how to fit ball valve so lever is at front?

Gary Fox said:
I have been renewing seacocks and used a DZR 45° elbow , female to male, to improve my pipe runs.

Bought from ASAP, they cheekily didn't mention the female side is tapered BSP not parallel. A locknut and a bit of compound allowed positioning.
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where did you get the lock nut? This is a 1 1/2" (or is it 38mm) ball valve. I don't see any locknuts available on any of the chandler websites. The fittings are DZR but I assume the lock nut could be brass if a plumbers merchant has one?
 
I might use loctite in future as I can see the advantages. What I won't do is use Sika or similar as it's COMPLETELY the wrong product. Ball valves don't last forever and will need replacing sooner or later, this will be 10x more difficult if the threads are slathered with hardened goo.
 
Be aware that this valve is (probably) substantial in size and can need a fair bit of effort to operate it. The torque applied has to be reacted and, if this reaction is taken by the skin fitting, the hull sealant can be disturbed. Reacting the torque otherwise is, however, not simple (as I found out!).
 
Graham_Wright said:
Be aware that this valve is (probably) substantial in size and can need a fair bit of effort to operate it. The torque applied has to be reacted and, if this reaction is taken by the skin fitting, the hull sealant can be disturbed. Reacting the torque otherwise is, however, not simple (as I found out!).
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I'm going to use a locking nut so I can tighten it in the correct position. The one that's on there is fairly stiff. Next problem is getting the existing one off. Its been on about 18 years and didn't budge when I first tried. I'm planning on using a hot air gun to heat it up and hope that releases it. However as its close to the GRP skin I can't get it too hot, so fall back is to carefully slit it partway with an angle grinder. Unless anyone has a better idea?
 
ColinR said:
I'm going to use a locking nut so I can tighten it in the correct position. The one that's on there is fairly stiff. Next problem is getting the existing one off. Its been on about 18 years and didn't budge when I first tried. I'm planning on using a hot air gun to heat it up and hope that releases it. However as its close to the GRP skin I can't get it too hot, so fall back is to carefully slit it partway with an angle grinder. Unless anyone has a better idea?
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I've found that 18" Stillsons do the trick. I usually re-bed the skin fitting anyway so that's not a problem.
 
I’ve ended up carefully angle-grinding off the outside flange of the skin fitting and pulling the remains free on the inside. Need a new skin fitting of course. Pretty much exactly as per the ' DIY Seacock Replacement’ Youtube video from Sailing Britaly.

Then used Sikaflex 291 on my Trudesign valve, as per one of the Trudesign recommendations (mostly because I had some). Just set valve to required position and wait for a cure, locking everything in position.

Then come replacement you’re back to grinding of course as its all glued solid, but you could say it’s easier just to do that straight off than struggle for ages with a stiff/seized for good thread.
 
Yes Loctite 577 is excellent but expensive. I had reason to contact Henkel about using it, they said it cured in the absence of air and in contact with metal hence any that has squished out of the threads stays semi-liquid. I have used it on a number of ball valves I have fitted over the last 9 months in order to address the problem the OP referred to.
Luckily I managed to find some at a slightly less than outrageous price on ebay, but when it arrived it was a couple of months out-of-date, when I complained the seller simply refunded me, but I have continued to use it.
 
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