Servicing Sea Cocks - How?

[Richard10002]

As I am out of the water, I might as well service the seacocks... but not sure how.

So far I have closed the cockpit drains and raw water inlet, poured 3 in 1 oil down all three, then wiggled the cocks open and closed to make sure they are free - and they are.

Is that all there is to it, or should I be trying to get something a bit thicker into the working parts?

Many Thanks

Richard

 

[AIDY]

All i normally do i squirt some spray grease up the holes in the hull and work the handle a bit. change if the balls are corroded.

 

[Sailfree]

I do it with 2 people, 1 poking marine grease up to the ball on a brush while other works handle.

 

[sailorman]

what type r they ???

 

[00Si00]

We use blakes grease. Last time i did it, I completely dismantled the valve and fitings and cleaned them up with a stiff wire brush, emery paper. then, grease the working parts liberally before re-assembling. Next time I do it, i shall use a cutting compound to rebed the valve into the seacock so mating faces are really smooth.

 

[Richard10002]

Dont know what type - how can I tell?

There is a red lever which seems to turn a barrel which has a hole in it. The barrel could be a ball?

I thought there might be something like removing and reseating them every now and then - I'd rather not fix it if it's not broke.

Seems there's nothing special about the service so.....

with some of them I have taken off the pipes, closed them, and squirted some Wurth HHS 200 down the hole. This stuff is liquid when it comes out of the tin, then it turns to a reasonably thick grease as the solvent evaporates.

This has definitely freed up some of them, including one which had almost jammed.

With others I have squirted some up from outside, and am contemplating removing the pipes, (but some pipes have been on for 15 years, so may be welded on - and I dont really want to open that can of worms at the moment /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

So far so good

Many Thanks

Richard

 

[Richard10002]

[ QUOTE ]
We use blakes grease. Last time i did it, I completely dismantled the valve and fitings and cleaned them up with a stiff wire brush, emery paper. then, grease the working parts liberally before re-assembling. Next time I do it, i shall use a cutting compound to rebed the valve into the seacock so mating faces are really smooth.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought there might be something like removing and reseating them every now and then - I'd rather not fix it if it's not broke.

Then I read this reply /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Skyva_2]

It would seem you have ball valves on the seacocks like most Moodys. They are not serviceable except by poking a dab of grease or oil on them as you have done.

Job done!

 

[vyv_cox]

Sounds like they are ball valves. The ball is usually a nickel-plated brass running in nylon seats. In this case they don't need any servicing whatsoever. There is an argument that oiling the nylon could do it some damage but I suspect this to be unimportant if only done once every blue moon.

 

[Richard10002]

[ QUOTE ]
There is an argument that oiling the nylon could do it some damage but I suspect this to be unimportant if only done once every blue moon.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sure they havent been done since the last blue moon, and I'll try not to do them again until the next one

Having said that.... one was jammed and some oil and grease has freed it up, and all the others have benefited from the bit of grease.

 

[Bilgediver]

I thought there might be something like removing and reseating them every now and then - I'd rather not fix it if it's not broke.
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Richard you forgot to describe your sea cocks. If they are Blakes then your philosophy is flawed because the inards can suffer from all sorts of nasties of which you might be completely unaware till the handle comes off in your hands complete with the top of the cock and you are left sitting there like the wee dutch boy shouting for help with your thumb in the hole. Yes a worst case scenario but you should for your own piece of mind inspect your sea cocks once a year or at the worst case once every two years. This is so easy with blakes that there is no reason not to.

The sea cock is held together with a clamping type plate secured by two nuts and botlts or studs and nuts. To inspect it is only necessary to undo these nuts and remove the top plate and you should be able to wiggle out the plug of the cock.

The thing to look for as well as mechanical defects is discolouration of the plug material caused by electrolysis. If there is no pinkish matterial then you breath again and think of re assembling. It may only be necessary to polish the bore and plug with sand paper and apply liberal amounts of grease before reassembling and securing the nuts. The nuts do not need to be very tight or you will not be able to operate the cock. you should be able to work it with one finger.

Be wary about un necesary grinding in as it is all to easy to make a conical surface worse rather than better as there will be different amounts of grinding action at the small end compared to the large end and unless you are carefull the fit will get worse.

I used a copper filled type grease which can usually be found in places like Halfords and the cocks usually go a year with no need for re adjustment and no leakage.

If you see pink discolouration then this is the onset of problems however it may be a year or two before you need to be concerned depending on the amount. Tapping the parts and listening to the sound gives an idea of the state of the material so try tapping even good ones so you know what to listen for.


Waiting for your question about stern glands

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[MAURICE]

Hi Richard
My boat is currently out of the water and i have just put some greese up the seacocks. They dont like it up them so two people are needed for best results.

Maurice

 

[Bilgediver]

I'm sure they havent been done since the last blue moon, and I'll try not to do them again until the next one

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Not good enough Richard!!!!!! You should have a planned maintenance program in place

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

These ball valves are fine so long as they are operated from time to time. All to often folk open them and then do not close them till a year later. I would suggest you operate all your ball valves once a week and this will keep the balls free and water lubricated and smooth all round the ball. I have a cheap ball valve on the engine inlet which is now 20 years old and silky smooth. I also make a practice of operating the gate type sea valves on the cockpit drains regularly for the same reason.