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Cap or new seacock plus Cap?

AlanO

Member II
I'm a new owner and the POs replaced the head with a compositing head and left behind a seacock seized open for the direct pump-out option. A hose capped-off at the top of the starboard cockpit locker was the only thing preventing a gusher when heeled over, which did not seem all that skookum to me. I could not get the seacock to loosen up, but eventually I was able to remove it (3rd time's a charm). The bronze thru-hull located right at the waterline is serviceable and the plywood backing plate is solid.

Since this thru-hull is not currently needed my plan is to cap it off. My question is whether it is better to simply cap it off at the thru-hull or replace the seacock and cap it off there? I suppose I could also re-attach the capped-off hose after replacing the seacock as another option, but I'm inclined to get rid of something that is just taking up space.

Recommendations? I'm pretty much a novice at this stuff.

Thanks.

Alan
 

gabriel

Live free or die hard
You have a seacock or the original thru hull with a valve screwed on top?

this is a seacock:

94EDD8FA-2311-41E6-AA6B-9474C6AB10DC.jpeg48D48604-C1C6-47C5-9F0D-975E19732768.jpeg
 

AlanO

Member II
Frankly, I'm not sure what is original and what is not. The photos are from the pre-sale survey and would love to know if that Hammond valve is original. The white hose leads to the PVC cap in the second photo which right near the top of the cockpit locker. Currently we are in dry dock and I have the seacock/valve completely removed. The thru-hull is still in place. I was under the impression that a seacock and a valve connected to a thru-hull are basically the same thing. You seem to be implying that the term "seacock" has to be an all-in-one fixture that includes both the thru-hull and valve.

P4280295.JPGP4280287.JPG
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
While you're in there, consider those engine bay ventilation hoses taking up all that space. With blower on, how much air is moved?

Matter of choice, but I removed all blowers and maze of hoses from under cockpit, and rely on passive ventilation from cowls.
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Some good information here. https://marinehowto.com/replacing-thru-hulls-and-seacocks/
Best practice seams to be to install a seacock or flange adapter to support the thru hull. This may be overkill for your application but worth mentioning.


I used the flange adapters with a ball valve. For those that will not be used I put a bronze plug in the ball valve.

if you think you won’t use the thru hull at all you could also remove it and glass it over (if the boat is currently hauled out).
 

AlanO

Member II
Good question Christian. Wish I had an answer. I agree that the blower hoses make the lockers into a bit of a rat's nest. At a minimum they need to be routed better and more securely.

The POs left behind a card with the engine start-up routine and there are two items that are a mystery to me. Perhaps you have some insight.

We purchased the boat on-the-hard (long story) and it is still on-the-hard while we have much needed bottom work done. My entire on-the-water experience with the boat is the pre-sale sea trial and the seller's rep was skippering. Everything ran great during the sea trial. The only thing I recall being done when the boat was splashed for the sea trial was opening the raw seawater valve and burping the dripless shaft seal; however the start-up routine card mentions running the blower (something like 5 to 10 minutes before startup) and making sure the hot water tank is full. The mystery is I can't find any switch to turn on the blower or directions to fill the hot water tank. As you can see in the picture there is an AC switch for the water heater, but I believe that is just for running the heater at the dock. Would the blower run when the key is switched on? Since we are on the hard I haven't messed with anything on the engine control panel. Does pressurizing the water system also fill the hot water tank?

We've had possession of the boat for all of 2+ weeks, so we still have a lot to learn.


P1290054.JPGP1290086.JPG
 

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
The blower motor should turn on if you flick the small switch just left off the start key. You would need DC power turned on.
Blower motor is important to ruin about 5 minutes before starting for gas motors, but not really needed for diesel.
Frank
 

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Filling your water tank and running some water through the taps should ensure your water heater is full. You can check if there is water in it by briefly opening the spout valve, likely on the back of the water heater.
Turning the water heater on without water is bad for it, may cause it to turn itself off, though most have a red reset button to restart once you have water in it.
Frank
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
RE Water Heater: Almost all marine water heaters have 2 modes; AC electric heat and engine cooling system heat. NEVER run AC power to an empty water heater tank--it will burn up the AC heating elements. But, for engine-supplied heat, it is irrelevant whether the water heater is empty or full--you're just circulating antifreeze through the water heater so being empty can't hurt it.

