How do you grease the waste tank seacock?

[vandy]

I managed to grease the ball on all my seacocks except the waste tank overboard seacock. It is one of those big through hulls but the seacock itself is installed 90degree angle so the ball isn't accessible through the hole in the hull.. I tried putting a rag on the back of a wire or something flexible but didn't help...

Is there a easy way to do this?!

 

[Plum]

I managed to grease the ball on all my seacocks except the waste tank overboard seacock. It is one of those big through hulls but the seacock itself is installed 90degree angle so the ball isn't accessible through the hole in the hull.. I tried putting a rag on the back of a wire or something flexible but didn't help...

Is there a easy way to do this?!

Why do you grease them? As long as they get periodic use, my experience is they never need greasing. The sealing surfaces on ball-valves are plastic to metal and last at least 15 years (assuming they are true bronze or DZR brass) without grease.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[johnalison]

I haven't greased a seacock for twenty years, since I had a Blakes one on the outlet from the heads. The seacocks that are left open tend to stay in good condition for longer since they don't get crud on the bearing surfaces.

 

[pvb]

Agree, it's a total waste of time trying to grease ordinary seacocks.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I managed to grease the ball on all my seacocks except the waste tank overboard seacock. It is one of those big through hulls but the seacock itself is installed 90degree angle so the ball isn't accessible through the hole in the hull.. I tried putting a rag on the back of a wire or something flexible but didn't help...

Is there a easy way to do this?!

Really? Clearly you haven’t done your homework well before you came to greasing seacocks

 

[Yngmar]

Put butter on your Nutella bread. It'll get there eventually.

 

[Saguday]

Put butter on your Nutella bread. It'll get there eventually.

Excellent

 

[Mistroma]

I don't try to lubricate the valve with grease.

I find that a little dilute hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid, brick cleaner and other things with exactly the same active ingredient) helps from time to time. Even a slight amount of calcification of the ball will make it harder to close and open. I just empty the system and pour in a little acid with the valve in closed position. Not a magic solution (pardon the pun) but it does help to keep the valve operating. Lubrication is taken care of by water film and metal ball sliding past PTFE or similar material inside the valve body.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Giving a ball valve a waggle every so often is the only maintenance required.