Lead Mains & Leaking Mains Stopcock (-photos added)

[Softus]

Your neighbours will probably be uninterested in chipping in though, unless the water stops working.

That can easily be arranged

 

[jack_s]

I thought I would have to get the Water Board in to replace stopcock
as I assumed only they could isolate the mains (as there is no stopcock on pavement).

Should this be a straightforward job for a plumber
-putting a new stopcock into lead piping ??

===============================================

i would suggest , if ur staying in the property for many years,get a new main. if not, get a local plumber to freeze pipe and fit new stop tap or repair old.

 

[chrishutt]

I thought I would have to get the Water Board

A bit late for that - Water Boards were abolished 16 years ago and replaced by private companies.

As for fitting a new stop valve on an incoming main, that should be a straightforward job for an experienced plumber. The pipe will need to be frozen first.

 

[jack_s]

Can a plumber can fit new stopcock into Lead piping with no problem ??

As for fitting a new stop valve on an incoming main, that should be a straightforward job for an experienced plumber. The pipe will need to be frozen first.

 

[Chris_4536]

It is most certainly possible to connect a new stop cock onto exisitng lead pipes, the fitting required is called a 'Lead Lock' it is a fairly straight forward procedure. The pipe will need to be frozen though if it is not possible to isolate the supply by other means.

I must point out im an not sure about the regs. concerning connecting onto exisiting lead pipe as I do n ot have my copy to hand.

Regards,

Chris

 

[jack_s]

can u post photo

Photos of the leaking stopcock on Lead mains:

http://imageevent.com/jack999/leakingstopcock

The Right valve controls the mains supply.
The Left valve doesn't turn & is leaking a lot from around spindle, as you can see !!

Don't know what Left valve does.

1) What does Left valve do ??

2) Would undoing & repacking gland nuts solve problem of leaks around spindles ??
(I thought repacking only sealed the nut thread)

Thanks
Jack

 

[ollski]

[quote="jack_s2) Would undoing & repacking gland nuts solve problem of leaks around spindles ??
(I thought repacking only sealed the nut thread)

Thanks
Jack[/quote]

They should do with a bit of luck, just roll a bit of gas ptfe tap into a sausage shape stick it under the gland nut and tighten it up.

 

[fitz1]

not sure. only idea i can come up with is that its an old stop tap that seized shut. a new one was added so when u turned the new one to the closed position it pushed the old spindle to the open position. then u just used the new tap for the on and off and ignored the old one.

 

[croydoncorgi]

Never seen a stop-tap like this one! I can't even begin to understand what it looks like internally and how it might work (unless of course we're all experiencing a wind-up and the photo is a fake). Given that it's been leaking since February (!!) maybe it's time to get a real plumber round to replace it. By appearances, even if repacking glands and other messing with it stops it leaking for now, it will remain a potential liability every time you need to turn off the water. With no boundary box, it's presumably your only emergency-off. Your risk.

 

[Nige F]

Never seen one either And I`ve seen some wierd+wonderful old stuff It needs to come out for sure The last one I saw that was similar had a thread on the valve body that was nothing like the BS 1010 that means a "modern" valve head could NOT go on instead...the strange Left tap could be a drain cock tapping originally ....with "whatever" screwed into it to block it sometime later .............than 1868 when it was fitted

 

[jack_s]

Photos of the leaking stopcock on Lead mains:
http://imageevent.com/jack999/leakingstopcock

Never seen a stop-tap like this one! I can't even begin to understand what it looks like internally and how it might work (unless of course we're all experiencing a wind-up and the photo is a fake). Given that it's been leaking since February (!!) maybe it's time to get a real plumber round to replace it. By appearances, even if repacking glands and other messing with it stops it leaking for now, it will remain a potential liability every time you need to turn off the water. With no boundary box, it's presumably your only emergency-off. Your risk.

===============================================

It's not a wind-up.
You can see I've posted 7 photos, which you can blow up to original size, by selecting Original at bottom of photo.

I don't think there is an Extenal pavement stopcock unless it's been paved over (nothing visible, only paving).
There are pavement stopcocks outside most houses along my street, so I think there is a possibility it may have been paved over. There must have been one or must be one there.

So you guys are not sure what the Left valve is & why it looks like this !!

The leaks are around handle spindle, NOT the threads.
I thought repacking you are sealing the thread, aren't you ??

1) Would repacking stop the leaks around handle spindle ??

Anyways, I think repacking is too risky for me, as the valve supplies maisonette above me.

2) What do you guys recommend, replacing stopcock with Leadloc fittings
Should any experienced plumber be able to do this ??

Jack

 

[jack_s]

Photos of the leaking stopcock on Lead mains:
http://imageevent.com/jack999/leakingstopcock

Never seen one either And I`ve seen some wierd+wonderful old stuff It needs to come out for sure The last one I saw that was similar had a thread on the valve body that was nothing like the BS 1010 that means a "modern" valve head could NOT go on instead...the strange Left tap could be a drain cock tapping originally ....with "whatever" screwed into it to block it sometime later .............than 1868 when it was fitted

Is a possibility just to remove the Left valve body & screw on a Blank end termination (not sure what you guys call this), as long as it screws on, sealing with PTFE tape ??

Assuming you can actually remove the Left valve anyway & the thread is still usable.

(I'd try this myself if it might work & it didn't affect other property)

Thanks
Jack

 

[JohnD]

OOI, one of my chums (on Portsmouth Water supply) had trouble with his in-house stop-cock, no sign of one in pavement, he phoned Portsmouth Water who said there was one in the pavement, they eventually came out with some kind of detector, it had been tarmacked over, they dug it out and fitted a new hatch.

Good job all round, though not very quick.

Might be worth ringing your water supplier.

 

[fitz1]

u can freeze it with freezing can kit and leadlock it . then fit new stop tap. only problem is knowing what size leadlock.

 

[fitz1]

looks like a 5 or 6 pounder