1960's stopcock

[mid life crisis]

G'day

I have just found a slow leak that has knackered half my kitchen floor due to the stopcock drain off washer dying
Had a plumber in who told me as my house is 1960's vintage none of the modern fittings are compatable.
Managed to repair the washer in the drain off bit so stopped the leak but the damn tap which screws into the main body is totally seized up! Plumber said it was the old 3/4" type and you cant buy them anymore. True or ******?
I asked him if he could just fit a new stopcock entirely but again the said no as the incoming water supply was 20mm? and the new stuff is 25mm?
Can a new stopcock be fitted or was i fobbed off?

Thanks in advance

MLC

 

[salem2000]

Had same prob in our 1930's bungi. 3/4" Galv Steel feed to new 22mm copper, had to use connector to convert from steel (imperial) to copper (metric).
Meant replacing some pipework and took ages to undo old joints, but new Stopcock is in place and works fine.

 

[Bahco]

You can get 20 mm x15mm stoptaps
Fit the 20mm side to your incoming supply and the other side to your pipework which I presume will be half inch and will fit the 15 mm side of the tap.
You will have to turn off your supply at the boundary prior to work of course.
If you cannot locate a 20mm stoptap you can use plastic couplers to join supply pipe to copper and then fit a 15mm stoptap just past it.
Good luck

 

[mid life crisis]

Thanks for the replies gents
Pretty much all the plumbing in the house has been renewed over the years, its just the incoming black plastic water pipe thats original.
I will need to get it sorted in the near future as we have put the flooding through the insurance. 3x4m new floorboards, base units and 3x5m new vynil, dread to think what the bill will be but thats what the insurance is for.

Are these stopcocks available or is it a special order?
As you can see i know nowt about plumbing fittings lol

Regards

MLC

 

[breezer]

its just the incoming black plastic water pipe thats original.

cant be? origonal pipes were lead

 

[oilman]

.....origonal pipes were lead

WHAT??!!! in a 1960 house?

 

[breezer]

probably

 

[Bahco]

If the incoming supply is black it will probably be the old 3/8 bore pipe and will not be 20mm so the 20 mm stoptap will be of no use.
I suggest you take a small piece of it to a plumbers merchants and ask for a coupler to fit. It is probably 18 mm coupler to 15 mm that you need.
I had a game doing mine as it was a manipulative fitting. Try Travis Perkins if no joy at a merchants who will stock plastic fittings that couple your supply pipe to 15 mm

 

[pipme]

A good soaking in WD40 can be very effective in unseizing taps etc.
Have to use WD40 every year on my 1968 inside stop cock (works on outside one as well ) Black plastic water main in, very hard water area. ...

P

 

[mid life crisis]

Certainly a hard water area mate.....

I will try the WD40 route as i just bought some lol

Numpnett eh......Clevedon myself.

Thanks again

MLC

 

[pipme]

Hi MLC,

Many a good night in Pier Hotel ... Bopping on the end of the pier ... 1962'ish I am afraid !!

P

 

[mid life crisis]

Pier's still there lol

One end of the hotel burned down though

 

[pipme]

MLC, Yeah, been to Clevedon recently.

Portishead marina looking good these days.
I wonder if they still sell 'screech' at the Anchor ? ... or does it still exist ? The Weasel's old haunt !!

P