# Lubricant for seacock



## FrankTugw2ell (Oct 26, 2003)

My thruhull began to drip when I closed the seacock, and I suspect it is out of round. I pulled the insert in the seacock out and cleaned it and the seacock (in the water--luckily my bilge pump was up to the job) and replaced it, but it still leaks unless I leave it in open position and screw the nut so tight that I can't close the valve without loosening the nut. Have I used the wrong lubricant? and what do I do if the seacock is out of round (having been left in open position for several years, I guess)?


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## RichH (Jul 10, 2000)

Go to an automotive supply store and get some 'fine' valve grinding compound - this will be used to re-polish the barrel and the plug. Remove the plug, apply the compound to both the plug and inner part of the barrel and turn (rotate - dont just 'rock-back-and-forth') until all is cleaned and repolished ... dont get carried away or the plug wont fit and the nuts will be too 'far away' to the side of the barrel when assembled - polish dont 'grind' deeply into the surface. 
(If you do this in the water, jamb plumbers putty into the throughull to 'stop the flood' -- its BEST to do this when the boat is hauled). 

The BEST sealing compound (auto store stuff) for the tapered plug valves is 'waterproof' wheel bearing grease ... try to find a WB Grease that has 'fiber added'. Apply to the barrel and plug, assemble the plug to the barrel and 'slightly tighten' the nuts and washers of the plug to the valve ... but NOT so tight so as to squeeze all the grease out of the valve .... just tighten so that there is a 'wee little bit of drag' when you rotate the handle - not so loose that there is no drag but not enough so that you dont squeeze all the grease out.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

You'd be better off replacing it with a ball-valve seacock.. The tapered plug type ones are not as good for marine use, as there is no guarantee that they are actually closed, and the handle doesn't provide a visual inidicator as to the status of the valve.

For lubrication of seacocks, I'd recommend using lanocote or anhydrous lanonlin.


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## pigslo (Nov 22, 2004)

Actually Sailingdog, the tapered do have a lever handle that indicates open or closed. I believe you are refering to the gate valves that you cannot tell if they are open or closed.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Yes, my bad... his description could be describing either a gate or a tapered plug valve. I'd still recommend going with the ball-valve rather than the either the gate or tapered plug. But that's my personal preference.


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## pigslo (Nov 22, 2004)

I had one gate and5 tapered that I replaced with Conbraco bronze body with stainless ball valve. Maintenance recomendations range from nothing to grease once a year.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Nothing wrong with a tapered bronze seacock, they're easily inspected and serviced and if you clean and regrease them periodically they'll give years of service. Whereas a ball cock style valve, has more parts, plastic seating surfaces and disimilar metals....


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## RichH (Jul 10, 2000)

Stainless steel is NOT a good metal for sea water, especially the polished surfaces of a ball. Chlorides WILL attack stainless; and, If the ball ever begins surface corrosion it will quickly wear the polymer seat .... and the valve will leak no matter what you do with it - open or closed it will make NO difference.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I'd go with BRONZE ball valve seacocks... I don't see how a ball valve is more complicated than a tapered plug seacock. Marelon, the only plastic I would use on a below-the-waterline through hull is reinforced, and quite durable. 

I'd also replace the through hulls with titanium ones...but that's just me.


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## flcapt (Mar 29, 2011)

*tapered sea cocks*

The procedure for re seating a proper tapered sea **** with simple valve grinding compound is correct. I prefer to use TefGel as the lubricant. It is a little stiff but does not wash out easily and reduces the de-zincification of the bronze surface that causes the leakage. I find Tapered valves preferable to ball type. They are easily serviced, even in the water if necessary. Ball valves have a limited life and must be replaced if neglected. Once they stiffen they do not recover. The labor and parts to remove dis-assemble and reinstall is more than the cost of the valve. Which is not cheap either. The movement away from plug valves is sad. I Hate having to tell customers that they need to spend $1000 plus on parts and labor to replace a 8 year old ball valve when a 50 year old plug valve could be over hauled in about an hour. If a plug valve is stuck the packing nut can be loosened and the the small end of the taper tapped with a mallet and a block of wood (to protect the threads) and the taper will release. With a frozen ball valve it is all over.


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

flcapt, I would have to agree. I like my tapered plug valves.

