Quote:
Originally Posted by David M
Who are the manufacturers of the valves you describe? I need something that is going to be as tough as the Marelon valves in order to cover my rear end....but don't stick like Marelon valves.
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David, sorry but I cannot give any leads regarding typical manufacturers in North America but by way of example these are some that are made in
Australia Philmac - Products - Valves . Look for "Blue Handled Ball Valves" on that page and in the Technical library there is a technical manual for valves which a ways into it the technical details of these valves are described, including all materials in them and service conditions/chemical resistance. There is also a technical manual for pipe fittings which includes glass filled fittings - mention that to give an example of what is available in case not known.
These valves and their descriptions may give you a lead as to what to look into there in the US should you wish.
These are real
cheap (in
price, not construction) valves and widely used here and even
sold in most chandleries where at their prices a 1-1/2 inch valve still runs only about the equivalent of US$35. They don't have any of the problems others report for the Forespar valves - personally I have only used their 3 port valves in black water system and wouldn't use them again, going to 3 port plastic industrial instead.
These same valves were used on my own
steel boat below the WL when it was professionally built for me in 1996 and I have to say I wondered about them. But as they were both easily swapped out later if they were a problem and the
builder was a very well regarded one I kept my mouth shut (quite a job to do at times when it comes to boats
). But they have proven to be fine with no problems at all and no maintenance yet needed (but at the
price I would just swap them out) - I would always use plastic again in my own boat. I make the point though that abrasive fouling may be less here due to cooler water temperatures than I expect are found in your home waters.
Obviously, in a
power boat one would not use them in an
engine room below the WL but while a matter of how relaxed one is about plastic I personally have no issue with using them below the waterline in my own
sail boat after experiencing them. Obvious nil
corrosion issues for a metal hull - they are certainly stronger than any reinforced plastic through hull fitting is and I suspect if on an aluminium nipple one could destroy the nipple before the valve. Really just leaves exposure to fire and I
work on the assumption that in a metal boat if one has a fire of such force down in the
bilge outside of a protected compartment then I won't be on the boat, and on a plastic boat - well
.
As I said before, for aluminium boats going into class have had similar plastic valves for above waterline
overboard discharges and everyone has been happy including the classification society surveyors.
The choice between ss and plastic is difficult for aluminium hulled vessels, I think emotionally driven against plastics and of course ss is much more expensive. If going into class, while I have not tested the acceptability of plastic with any society, one is probably stuck with ss below the WL just as you say it is for USCG. As I know you are well aware of, other parties such as insurers may have a say as far as compliance is concerned.