Inaccessable Seacocks

[chas]

I consider myself a fairly normally proportioned example of the human race. In all modesty, I have never had any complaints. Yet, to get at my basin/shower tray seacock, I have to contort myself into a ridiculous position as my arm is not long enough, my head is in the wrong place and the joints in my legs are incorrectly articulated. As it is currently a gate valve, I intend changing it for a blake or ball type which will reduce the time taken to operate it and therefore the consequent recovery time to get my joints operating normally again.

It would be much easier if I could move the operating mechanism about a foot closer to the access. I thought of having such a length of hose between the valve and the skin fitting but discarded it. I also do not want to reposition the skin fitting. I have tried to find a remotely operated valve but cannot. Has anyone come accross a remotely (mechanically) operated seacock? I would be very grateful for any suggestions.


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[30boat]

An inacessible skin fitting is a liability in case of failure.I think you should consider reposition it.

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[Swampyhotdog]

On ships we tend to have extended spindles on valves that are inaccessable or in watertight spaces.

If you can't find one in the shops, maybe you could fabricate something that would do the job.

If it isn't a straight line between your valve and the nearest access point, you might be able to utilise the universal joint from a socket set to give you a better angle of attack- believe me, it's been done before!

SwampDog

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[Gunfleet]

I've seen it done with a wire strop and a sheave. Of course, that only achieves the emergency cut off, but that's the one you want, isn't it?

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[AvanLoon]

I found in a brochure of Vetus a valve, electrically powered open and close 12V and 24V as well. Valve maeasure can be G1/2, G3/4 or G1. Ask for the modeltype Elvas. The drawback is in the price: €395 Maybe this makes you creative ?
Kind regards

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[LORDNELSON]

I have such a seacock on my boat, one of the jobs on the list for this winter is to cut a hole through a bulkhead which will allow me a better access to the seacock. The hole will have a quick release little door on it. Is such an approach possible in your case?

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[chas]

The problem is that I would have to move it quite a long way and I hate cutting holes! Perhaps a last resort.

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[chas]

Thanks - I was hoping to avoid electricity and stick to some mechanical system for safety reasons - and perhps expense!

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[chas]

My problem is that the seacock is behind the basin against the bulkhead between that and the cooker so, apart from cutting a hole in the worktop, there is no easy access

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[chas]

Thanks for all the help and advice. I might be able to produce some extension if I can get the valve handle in the right position - it is not at the moment. Whatever I do, I will have to dismantle the whole of the galley to get at it!

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[DanTribe]

I got over this problem with my cockpit drain valves, also gate valves, by finding a length of platic tube [B&Q composite section] which fits the spindle and drill & pin.
The tube is just flexible enough to bend around slight curves.You can then cut to length & form a handle on the outer end. Works well provided the spindle faces the right way & the valve isn't too stiff.

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[wooslehunter]

How about a simple push-rod. If you're replacing with blake or ball valves, then they have a lever that operates through 90 degrees. You just need to orientate the valve such that the lever and push-rod are at 90 degrees when the valve is half open. Making the push-rod flexible would make this easier. A thin flexible rod running in a tube would work.

Best bet would be to relocate the skin fitting though. What happens in the unlikely event that the pipe splits and the valve sticks - or some other problem - and you have to bash a softwood bung into the hole? If you can't get at the skin fitting you're sunk - literally. Sod's law wins again. Of course if you do re-locate you'll never have a problem that needs a bung - Sod again.

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