How do you actually grease a seacock?

[sealegsjim]

I have 5 bronze seacocks with stainless steel balls and they are all quite stiff to operate. How do you grease them - there are no grease nipples so do you just take off the outlet pipe after closing the seacock and poke some grease down to the ball mechanism and operate the lever to disperse the grease? I have also heard that Fernox, as used in CH systems can be poured down to loosen them. Also, do I need to use special blakes type marine grease. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[earlybird]

AFAIK, small ball-valves are not normally greased, and are not readily dismantled, but someone might know differently. Many have a plastic seat. stiffness might be due to the spindle, try spraying with WD40.

 

[Ruffles]

I usually half close the sea cock and stuff silicone grease in from outside with a stick.

Not sure it does much. Best thing is to operate frequently.

If seriously stiff, pop a spanner on the nut that secures the handle.

 

[Malish]

Would strongly urge you not to spray with WD40: a) it is a poor lubricant b) being a mineral oil it causes some plastics to expand - the ball valve seals might be an example. If out of the water I would look towards a dry silicone spray directed up at the ball valve from underneath and then worked into the seal by rotating the valve. Opening the valve then spraying through the valve would allow some to dribble down on the upper face of the valve. Nothing more should be required

 

[prv]

I've always understood that ball valves (in the sizes used on yachts) are not intended to be lubricated. They just need regular opening and closing to keep them free.

Pete

 

[rivonia]

All ball valves need to be used at least once a week to keep crud from forming on the ball. no lubrication is required.

Good luck

peter

 

[rogerthebodger]

The seals on the ball valves I fitted to my boat are Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) so do not need any lubricant.

The small single.two part ball valves cannot be easterly services but the 3 part (which have 4 bolts holding the valve together can be and in fact can be serviced in place without removing any connecting pipe work.

 

[wilkinsonsails]

I've had great success using an aerosol lanolin spray up the hole, then work the handle .
It lasts a good few months with no harm to the internal ball or cone.
Cindy

 

[nigelmercier]

I wondered about using the tin of Prop Shield I bought without reading the instructions.

 

[pandos]

Operating them regularly, Silicone spray or wd 40 always seems to work,

BUT; a word of warning I forced one yesterday and broke the handle off, when I removed it I found that it was seized, half open and was obviously not moving, and had not moved in years, whilst the handle had been operating, seemingly fine.

All the others now lubed and double checked.

 

[Piers]

Would strongly urge you not to spray with WD40: a) it is a poor lubricant b) being a mineral oil it causes some plastics to expand - the ball valve seals might be an example. If out of the water I would look towards a dry silicone spray directed up at the ball valve from underneath and then worked into the seal by rotating the valve. Opening the valve then spraying through the valve would allow some to dribble down on the upper face of the valve. Nothing more should be required

Agreed. We use Wurth HHS-2000. A synthetic grease in a solvent in a pressurised aerosol can. When you spray it, the solvent penetrates even the smallest of cracks, leaving sticky grease behind.

Get someone to operate the valve back and forth whilst you spray the grease into the sea-cock form the outside. That should be all that's necessary.

 

[nigelmercier]

Agreed. We use Wurth HHS-2000. A synthetic grease in a solvent in a pressurised aerosol can. When you spray it, the solvent penetrates even the smallest of cracks, leaving sticky grease behind...

Awesome stuff: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001MPUH64/dolcetto-21

Check out this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/Pka4XOgdzxE

 

[Piers]

Awesome stuff: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001MPUH64/dolcetto-21

Check out this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/Pka4XOgdzxE

I have it detailed with some other products here: http://www.playdeau.com/whats-in-play-deau-make-up-bag/

 

[sealegsjim]

Agreed. We use Wurth HHS-2000. A synthetic grease in a solvent in a pressurised aerosol can. When you spray it, the solvent penetrates even the smallest of cracks, leaving sticky grease behind.

Get someone to operate the valve back and forth whilst you spray the grease into the sea-cock form the outside. That should be all that's necessary.

The Wurth lubricant sounds good but how do I spray into the seacock from the outside - it's. underwater

 

[Piers]

The Wurth lubricant sounds good but how do I spray into the seacock from the outside - it's. underwater

Aha. Good qn! We lift Play d'eau every year to anti-foul and check the running gear, sea-cocks etc.

Did you ever see the report by YM on sea-cocks of June 2011?

 

[sealegsjim]

Thanks everyone for the input. It would appear that the ss ball type seacocks don't require greasing so I will just spray the levers and surrounds with Wurth 2000 and hope that eases the stiffness.

 

[Tranona]

The stiffness is caused by crud on the ball, usually on the outside. Spraying the ball will help keep this clean. Spraying anything on the outside won't do much. Get the balls clean, operate regularly and the stiffness will go away.