|
|
|
|
|||||
|
||||||
From: (no name) (no email)
Date: Sat Aug 21 1999 - 12:07:03 EDT
In a message dated 8/19/99 4:08:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:
<< cone or gate valving, I guess. >>
There is a vast difference between a cone seacock and a gate valve. Figure
it out and get back to us.
The only seacocks I am familiar with are the Wilcox-Crittenden "Ful-Flo"
flange base, tapered cone plug, bronze seacocks - the big, expensive kind you
bolt onto the hull. They are the only kind I use. Since thruhulls would
only take up space in the flow channel so I don't use them.
To free a stuck seacock of this type, with the conical bronze plug:
Loosen the plug's locknut and adjusting nut a turn or two. First spray some
lube juice (I like the LPS-1, LPS-2, LPS-3 series) on the threads. I find a
pair of large Channelock gripping pliers, the kind with the blue handles,
about 14" long useful here.
Determine if the seacock is open or closed. The mold mark on the handle end
of the plug goes the same way as the hole in the plug. That is, if the mold
mark is at right angles to the hull, the valve is open and you are lucky. If
it is closed grease will not help free it as the grease will go into the
plug's passageway. If the seacock is open inject grease into it by removing
the two 1/8" pipe plugs on the body, install two grease fittings in their
place (ordinary steel from the auto parts store will do temporarily, but
replace with stainless very soon) and pump some grease in. Rap on the plug a
bit and wiggle the handle around and stress the valve to see if the grease
loosened it. Remove the handle and put something heavy against the seacock
housing body just above the handle end of the plug and strike the adjusting
nut end of the plug with the biggest, heaviest thing you can get. The idea
is to strikemoderate blows all over to loosen it and then strike with
something very heavy against the adjusting nut end to pop it loose.
If this doesn't work get a propane torch. Get the kind that has the piezzeo
sparker. You pick it up and squeeze the button to get a flame. When you
release the button the flame goes off. The kind with the turn valve you
light with a striker is too dangerous - I almost burned my house down when
one fell over in use.
Wrap dripping wet cloth around the base of the seacock to keep it below 212
deg and then apply lots of heat very quickly to the bronze body gripping the
plug. It is best to use lots of heat for a short time so use the biggest,
hottest torch you can get. I use the burning attachment for my oxyacetylene
rig. Heat it up and rap on it with your hammers.
It would help a lot if you could get some pressure against the adjusting nut
end of the plug with a gear puller or something cobbled up with threaded rod
and 2x4s.
Grease (if valve is open), rap, push on the plug, heat, back-up the
body/strike the plug. Increase the ferocity of all of these forces until the
plug comes free.
When plug is free, take up slack in the adjusting nuts, pump in grease and
rotate the plug until it rotates smoothly. Later you can remove the plug and
clean it up if you really want to but I have found clean seacocks sometimes
leak. After a while in use corrosion fills up gaps and the seacock stops
leaking. I tend to not clean seacocks but move them often and grease them if
they get stiff.
Good Luck,
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Anchored Ocean City NJ
___________________________________________________________________________
|| The Live-Aboard List : send a "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" request ||
|| in body of message to: ||
|