Stuffing Box question

Newsgroups Archive Prior to 2025
1

Peter, 
Consider reviewing the Marine How To website discussion on repacking a traditional stuffing box. The site states “ three rings of packing is optimal but it is not a huge deal if the nut will fit only two.” Implied is a minimum of two rings. Also suggested is 4 full thread peaks of engagements between the female nut and the male stuffing box threads. At one ring, I’d monitor it for drip rate since compression is limited to one ring and offset seams in multiple packing rings is lacking.
I had the same problem repacking my stuffing box on my v drive with 1/4” packing recommended in my NS 33 manual. In the end, I went with 3 rings of 3/16” packing. No problems or excessive dripping.

Ken Dakin
NS 33 #7
Sashay
Kingston ON

2

Hi Ken,

Thank you for your input. Marine How To is a great tool and I used them all of the time, and particularly before I did the stuffing box.

Though the drip rate seemed optimal yesterday, today I will check again, and perhaps also to see how far in the packing was pushed in once the threads engaged yesterday… there may now be enough room to insert the second ring.

Will post again.

Peter