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Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
- Batwing
- Scurvy Dog
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Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
Thanks
Steve
- bud37
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Re: Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
Bit negative, not much help really, kinda what you were thinking I guess. If you do pull the boat change all the sea cocks, it may be time.
- Batwing
- Scurvy Dog
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Re: Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
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- CYO Supporter
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Re: Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
Having said all that, the danger is causing a catastrophic failure such as breaking the thru-hull and having no way of stopping the water. For that reason, you may want to have a marina simply sling the boat but leave it in the water, or just lift it high enough so you're out of the water. This would cut down your cost, and if something goes wrong, they can simply lift you out.
This highlights the need to work your seacocks periodically and lubricate if conditions are bad enough, especially in salt water applications.
Don't pinch the intake hose, pinching the hose will distort it as it's typically a wire wound hose. Even if you try to squeeze it back into shape, you've permanently bent the wire and while it may not be noticeable on the outside, you may cause the wire to break through the inner surface of the hose which can lead to a shortened lifespan and other problems. Simple wood plugs will help, even shoving a rag in the hose until you're ready works good.
- km1125
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Re: Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
Viper wrote:Source of the post ....
This highlights the need to work your seacocks periodically and lubricate if conditions are bad enough, especially in salt water applications.
Don't pinch the intake hose, pinching the hose will distort it as it's typically a wire wound hose. Even if you try to squeeze it back into shape, you've permanently bent the wire and while it may not be noticeable on the outside, you may cause the wire to break through the inner surface of the hose which can lead to a shortened lifespan and other problems. Simple wood plugs will help, even shoving a rag in the hose until you're ready works good.
Those two definitely needed to be repeated and highlighted!!!
Too late for your issue, but if other have ball cock-style valves that are sticking you can build a tool like below to help free it up. You can do this from the inside or outside, depending on the application and once you get it moving then you can lubricate and then use the handle to get it going normally. You adjust the two bolts so they contact the ball from the inside, then push the bar to "break" the ball loose from its stuck position.
- Midnightsun
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Re: Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
I think this is more of a saltwater issue though as I know of nobody who has had this issue in all my years of boating in fresh water.
- bud37
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Re: Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
Midnightsun wrote:Source of the post I think this is more of a saltwater issue though as I know of nobody who has had this issue in all my years of boating in fresh water.
Can just as easily be fresh water as well, depending on maintenance and whether the boat in question has ever had electrical corrosion issues, whether from the boat/dock or slip neighbors. So keep operating them on a regular basis and keep an eye out for corrosion.....once a year is not enough IMO.
Two people I knew had sea cocks break at the threads and they just stepped on them. It was not visible but corrosion was the culprit on further investigation.....that is the very reason I don't like the idea of applying too much force to those 1/4 turn ball valves to remove etc.
The valves were jammed on our last boat when we got it, so I have been thru this....the marina where it was or owner never operated the valves for winterizing, plus like the OP here they were in a terrible place. Once loose ( waited till haulout ), I just used a short length piece of PVC pipe to make them easier to get to.....new owner was gifted the pipe...
The old Grocos if I remember the name right were built to repair/rebuild.....I miss that.
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Re: Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
Hans, this happens in fresh water as well if the valve is never moved. Don't forget that not all applications have strainers for winterizing. In those cases, the hoses are typically removed from the seacocks, there is no need to close them for winterizing so a lot of guys don't bother. If I'm in the engine bay for something and am near a seacock, I close and open it. It takes 2 seconds when they're in reach, then you'll know they won't seize and you can close them if there's ever an emergency.
My seacocks get lubricated every winter because I use the proper plumbing AND engine winterizing antifreeze, not the same as the cheap stuff Speaking of which, man is that going to be expensive this year
- km1125
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Re: Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
Also, MANY of them can be lubricated. At least on "real" marine ones there should be a drain plug opposite of the handle. You can remove that drain plug and replace it with a Zerk fitting (even just temporarily) and push some teflon grease in there while operating the valve a couple times. Fills the void in between the ball and housing in instead of water being in there.
I think as a lot more boats are getting stored in heated storage, some of these valves aren't even operated annually.
- bud37
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Re: Sea cock handle broke. Now what?
Viper wrote:Source of the post Bud, if you're talking about the ones I'm thinking of, yes they were Groco. The problem still applied back then though. They had a locking T-handle that you tightened so the valve wouldn't accidently change position. The problem again was that people didn't exercise them enough, so the T-handle would corrode in place and when you tried to loosen it you'd break the T, making it impossible to move the valve handle. Once that happened, it was toast and no rebuild kit would remedy the issue. Can't tell how many of those I've ran into over the years. They were a very popular design back in the day and there's still a lot of boats out there with them but no more rebuild kits from the OEM.
Yup, that was a while ago, they were nice for us guys that could take that valve apart, clean and lube it......the T handle was actually repairable as well.
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