High quality Freeman Cruiser bronze sea cock gate valve that can be opened or closed to enable or prevent water flow from the engine water cooling sea cock on the bottom of the boat to the seacock filter housing and engine cooling system.
High quality Freeman Cruiser bronze sea cock gate valve that can be opened or closed to enable or prevent water flow from the engine water cooling sea cock on the bottom of the boat to the sea cock filter housing and engine cooling system.
The engine sea cock provides the marine engine with cooling water taken directly from the river. This engine cooling water passes through the sea cock filter housing & filter into the engine water cooling system.
It is important that the sea cock valve is functional at all times, for example the 'gate' on the inside of the valve should be able to be closed (preventing water passing through) and opened (allowing water to pass through) to cool the engine down whilst it runs.
Why would I need to close the sea cock gate valve?
Being able to close the gate valve is very important. A closed gate valve allows you to check on the condition of the sea cock filter and remove foreign matter and debris so that you have a clear water system to cool the engine down. The sea cock filter, which is located in the sea cock housing, is designed to collect debris that is sucked into the system. Clearing the filter is a daily activity so if the sea cock gate valve cannot be closed, water may fill the bilge, if inspection or renewal of the filter is required.
As any skin fitting on board is quite literally a 'hole-in-the-bottom' closing the sea cock is an essential safety feature that prevents unwanted water entering the boat, it is also required for preparing the engine for the winter months too.
What are the signs of a faulty gate valve?
Sea cock gate valves can experience a lot of strain during the season, if you think about it, there is a lot of pressure on the valve for example the weight of the boat is trying to force water up the skin fitting. There are some important clues to look for as part of a regular maintenance routine that included:
Checking whether water is seeping out from either of the connections, this maybe a simple re-tightening job? However, be careful not to distort or twist any of the underwater fixing bolts as you will need to be pulled out of the water to fix this issue.
Checking whether water is seeping from the handle neck. There is usually a type of gland packing within the top nut - this maybe able to be tighten, however this is usually limited as to how much you can tighten it up - a new valve will be required once tightened to its maximum.
During the winter, particularly during below zero temperatures, the gate valves can take further strain from frozen water in the system. If you are lucky, the sea cock cap gives in first (which it is designed to do, and, why being able to close a gate valve is so important). If you are not so lucky the neck section can crack leading to a replacement gate valve.
Another easy step to check is whether the handle itself is working correctly. If there is play in the turning handle, or, when you spin the handle, the valve doesn't move it generally means a replacement is wise.
| GV077A | GV077B | |
| Suitable for | Usually found on the Petrol Engine Freeman Cruisers | Usually found on the Diesel Engine Freeman Cruisers |
Although these are the usual sea cock gate valves found on the Freeman Cruisers and generally speaking the correct sizes for the engine installation. However, during the manufacture of the boats customers could decide on the engine selection after the construction allowing for slight variations over time. Please contact us if you are unsure as to the suitability of these sea cock gate valves for your boat. Always seek profesional advice when considering replacing the gate valve in the water.
