New sea cock time.. stainless, dzr or Marelon?

I’m just specifying mine. I’m going all bronze. Proper bronze. I expect them to outlast my grandkids. I note they are still pulling up canons from the deep made from the stuff after 500 years. Try that in DZR. Your plastic ones will have been eaten by algae long before then if they haven‘t snapped off when you stepped on them. Don’t even think of stainless, it’s just not remotely suitable. Do it once, do it right.
 
Zing said:
I’m just specifying mine. I’m going all bronze. Proper bronze. I expect them to outlast my grandkids. I note they are still pulling up canons from the deep made from the stuff after 500 years.
Click to expand...
Do the cannons have any moving parts?

Plastic for me every time.
 
We fitted Forespar Marelon valves in 2012. They are big so if you dont have much space around your skin fittings they wont work for you. They are very substantial. The valves use their own skin fitting so cant be fitted to say a bronze skin fitting. Very please with mine. 8 years of trouble free
 
DZR. I used all bronze on the previous boat in Oz, but couldn't justify the price of Bronze here. The only seacock failures I have experienced are brass gate valves (not fitted by me!), and the damage by growth and/or slipping of the teflon liner around the ball. This is irrelevant to the body material, and if/when it happens you have wasted your money on the bronze.
 
doug748 said:
Some of those plastic seacocks were reported as dodgy but I can't recall which brand. ☹

Someone will remember.
Click to expand...



I found it, it was timmygobang - good for him to bring this to our attention.

Stuck in my mind because he was very keen on the product (2013):




"I totally agree, and went for Marleon seacocks based on this theory. If you're worried about the seacocks being plastic you should probably change all the plastic hosing to solid metal... :D

Yes they're more expensive, but I read on another post today that someone had 5 year old DZR's and were worried about corrosion, not an issue with plastic seacocks.

You should watch this btw

I'm sure plastic technology has advanced sufficiently, so I've moved out of the bronze age :D :D "



And later posted (2016):


"..................
closed the seacock and then went to open it again and the handle came off in my hands.

Water started pouring out where the handle used to be, as illustrated

Some pictures,
https://timmygobang-blog.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F141904550290

Because the seacock is right up against the fridge it was hard to see what was going on (hence the short movie)

I have a Whale Supersub Smart 650 Automatic Bilge Pump which seemed to be coping, and every 5 minutes I used the manual one to help out whilst deciding what to do. .............."
 
doug748 said:
I found it, it was timmygobang - good for him to bring this to our attention.

Stuck in my mind because he was very keen on the product (2013):




"I totally agree, and went for Marleon seacocks based on this theory. If you're worried about the seacocks being plastic you should probably change all the plastic hosing to solid metal... :D

Yes they're more expensive, but I read on another post today that someone had 5 year old DZR's and were worried about corrosion, not an issue with plastic seacocks.

You should watch this btw

I'm sure plastic technology has advanced sufficiently, so I've moved out of the bronze age :D :D "



And later posted (2016):


"..................
closed the seacock and then went to open it again and the handle came off in my hands.

Water started pouring out where the handle used to be, as illustrated

Some pictures,
https://timmygobang-blog.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F141904550290

Because the seacock is right up against the fridge it was hard to see what was going on (hence the short movie)

I have a Whale Supersub Smart 650 Automatic Bilge Pump which seemed to be coping, and every 5 minutes I used the manual one to help out whilst deciding what to do. .............."
Click to expand...
Bronze is four to five times stronger than a glass filled nylon, which is about the strongest moulding plastic normally used and which these plastic Tonka toys are made from.
 
fwiw,

I once tried to remove a TruDesign skin fitting for a 3/4in inlet. I'd just installed it during my mobo rebuilt and was too quick to tighten it before the 291i had set so it twisted and I wasn't happy about that.
So thought I'll test it with a hammer from the inside, no luck, then started with a nice 1in wide and v.sharp chisel and said hammer trying to cut the outside lip so that I could push it in. Took me more than 5min struggling before I manage to cut it. Well impressed.
More impressed with the smoothness of the operation of the sea cocks actually, as others said, just one finger turn no matter if its 3/4 or 2in...

V.
 
+1 for TruDesign.

My preferred method of replacing the old ASAP-style DZR fittings involved cutting off the outer flange for easy removal. Cutting the flanges revealed ‘as new’ looking brass, no pink etc., after 12 years. Not bad eh? A few were still stuck in with 291 or similar, so I’d close the ball valve and drift them out (well, in) with a hammer and cold chisel. What happened? Two of them sheared off between the valve and the skin fitting! ? It only took one or two blows, they weren’t epoxied or 5200’d in or anything like that.

So the DZR looked as new but was ready to fail at the worst possible place. I appreciate 12 years is long-ish service, but I have no doubt that their composite replacements will still withstand the specified 250kg (or whatever) after many more years than that. There’s something about their design and construction that just inspires confidence.

I’d consider bronze (Groco) if money were no object, but my requirements definitely wouldn’t justify it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vas
People asked me why I was happy to fit plastic seacocks - how could they be strong enough. I said it's plastic boat and the fittings (Trudesign) look stronger than the hull. They are both effectively GRP. Apart from physical size they are great.
 
Zing said:
I’m just specifying mine. I’m going all bronze. Proper bronze. I expect them to outlast my grandkids. I note they are still pulling up canons from the deep made from the stuff after 500 years. Try that in DZR. Your plastic ones will have been eaten by algae long before then if they haven‘t snapped off when you stepped on them. Don’t even think of stainless, it’s just not remotely suitable. Do it once, do it right.
Click to expand...
What’s the boat made of out of interest?
 
The old saying if it works for you who cares what anyone else thinks.
No doubt plastic is a worthwhile investment, and in 40 years we shall see
40 years of Blake's pure bronze works for me in 7 inlets, no signs of corrosion yet, but i would consider plastic if they failed
 
Zing said:
Bronze is strong and sea-proof. There will be no corrosion, unless you buy a bronze that is called bronze when it really is a brass. i.e. a high zinc content copper alloy.
Click to expand...

Well I always defer to this guys knowledge because I consider him an expert.

vyv_cox said:
Nothing at all. Most bronze valves have brass balls that dezincify as badly as non-dzr valves. DZR is a far better option.

ASAP stock bronze valves with plastic balls but their price is eye-watering.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top