Nickel Plated Brass Valves being sold as Stainless Steel Mexico West Coast

[Mexicolder Mike]

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD
As a Marine Surveyor and Professional Marine Engineer I feel I am duty bound to inform you of the following:
It seems that some Mexican Marine Chandleries are passing off nickel plated brass and regular steel ball valves as stainless steel “marine grade” valves. If you have had any through hull work done whilst in Mexico this may apply to you. It is very simple to ascertain whether or not your valves are defective. Just take a magnet and if it is attracted to the valve body with the valve in the open position then you need to replace the valve. The ball part of the valve is regular steel. You can see the magnet sticking to the valve on the right hand side of the photo.


Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and has virtually no properties of being able to withstand electrolytic or stray current corrosion.
With reference to A.B.Y.C. guidelines all through hull fittings, valves and associated pipework should be bronze or “Marelon”a high strength plastic manufactured by Forespar.
Brass - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bronze - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
What Is Marelon

Sincerely,
Michael P. Wilson
Recognized Marine Surveyor
Mazatlan. Sinaloa. Mexico.