On Tuesday, April 17, 2012 10:12:05 AM UTC+10, Bruce wrote:

In passing, I always wondered what people using the so called
"dripless" shaft seals do in the event of a catastrophic failure of
the rubber flex housing? With a conventional stuffing box one can
re-pack it with old tee shirts and use Crisco for a lube but what
happens, way out there in the briny, when that red rubber hose bursts?

The usual answer is to avoid catastrophic failure with routine maintenance.

For example, PYI Inc (the manufacturer of the Packless Shaft Seal fitted on my shaft) recommends replacing the rubber bellows every 6 years.

Failures have been reported to be associated with poor engine room practices, including allowing oils and greases to contact the rubber bellows.

Especially in warm tropical water with high organic content, the stator of the PSS can stick to the rotor. Rotating the shaft by hand to break the stiction reduces stress on the bellows.

Cheers

Bil
--
Penang