNumber=8224644
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...alogId=10001&storeId=11151&partNumber=8224644
I replaced mine this winter with GTU from Catalina Direct.
http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=2679
http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=2679
I used the Goretex product and have been very pleased with it.
Allows for the most minimal of water drip while still keeping shaft cool. If it wasn't for the air conditioners discharging condensation I would for all practical purposes shaver a dry bilge with the goretex packing.
Allows for the most minimal of water drip while still keeping shaft cool. If it wasn't for the air conditioners discharging condensation I would for all practical purposes shaver a dry bilge with the goretex packing.
I have had the same GTU packing for 6 years. No leak at all static. Stays moist under way with maybe a drip every 5 minutes. Stuffing box stays cool. Biggest plus is that it can be changed out with the boat in the water without removing the shaft coupling.
If using ANY graphite impregnated packing be VERY, VERY sure you have at least an Aquamet Aquamet 22 shaft. I would NOT recommend the use graphite impregnated packing on bronze shafts. If the shaft material is an unknown SS I do not use graphite packings.
Graphite is the most noble element on the galvanic scale and using graphite packing can lead to accelerated zinc erosion and localized galvanic damage to shafting. Like the photo below..
This was ONE YEAR of graphite packing in a stuffing box on a vessel with a bronze shaft. The corrosion was localized to right under the packing. As can be seen the shaft had dezincified and was literally FLAKING off in CHUNKS... No amount of adjusting was going to stop this drip....
Consider this:
* Under the ABYC standards graphite impregnated packings are disallowed
* Western Branch Metals, one of the largest shafting suppliers in the world says:
"The use of graphite-impregnated packing is not recommended because of the possibility of galvanic corrosion of the shaft material."
and under - "Installation": "Do not use graphite packing in the stuffing box"
Use graphite packings at your own risk and please inspect for corrosion yearly, if using it.
Please be careful when using graphite packings and understand the electrical/galvanic parameters that can lead to corrosion. When one of the largest shafting manufactuers in the world says, "Do not use graphite packing in the stuffing box" please pause to consider why they say that, and what other options you may have.Graphite packings are GREAT performers but with that performance come other issues.Like everything in life things are often a trade off.
I fNOT GTU or Graphite packing, what is recommended? I am going to repack my Catalina 34 which has a bronze shaft.
Ultra X, it's all in here from our Catalina 34 website:
http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Stuffing_box_packing
Stu,
Isn't Ultra-X also a graphite-impregnated packing? And if so, wouldn't the same issues that MaineSail cautions against apply to this packing as well?
Thanks,
Alan