Seacock warning, probably most relevant to Australians

[NevilleCat]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Typically chrome plated brass. The good ones have stainless steel shafts and handles.


That sounds galvanically bad, but the unlike metals don't touch. The balls and shafts run in PTFE seals.



I think it's worthwhile regularly checking all underwater fittings of whatever design for dezincification.

Thanks for that. Interestingly it appears from following some of the previous links to expensive ball valves, that they mostly use a brass shaft and chromed ball.
Looking at the "cheap" one it also seems to have a brass shaft and chromed ball running in what looks to be a PTFE seal.
I guess we can't tell a good one from a suspect one by eye anyhow. It looks like they have made it as per the expensive ones...maybe a different alloy of brass perhaps?
Or the shop has changed suppliers since the OP's blue handled one?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Wotname

I have made the bold assumption that the fouling can only occur on the outside face of the ball (when the valve is closed) but I guess it is possible for some to occur of the inside face but if so, it must minor as there is no sunlight and minimal raw water of that side - yes????

If such an assumption is correct, then these face and seals should last a lot longer than the outside ones.

Like you, I always had mine closed unless in actual use in the moment. I guess if left open, stuff can grow on the bore of the ball but would that cause sale deterioration?

My knowledge is not sufficient to answer these questions.



What you are assuming sounds right to me though.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by NevilleCat

Thanks for that. Interestingly it appears from following some of the previous links to expensive ball valves, that they mostly use a brass shaft and chromed ball.
Looking at the "cheap" one it also seems to have a brass shaft and chromed ball running in what looks to be a PTFE seal.
I guess we can't tell a good one from a suspect one by eye anyhow. It looks like they have made it as per the expensive ones...maybe a different alloy of brass perhaps?
Or the shop has changed suppliers since the OP's blue handled one?

Well, the good ones are 95-5-5-5 bronze and are made in Europe, not China.


They have stainless, not brass shafts, and stainless handles.


You can easily tell the cheap ones from the cheap galvanized handles.



You can't tell what the ball is made out of by looking at it because it is covered with chrome. Bronze balls would probably be nice -- I have had the chrome flake off the brass ones once or twice -- but I'm not aware whether such are available.

[Dockhead]

By the way, Maestrini have a new type of ball valve with a polymer, rather than chromed brass, ball. Supposedly improved, and more expensive, but nice looking:



https://www.dockyard-mag.com/post/20...nze-ball-valve


The 2" one costs £174, which is over $200, but it looks pretty nice. The shaft and all other parts other than the ball and the stainless handle are all made of bronze.

[TeddyDiver]

Actually this is the only acceptable consept IMHO. Except this has a smallish flange for only two bolts

[s/v Jedi]

Unfortunately it has a nickel plated brass handle...

[Breaking Waves]

If you want bronze/flanged . . . .

Apollo Full Flow Sea Flange Valve (78 Sea Flange Valves)
Material: Bronze Body with Chrome Plated Bronze Ball
Stainless Steel Lever and Nut

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Breaking Waves

If you want bronze/flanged . . . .

Apollo Full Flow Sea Flange Valve (78 Sea Flange Valves)
Material: Bronze Body with Chrome Plated Bronze Ball
Stainless Steel Lever and Nut

Attachment 207917

That there is the genuine deal.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Unfortunately it has a nickel plated brass handle...

Why unfortunately?


The other cheaper model, the one I have, has stainless handle, with a stainless shaft. This one I guess uses brass because of the bronze shaft since there is metal to metal contact between the shaft and the handle. I don't see anything at all wrong with that.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Breaking Waves

If you want bronze/flanged . . . .

Apollo Full Flow Sea Flange Valve (78 Sea Flange Valves)
Material: Bronze Body with Chrome Plated Bronze Ball
Stainless Steel Lever and Nut

Attachment 207917

That's nice. I prefer the ball valves like this, to the tapered cone ones.

[bcboomer]

Originally Posted by leftbrainstuff

While synthetic valves tend to overcome the corrosion issue they suffer from stiction. The weaker designs can still fail catastrophically. Ergo back to actual bronze.
.

I disagree. My boat had a mixture of Marlon and bronze when I bought it 7 years ago. The Marlon stuck most of the time and the surveyor couldn't guarantee the condition of the bronze.
I replaced them with Trudesign and haven't had any sticking at all. I've never lubricated them and 2 of them only get opened every couple of years
And no worries about corrosion.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Why unfortunately?


The other cheaper model, the one I have, has stainless handle, with a stainless shaft. This one I guess uses brass because of the bronze shaft since there is metal to metal contact between the shaft and the handle. I don't see anything at all wrong with that.

Because nickel doesn’t hold up well, nor does brass. The handle should have been bronze or stainless steel, like you wrote and thought it was.

Apollo and Groco are the leaders today. WC was top of the line for the tapered ones.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Because nickel doesn’t hold up well, nor does brass. The handle should have been bronze or stainless steel, like you wrote and thought it was.

Apollo and Groco are the leaders today. WC was top of the line for the tapered ones.

Nickel plated brass? Nickel is a very expensive but very robust plating material, used in many industrial applications. I would think that would hold up very well indeed, far better than the typical galvanised steel handles.


But in any case, I will try and see and report back. I'll be replacing the last of my 18 year old ball valves in April and will try these. The valves being replaced are also Maestrini and have given great service. In fact they are still going strong; I'm only replacing them because I think 18 years is pretty much timed out.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Nickel plated brass? Nickel is a very expensive but very robust plating material, used in many industrial applications. I would think that would hold up very well indeed, far better than the typical galvanised steel handles.


But in any case, I will try and see and report back. I'll be replacing the last of my 18 year old ball valves in April and will try these. The valves being replaced are also Maestrini and have given great service. In fact they are still going strong; I'm only replacing them because I think 18 years is pretty much timed out.

Brass handles are just not up to the task, no plating can change that. Nobody said that galvanized steel is better; the top valves have stainless steel handles.

In fact, your Maestrini valves have probably held up so well because they have stainless steel handles. I recommend you put those handles on your new valves

[Pegu Club]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Get the Groco flanged adapters, put a Groco valve on top. Can be ordered from Defender and shipped worldwide.

This^^^
We Replaced all of our through hulls and seacocks with Groco fittings when we did our refit in 2015, quality product.

Fair winds,