RE Seacock/ball valve: Since you've already removed the old valve, I would just buy and install a new, working valve. Actual seacocks (with flanged bases) are better than the stem and valve combination, but the latter is much more common on our boats ( I have about 10 of them).

I would NOT just screw a cap on top of the threaded through-hull. Through-hull, seacock, and Marelon ball-valve threads are NPS (Nat'l Pipe-Straight). Most threaded caps will be NPT (Nat'l Pipe-Tapered). Since the two different threads are not compatible, the cap will be prone to cracking. This may be why the PO capped off the hose and not the valve.

Once you reinstall a new, working valve, you can remove the valve handle with the valve in the closed position. At that point capping the top the valve is not required but could still be accomplished in various ways if so desired.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
burping the dripless shaft seal

It's only necessary to burp a dripless shaft seal once after each launch, to make sure lubricating water gets in.

"Burping" just means compressing the bellows to open the gap between the rotor and its seat, at which a little water spurts in--proving lubrication. You can also burp the dripless if it drips or sprays a bit under power, to get rid of a piece of junk caught between the surfaces. The DSS rubber accordion needs to be routinely replaced on a schedule, for one that still looks good that's maybe every 6-10 years.

They generally need no other maintenance except the burping on launch, We are admonished not to get penetrating oil, or solvents, or an Ozone generator (used sometimes to fight smelly cabins) anywhere near the rubber of the bellows.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
You seem to be implying that the term "seacock" has to be an all-in-one fixture that includes both the thru-hull and valve.
That's true. And it's a lot stronger than the way of screwing a valve onto a thruhull.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Regarding the running of the exhaust blower, decades ago our mechanic advised us to run it any time the diesel engine is on. This helps to remove excess heat from around the engine. Better for the engine and especially better for the alternator.
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
You seem to be implying that the term "seacock" has to be an all-in-one fixture that includes both the thru-hull and valve.

The thru-hull fitting itself is always separate. The difference btwn a seacock and a valve is the flange. Without a flange, a valve relies on the thru-hull fitting itself for its structural support--it "floats" on top of the thru-hull. Yank on the connected hose, and you are putting stress directly on the thru-hull fitting.

Because its flange bolts directly to the hull, a seacock does not transfer any stresses from movement to the thru-hull fitting, it transfers those stresses directly to the hull.
 
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AlanO

Member II
Thanks for all the responses.

Given the time available to me, the serviceability of the existing thru hull, and cautions about the potential for mismatched threads with a cap, I replaced the valve and reconnected the hose (albeit about 6 inches shorter). Even though this valve is for a hose to nowhere, I left the handle on so I can exercise the valve regularly. Given the location of the valve/thru hull/hose, it should never experience more stress than exercising the valve.

Frank was correct in that the toggle switch next to the start key was for the blower, even though the adjacent label says "oil". Based on the air flow, I surmised that one hose is for outflow and the other is for inflow of ambient air. There was enough flow that it seems to make sense to keep the hoses/blower to help bleed off the heat from the engine.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Frank was correct in that the toggle switch next to the start key was for the blower, even though the adjacent label says "oil".

"...Furthermore, the oil light test switch was not on any Ericson wiring diagram I could find. So, taking advantage of the Ericson Forum, I asked Tom Metzger for help.

"Oil light test switch?" he said. "What is that? No such thing."

"Yes, there is. Look at the picture I sent. It's the switch right under the damned oil light."

"That's the blower switch. It's not on the schematic because the blower was optional. Do you have a blower?"

"Of course not. I threw it away last year. Who needs a blower with a diesel?"

"Well, you still have the switch." I could hear Metzger laughing while typing a thousand miles away. "Since it has nothing to do with the oil light, you can throw it away too."

From blog entry universal-m25-engine-wiring-upgrade-part-1-cockpit-gauges.
 
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