leaking stopcock

greenbeans · Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:14 pm Post Subject: leaking stopcock

Hello. My mains stopcock is leaking from the spindle.Stopcock works ok (ish) but is rough.I need good working order due to imminent arrival of new bathroom suite. plastic incoming pipe, copper after.Stopcock is approx. 25 years old. I cannot at the moment isolate supply in street due to debris (awaiting water authority)Is there anyway I can repair leak or will I have to wait for waterboard to make their valve operational?

JPC · Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:40 pm Post Subject:

if u do a search u'll find the answer

__________________
Jamie

greenbeans · Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:52 pm Post Subject: stopcock

JPC wrote:

if u do a search u'll find the answer

Thanks JPC. Search results were not specific enough.Search points to possible gland packing problem. With stopcock fully shut there is approx 2 drips of water per second. With stopcock fully open there is approx 1 drip every 2 seconds. The water is leaking along the "shaft" of the stopcock. Does this suggest gland packing? To remove gland nut I have to "turn off at the mains" Posts are unclear if this means turn off at my mains stopcock or turn off at water boards stopvalve in street outside.
Sorry if this seems obvious to all, but I have a vision of a huge plume of high pressure water filling my garage if I don't get it right! Thanks for information.

croydoncorgi · Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:56 pm Post Subject:

If you turn OFF the stopvalve and then loosen the glandnut ONLY, nothing much can leak out (the water is still off).

But have you tried just tightening the gland nut? 95 times out of 100, that stops glands from leaking.

oldskool_plumbski · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:52 am Post Subject: leaky stop cock.

shut of the stopcock, completely undo the packing gland nut and lift up towards the spindle crotch, place P.T.F.E. tape evenly round the nut about four or five times clock wise, re-do nut up reasonably tight, Job done.

Nige F · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:57 am Post Subject:

You took the words right outa my mouth Oldi

I do like you moniker

Wish I`d thought of it.

streethawk · Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 11:27 pm Post Subject:

croydoncorgi wrote:

If you turn OFF the stopvalve and then loosen the glandnut ONLY, nothing much can leak out (the water is still off).

But have you tried just tightening the gland nut? 95 times out of 100, that stops glands from leaking.

I was one of the 95