seacocks

[Powersalt]

Anyone any experience how to stop the heads discharge seacock from jamming. Mine is on a 3 year old boat and I try to turn them off whenever leaving the boat and then they just seem to jam.
Ive had the yard replace one and now its gone again.
Is there anything I can do keep them operational. As I go back a bit I can remember the old blakes seacocks which you could dismantle, clean and put back together....but these new ones arent accesable at all.
Any help please.

 

[sailorman]

wot make / type r they
apart from bodily waste wot else do you put down / through it?
i.e cleaning matter ???.

 

[Powersalt]

some french make using a ball valve principle.
Only ever used for emptying crews bladder and no other cleaning matter put through. I do now try spraying plus gas on outside but have funny feeling it has no effect.

 

[sailorman]

how many "pumps" per useage??.
could be leaving bladder contents un-diluted in the system.
we have a Lavac ( best marine loo i.m.h.o.) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
8 > 10 pumps then wail ma few seconds, then a further 8 pumps
where is Headmistress ????. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Powersalt]

good point. I would guess only 8 pumps a time. Its a jabsco touilet fitted.

 

[Poignard]

I often pump cooking oil through our heads to lubricate the rubber seals. This might be worth a try to keep your seacock free. When you leave the boat pump some oil through and operate the seacock a few times.

 

[sailorman]

the lavac uses a henderson bilge pump that is quite powerful as compared with the jabscos small volume pump

 

[Pye_End]

I have a similar problem - a good quality ball valve - very sticky. I spray grease over the winter up it, and flush with plenty of water, but gets very sticky over the summer, to the point that I wonder about the skin fitting breaking.

The smaller ball valves seem to have less problems for some reason.

 

[Sheff]

Ask the boatyard who fitted them what they are made from. If it turns out they are not fit for purpose or they can't give an answer see if you can negotiate a deal on fitting Blakes.

Expensive but cheaper in the long run.

 

[bobfrost]

Agree. Blakes is the way. Over engineered is the term or built like a brick sh!t house is the other.

 

[ColinHuggins]

Aha, chance to air my favourite (obsessive) routine, vital when taking over a strange boat:

Position crew to look (best from pontoon) and identify shredded paper emerging. Then do it for real counting the pumps from when the bowl is clear to appearance outside. Round UP to nearest five and post in conspic place.
Numbers of 20 - 30 are quite normal (my Jabsco takes 25), and some installations may exceed 40.
But it never fails.
(Sadly, as Skipper of the Heads, your sleep will now be disturbed by the actions of lubricated crew who just have 'a quiet tinkle' with only 3 or 4 pumps. Such are the responsibilities of being in charge . . .)

 

[thalassa]

We 're in the same boat. The former owner never closed the seacock (ball valve type) in 12+ years of ownership. I've removed the 39mm hose inside, put WD-40 in, replaced the hose, and left it for a week. It did work, but it was still hard going. Redid the pocedure, this time with vinegar to solve calcium deposits. Much better, although SWMBO still strained a muscle working the valve. Moreover, I found the valve not closing propely, as I'm able to push air through.
I'm looking now to replace the valve too. But it's stuck firmly to the skin gland collar. I can't heat it with a blow torch, as it's in a narrow locker. Any suggestions? Is removing the skin gland with the trusted angle grinder the best way?

 

[penfold]

[I'm looking now to replace the valve too. But it's stuck firmly to the skin gland collar. I can't heat it with a blow torch, as it's in a narrow locker. Any suggestions? Is removing the skin gland with the trusted angle grinder the best way?]

Yes. And by the sound of it, the only way.

cheers,
David