Is this Sea Cock dead?

[Pisces]

Here is a piccie of the sea cock out of my 1981 boat - I am guessing it is original - Is it still OK or is it dead - It is not leaking at the moment.

Thoughts anybody

 

[tome]

Looks like heads outlet? Too far gone to re-grind, but still prob ok for a season or 2 if not leaking.

 

[MacW]

Sorry Tome, must disagree.Its looking a bit red, and may disintigrate at the corroded area,sooner rather than later IMHO.If it was mine, I wouldn`t put it back.

 

[Cornishman]

Not exactly dead, but it certainly does not look very well. Those pits are the first signs of some serious corrosion on its way, probably caused by electrolysis. It might be worthwhile checking your sacrificial anodes and if they are shiny without pits they are not doing their job properly but leaving it to other items. This means a check on metal parts, particularly ones in seawater, is advisable.

 

[tome]

Looks more bacterial than electrolysis to me, hence queried if it was heads outlet. This is usually the worst one. But I wouldn't say it's dead either.

 

[Pisces]

When I got the boat there was no connection with the sacrificial anodes - the copper wire had died - turned black and was none conductive. I have replaced all the wiring, annode and bolts.

It is the heads outlet - well spotted!

I will probably make it last the season and replace all of them at next lift out. - if the cone has gone will the fitting also be useless?

 

[tome]

Yes, replace the whole sea-cock end of season.

Before you replace the rest, check them. The heads outlet wears much more than any others due to bacterial action so the rest may be fine. If necessary, use a medium grinding paste to re-seat them then clean thoroughly and use Blakes grease.

 

[Sgeir]

Given the views of respected SBers to the contrary, I'm prob not much help, but IMHO it doesn't look too bad to me.

Just grease it well, stick it back in and check at the end of the season. I'd be very surprised if it will be much worse. You've prob got a digi-camera, so it will be easy to check back and monitor its condition.

 

[KRG]

You sure you didn't nick that from my boat?

I had just the same, it was seized when I purchased the boat, I had to use a hammer and drift from underneath to remove it. Cleaned it with emery paper, reseated it with fine grinding paste and reassembled with proper blakes grease. 3 seasons later it's still working fine and looks no worse each time i've serviced it since.

Brad

 

[sailorman]

chemical loo cleaners /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Mirelle]

I don't know if the colour is accurate. If it really is as pink as that it may be de-zincing - Blakes use a manganese bronze as I recall.

I would grease well and put back and plan to replace maybe this winter. You need to renew the whole fitting. The other seacocks are probably fine.

 

[Pisces]

Thanks all - The colour is right - it is very pink. But it still moves OK and does not leak. I have to spread some of the work out over a few years - The first year on a boat has cost a lot already!

I have two gate valves I was either going to change over to ball valves or redirect out above the waterline - they are only sink drains. Is redirecting them a good idea?

For the toilet is it best to stick to this kind of valve for the toilet out pipe or can that be a ball valve to?

 

[tome]

Mine are pink also, including the new heads outlet which went pink after 1 season.

I definitely wouldn't change any under-water to ball valves. The Blakes gate valves are well proven though expensive.

 

[DeeGee]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks all - The colour is right - it is very pink. But it still moves OK and does not leak. I have to spread some of the work out over a few years - The first year on a boat has cost a lot already!

I have two gate valves I was either going to change over to ball valves or redirect out above the waterline - they are only sink drains. Is redirecting them a good idea?

For the toilet is it best to stick to this kind of valve for the toilet out pipe or can that be a ball valve to?

[/ QUOTE ]If you can do so, try hitting it with a hammer. If you feel it is not safe to try hitting it with a hammer, then it is duff. Else, if it 'rings', then it is OK, if not - well, it is just a question of when the top half will separate from the bottom half. Colour doesn't look that good.

 

[Steve_N]

Remember that just because a seacock doesn't leak (into the boat) doesn't mean that it still works OK - i.e. it can shut off the outlet correctly. The type of wear shown on your photo may mean that you're not getting a good seal at the port, so water may be able to get back into the loo via the outlet. It would be worth testing for this by closing the cock and checking that it really is closed..

I decided to change my heads outlet seacock recently - it was showing slightly worse pitting than yours. To do this I had to tap a palette knife between the seacock flange and the hull pad to break the sealant bond. To my great surprise the knife went straight through the seacock itself with very little effort: there was maybe only half a mil of bronze left although I hadn't noticed this by looking down the taper. So I'd be very careful with a heads outlet seacock - that stuff is very corrosive.

 

[cameronke]

No it is just resting and pining for the Fjords!

Beautiful plummage, by the way!

Regards
Cameron
(I'll get me coat) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[duncan]

someone had to...........