BTW, for a minute I thought SD was back... no, looks like this thread is rather old.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

sailingdog said:


> You'd be better off replacing it with a ball-valve seacock.. The tapered plug type ones are not as good for marine use, as there is no guarantee that they are actually closed, and the handle doesn't provide a visual inidicator as to the status of the valve.
> 
> For lubrication of seacocks, I'd recommend using lanocote or anhydrous lanonlin.


Huh? Tapered cone style seacocks are probably the longest lasting seacocks on the planet. The Spartan Bronze or old Wilcox Crittendens are near bomb proof. I have a 40+ year old tapered cone seacock sitting on my bench awaiting a a few turns with valve grinding compound, some grease and another 40 years of service. The handles are up=open/horizontal= closed just like a ball valve

Ball valves have taken over the seacock market but they will likely never outlast a true tapered cone seacock. I have yet to find a Spartan or old Wilcox that needed replacement because it could not be cleaned, lapped and re-used..

If you had said gate valves well then I agree 1000%...

*EDIT:* Sorry I see this was a thread from 2006! I am sure the the Dog has changed his position on tapered cones since..


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

flcapt said:


> I Hate having to tell customers that they need to spend $1000 plus on parts and labor to replace a 8 year old ball valve when a 50 year old plug valve could be over hauled in about an hour.


You should be using the Groco flanged adapters then. I can replace a ball valve as fast as a lapping and lubing of a tapered cone..

Permanently mounted ball valves are a thing of the past for me the Groco Flanged adapter makes this all possible.


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## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

sailingdog said:


> I'd go with BRONZE ball valve seacocks... I don't see how a ball valve is more complicated than a tapered plug seacock.


Not quite true.

Ball valves have face seals, where the ball faces the incoming flow. Tapered plugs do not have these seals: they rely on a close fit and the adjustment of the floating taper to maintan the seal. Tapered plugs have long been popular in industrial applications where large solids (a piece of wood) are possible. Force a ball valve closed on the wood and the seals are ruined; force a plug valve closed, and you have 2 pieces of wood.

It is important to have a VERY thick grease for sealant. Typically the valve manufacturers sell these. As described, they are water proof grease, often with fiber added, and at least as thich as terminal grease and often thicker. On industrial valves this often goes under a bolt in the stem; screwing the bolt down forces the lube into the gap through channels in the plug. Others have grease fittings. Too bad this hasn't spread to boats; it is VERY handy compared to what we face.

Without that in-place lubrication feature, most plant guys prefer ball valves; too many bas times with stuck plugs.


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## centaursailor (Nov 7, 2010)

Hope you ain,t still waiting for the best grease. I always use Vaseline.
I wouldn,t change a good old taper pulg for any new valve on todays market.

Safe sailing


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## ctj1950 (Oct 17, 2010)

Is it OK to use a Marelon ball valve below the water line?


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

ctj1950 said:


> Is it OK to use a Marelon ball valve below the water line?


Yes, that is what they are specifically designed for..


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## ctj1950 (Oct 17, 2010)

Is this an acceptable installation method? Or should I use the seacocks that have the flanged base? 
This
Boat Marine Plumbing Ball Valve Thru Hull
or this
Boat Marine Plumbing Flange Mounting Seacock Thru Hull

I'm planning on removing the old thru hull, backing plate and seacock. The old backing plate is plywood. Replace it with 1/2" GP fiberglass.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

Either is acceptable, but I'm partial to the flanged seacock and that is what I'll be using next month.


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## GaryHLucas (Mar 24, 2008)

Yep,
The only thing wrong with a bronze tapered plug seacock is the original cost. With a little maintenance once a year and you are good for 100 maybe 200 years!

I work with high pressure stainless ball valves on RO systems. I recently had a job where they delivered 28 defective stainless ball valves in sizes from 1" to 3"! I recognized the problem right away, because a different manufacturer had delivered about 10 defective ball valves, with the exact same problem on another job! It seems that ball valve 101 is no longer taught, and the guys who know have retired or been laid off. My fix for this problem was very simple. I picked up the phone and called the manufacturer and said "YOU have a serious safety problem with YOUR valves, and I have a plant to start up in seven days! I won't be helping you, but you will have them all repaired/replaced by time I get back to the jobsite next week!" It got done too!


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