Sail Delmarva: Marine Heads--What Chemicals Should I be Testing?

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Marine Heads--What Chemicals Should I be Testing?

For several months, I've been torturing Joker valves by soaking them in various chemicals to see how they react. Measured are stiffness, change in size, and leakage after exposure. I've looked at...

Fresh water
Sea water
Propylene glycol (25%)
Ethylene glycol (25%)
Olive oil (98% sea water)
Canola oil (98% sea water)
Corn oil (98% sea water)
Urine
Several holding tank treatments

For what it's worth, there is no such thing as a canola plant; it is CANadian rape seed Oil Low Acid. I guess "rape seed" had an image problem.

Scheduled are...

Ammonia (since the nitrile valves did not react well to stale urine--they got stiff)
Bleach (30% dilution of 3% hypochlorite house hold bleach)
Vinegar
CLR (dilute lactic acid--5% as used)
Baby oil
Super Lube
Water proof bearing grease
Methanol-based antifreeze
Lysol toilet bowl cleaner

Manual head joker valves from left to right: Jabsco, Groco, Raritan

Does anything else come to mind? Some cleaner that some one might actually use? So far, all are demonstrating considerable chemical resistance, though pluses and minuses are appearing. The material is either neoprene (Jabsco) or nitrile (Raritan and Groco). Which is doing better? Mixed results, depending on the chemical.

3 comments:

BenJanuary 20, 2013 at 2:15 PM
I would tend to think going with some harder solvents, but my boss is a chemist. I'd probably at least test household solvents like acetone and gas / diesel.
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BillJanuary 21, 2013 at 10:08 AM
Some people flush muriatic acid through the system. I have no first-hand experience.
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BillJanuary 24, 2013 at 9:51 AM
You might add the joker valve froma Henderson (Lavac) pump.
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Table of Contents

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Sunday, January 20, 2013

Marine Heads--What Chemicals Should I be Testing?

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