stopcock letting by

[madmart]

I have a stopcock thats letting by in the closed position and would like to change to 1/4 turn ceramic. Problem is there is no flexibility in the pipe (only four inches from ground level and same where it goes into wall) to allow me to remove old stopcock.
Can you get service packs for what appears to be standard tap? If so it would probably be simpler to just repair old stopcock.
Thanks for any help offered.

 

[danielp]

try turning the one in the road off

 

[REDSAW]

try turning the one in the road off

then replace just the middle bit.

 

[Plouasne]

Not all stop valve bodies are the same, so if thinking about just changing the body check first

 

[helpsy]

Just had a look at a neighbours stoptap (seized).All boxed in, in solid mahogany,MDPE incoming,15mm copper outbound.The place was converted from a barn in 1979.I was wondering as not enough room to get in at the compression nuts,but possibly get a spanner on the stem.If I can get the gear out would this be metric threads possibly(from this era).If not where would it be likely that I could get a non standard fitting from.There is a retired plumber I know who has loads of old fittings(i just want to be as prepared for the worst case. I have loads of new stoptaps so if they fit all good and well,but if not???

 

[Plouasne]

Just had a look at a neighbours stoptap (seized).All boxed in, in solid mahogany,MDPE incoming,15mm copper outbound.The place was converted from a barn in 1979.I was wondering as not enough room to get in at the compression nuts,but possibly get a spanner on the stem.If I can get the gear out would this be metric threads possibly(from this era).If not where would it be likely that I could get a non standard fitting from.There is a retired plumber I know who has loads of old fittings(i just want to be as prepared for the worst case. I have loads of new stoptaps so if they fit all good and well,but if not???

Its my opinion that you would have to hold the body of the valve as well, to stop it twisting when you try and release the head works, the poly could move when you try and turn the head works, and "spring" the copper joint, I would try and see what make of valve (Prestex,YMI, or what ever) it was and get a complete replacement

Otherwise use a vernier gauge to measure the size of the head works, body of the valve, and get a like for like, then cross your fingers

Doing a job for a council once, nice little earner it was, replacing the stop valve to external toilets/sheds, all iron pipe it was, and I found out that you could do a "flier" and just change the heads whilst the mains were alive, until I came across one that had been replaced, and the head works was larger than the others and the new head works was too small, got drowned doing that one, and being December I got bloody cold as well as being wet through

 

[helpsy]

Cheers Plouasne
I had thought about blocking the pipe both sides with wood for undoing/doing up with all the tension etc.
I will have to get my telescopic mirror in there for any ident .You've got a job to get your hand in the "access" hole.
New in the trade but my neighbour told me he had ,had 3 other plumbers out over time and none of them wanted to do the job.I'd like to be able to help the old boy out,but I just want to be as pre prepared as possible.

 

[Plouasne]

I would also see if I could isolate the service in the road as well, before I did any work on the stop valve, just in case a joint is "sprung" and it starts to "weep"

At one time the British Standards were just that, a standard for manufacturers to work to, to enable different manufacturers head works etc to be interchangeable, now a days its performance related

I remember reading years ago, how the apprentice's at Peglars made a set of bath valves which took 4 hours to fill a bath, but still satisfied the relevant standard

Also showing my age now, a 4" cast iron "Bell mouth " gully raiser with just a 3" tail on it, at the building exhibition, when I asked how the fitting could be caulked (remember that the socket is 3" in depth, & the tail was only 3" long), all the reps could say is that it conforms to the British Standard Specification, I was removed from the stand when I asked if they knew what BSS stood for, "Bloody Silly Sods" I said, that's when the crowed that had gathered started ****ing themselves laughing and agreeing with me