LEAD MAIN QUESTION.

[wass3304]

I inadvertantly snapped the stopcock at a friends house (in the off position i think) so i need to turn the water off outside and replace the stopcock for him. I have a couple of questions and any help would be very much appreciated! The main is lead all the way up to the cold water tank in the loft, which is very old and galvanised. I realise i will need to use a leadlock fitting but is it a requirement to rip the lead out and replace it or can i just change the stopcock? Also would you replace the galvy tank? One last thing, the mains are off to the ball valve in the cold water tank, but also the upstairs cold taps are now off, but there is mains to the sink in the kitchen still! Has anyone come across a mains branched off before the stopcock? isnt it quite unusual to have mains fed cold taps upstairs aswell? thanks for your time reading this and for any help or advice you can give.
Chris. (inexperienced and rather bad plumber) P.S. do plumbing jobs ever go straightforward!!!???? i havent had an easy one yet, i only went to this one to plumb in a dishwasher!!!

 

[ChrisR]

I realise i will need to use a leadlock fitting but is it a requirement to rip the lead out and replace it

no

or can i just change the stopcock?

Yes, but you aren't supposed to use copper before lead , on the run.

Also would you replace the galvy tank?

Without delay. They fail suddenly

One last thing, the mains are off to the ball valve in the cold water tank, but also the upstairs cold taps are now off, but there is mains to the sink in the kitchen still! Has anyone come across a mains branched off before the stopcock?

Unfortunately. Can be from next door even.

isnt it quite unusual to have mains fed cold taps upstairs aswell?

No

thanks for your time reading this and for any help or advice you can give.

It ought to all come out. Not a small job though.

Chris. (inexperienced and rather bad plumber) P.S. do plumbing jobs ever go straightforward!!!????

Almost never

 

[wass3304]

Thanks so much for all that, i can let matey know that i really should do the whole main and the tank, poor bloke i told him it would only take ten minutes!! cheers again for sharing your knowledge and experience.

 

[wass3304]

Wondering if anyone can help a bit further, im not familiar with the old lead sizes, if i want a leadloc for a bit of lead thats slightly bigger than 22mm copper does anyone know what poundage im after? cheers!

 

[pannierstan]

The common one is 7 lb, try that first if not it might be 9 lb

Stan

 

[Agile]

Unless you love driving round unnecessarily you should get a 7 lb and a 9 lb and use which ever seems more correct.

Its usually a waste of time trying to fit one on a curved piece of pipe.

Tony

 

[kevplumb]

Its usually a waste of time trying to fit one on a curved piece of pipe.

thank you sherlock

it's also a waste of time if you don't shave the fin off the lead