Ballast valve replacement

[Don T]

Hello,
If the original valve was ABS then I would say it'll be OK. It's a statement about bonding strength I think. Urethane and some products don't like to stick to each other (like any butyl product). They do make a primer for urethane that we use in automotive windshield replacement to insure good adhesion to painted surfaces. You could try that on your valve prior to mounting it. If the primer sticks well the urethane 4200 surely will.

Don T

[richter372001]

Hi Srdjan,

Do not use 4200. Note that 3M indicates that 5200 is compatible with ABS, but it also makes a permanent bond.

Belinda Garcia
Customer Service
Valterra Products, LLC
15230 San Fernando Mission Blvd., #107
Mission Hills, CA 91345
Ph. 818.898.1671 Fax. 818.361.5389 C-TPAT Certified [email protected]

[paul I]

You can also go with one of the Boatlife Life Calk products. There are 2 varieties, with the difference being the material it is being applied to. DO NOT use 5200. The gate valve may need changing again in the future and it will be mighty tough getting those bolts out.

[Crikey]

Srdjan, I had to turn my system backwards due to unforseen circumstances ( ) and as a result, wanted to use the strongest sealant possible. I would consider using the best salt water option, considering your location. It's not epoxy - it can be cut with a (razor) blade and abraded or cleaned off with acetone practically as well as 4200. Under normal conditions, it's not something you're going to visit frequently, so the extra hassle could be worth it.
In the stock configuration the weakest link is the standard-thread screws relying on the fiberglass for anchoring. If you combined the water-hammer effect of a partially filled ballast acting against a closed valve gate, you might possibly exceed that capability. Otherwise I'd go with the salt water resistance...

[seahouse]

Years ago you needed to (well, “proper” procedure called for it) change the thermostat in cars to a hotter one in the winter (more cabin heat and defrosting), and a colder one in the summer. (Cars run hotter all the time now). Each time that would require scraping off the old gasket, and replacing it along with a Loctite-type dedicated brown gasket sealer that needed scraping and replacing again and again.

Being a university student on a limited budget, I coated both surfaces (cast iron; the block and the thermostat housing) with a thin layer of oil, then siliconed (any old RTV silicone is good for temperatures higher than this sees) both sides of the gasket in place, fully tightening the screws after the silicone had set. The oil film prevented a good bond to the metal, and yet allowed enough for a good water and pressure (~14 psi) proof seal.

I then reused that same gasket over and over again for years with no scraping, no risk of getting the scrapings in the cooling system, and no leaks. Swapping the thermostats every six months after that was a breeze.

So what does any of this have to do with the price of eggs in Croatia?

Srdjan, there might be a way that you can still use the 5200 because it is compatible with ABS but tone down its adhesive abilities to the transom gel coat in a similar way. I would suggest trying a coat of wax on the gel coat in an inconspicuous spot and try a dab of 5200 on it. If the wax prevents good adhesion and the bead releases when set, and there is no degradation at the bead surface, then use it around the hole in the transom. If not, try something else, maybe a layer of petroleum jelly wiped thin? Wax paper? WD-40? Etc? You could use the same on the threads of the mounting screws.

The next time the valve needs to be replaced the 5200 will come off the transom with the valve. Just a thought.

Is there any way of knowing what the factory used on assembly?

-B.

[richter372001]

Is there any way of knowing what the factory used on assembly?

-B.

Just emailed Tattoo the same question. Let's test their customer service : )

Srdjan

[kurz]

Srdjan, I had to turn my system backwards due to unforseen circumstances ( )

Crikey, how is the result of your hydrofoil wings? I guess it is for motoring?

[richter372001]

Tattoo:
We use 3M 5200 sealant

I guess that settles it. I hope I will be able to remove the old sealant : )

[Russ]

Tattoo:
We use 3M 5200 sealant

I guess that settles it. I hope I will be able to remove the old sealant : )

That's the problem with 5200. It's permanent. That's why I would use 4200. If the seal leaks, your ballast tank fills up. No big deal as most of the time we want the ballast full anyway.

If you don't plan on removing the valve again, 5200 is fine.

[Tomfoolery]

If the seal leaks, your ballast tank fills up. No big deal as most of the time we want the ballast full anyway.

This. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Summarized in a nutshell.

The tank holds something like 160-170 gallons, so a little leakage over an entire day heeled over shouldn't make any discernible difference, and since it's likely flooded when sitting at the dock, any that leaked out would leak back in. But we're talking drops, not gallons.

[paul I]

If the seal leaks, your ballast tank fills up. No big deal as most of the time we want the ballast full anyway.

This. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Summarized in a nutshell.

The tank holds something like 160-170 gallons, so a little leakage over an entire day heeled over shouldn't make any discernible difference, and since it's likely flooded when sitting at the dock, any that leaked out would leak back in. But we're talking drops, not gallons.

I tend to agree here. You could probably use any type of waterproof sealant and not have any problems. It is not a critical seal and need not be absolutely water tight. We are making more of this than its worth.

[Don T]

Holy smacks, use the 5200. It's not that hard to get off especially with plastic parts. I have had the sliding hatch rails, clutches, pulleys, fairleads, cam cleats and centerboard on and off more than once and all set with 5200.

Don T

[RobertB]

To be honest, this is not really that big of an issue. All the sealant is doing is to bed in the valve. Use whatever is handy. There are no high pressure leaks that need to be prevented, nor any danger if there is a leak. All you are doing is attaching a ballast valve where if there is a leak, there are no problems. My personal opinion would use something that would hold but not prevent disassembly in the future. The factory likely uses 5200 since it works for everything and they do not want two kinds of sealant on the shop floor. Even if you do use 5200, the bond line is accessible with a razor blade.
Put your valve on and go sailing.

BTW, I do appreciate using the proper adhesive when the application is important. I designed the cover set for the YF-22 aircraft and bonded most of the parts together since I wanted no metal that could damage the "paint". Selection of the different adhesives was very involved.

[Don T]

Hello,
Any sealer you use needs to protect the screw holes from water intrusion where damage from freezing could occur. Other than that, it's meant to have water on both sides.

[Capt Smitty]

When I removed my broken, 10 year old valve some of the gel coat came off with it. After repairing that, I sealed my new valve with a large O-ring. Used a little 4200 in the screw holes.