Moving stop cock

[dchopp]

I have ordered new kitchen units, the fitting of which will mean that the stop cock is beyond the sink unit and behind the washing machine which will not make it easily accessible.

The rising main is a black rubber/plastic material about 900mm long and runs all the way under the sink unit.

I am considering shortening its length and fitting a new stop cock. I am seeking advice on doing this and what this type of stop cock is called that fixes to this pipe. I realise I will have to turn the water off at the meter.

 

[John506]

The pipe I think you are describing is black alkathene, getting things to fit this pipe is a barstool as it's not used anymore.

Have you considered cutting a hole in the unit for accessibility, I've seen this done on alot of properties and as it's in the bottom of the cupboard nothing is on show.

 

[Bahco]

You need to buy an alkathene adapter of which one side fits to the Alkathene pipe and on the other side you fit a small piece of copper pipe which then fits into your (edit) NEW stoptap.

Availble in metal or plastic.

 

[John506]

Learn something new everyday, thanks Bahco

I've always been told to stay away from disturning alkathene as nothing fits it, and the only thing that resembles an insert for this pipe is 10mm copper

 

[Bahco]

I did mine several yrs ago and was sold the wrong fitting!

Not nice but if you get the right fitting it is only a compression coupler (with each end being a different size) and is a doddle once you know the score.

Take an off cut of pipe to the plumbers merchant to ensure you get the right one.

 

[kevplumb]

it will probably be 3/8"" alkathene as mentioned take an offcut with you to a merchants

 

[stardanny]

Leave the old stopcock and fit a new stopcock up further where it can be turn off / on.

Dan.

 

[kevplumb]

Leave the old stopcock and fit a new stopcock up further where it can be turn off / on.

fine till it starts leaking

 

[stardanny]

fine till it starts leaking

Good point. I could call this slave stopcock. Only if difficuit to get hold of adapter.

I once moved and reused existing stopcock using my pipe end expander on old olive.

Dan

 

[hoodie786]

watch this video would help u a lot and deffo give u a way to perforn what you want to do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wvQs-WVEUY&feature=mfu_in_order&playnext=1&videos=Gn5of6KQqeI

 

[kevplumb]

jesus does anybody really watch that burke

 

[DIYDANDY]

jesus does anybody really watch that burke

Yes, I do, he has some great tips.

 

[dchopp]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I am a bit wary about cutting a bit off the pipe and taking it to the supplier in case he does not have a new fitting. The present stop cock is nearly 50 years old unfortunately lets a drip of water through so needs attention and I don't know whether it could be refitted without a new olive etc. if they are stil available

There is some wording on the pipe, partly indistinct. It reads 1/2 H (POLYMA?) BS1972 so this is possibly a clue as to the manufacturer.

I have considered leaving the stop cock where it is and even if I make a hole in the side of the sink unit as it sticks out almost 5 inches I feel it will mean that I cannot push the washing machine back as far as it should go.

I have considered trying to keep the pipe inside the sink unit and adding a secondary stop cock but this will probably mean that it will end up too high in the unit unless I can turn the pipe back through 180 degrees. I don't know how flexible it is as it seems fairly rigid.

As I said thank you all for your suggestions but if anybody can help further on the pipe etc it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Servotech]

We tend to think of plastic pipe as new however the stuff has been around for over 50 years, each manufacturers making it slightly different so that you had to buy that same manufactures fittings.
Then the manufacture goes bankrupt and no-one has the correct fittings anymore.
This had been the plastic pipe failing.
The black alkathene that you're describing sounds like the type that I recently came accross.
The merchants sold me a really chunky fitting with all sorts of adaptors and none of them seemed to fit properly so I ended up using a leadlock fitting from the van which tightened up perfectly onto the alkathene pipe. I left the old insert in.
I must say though moving the stop tap is generally a last resort in plumbing you always look if you can to leave some kind of access to the original first.

 

[dchopp]

Thank you all for your advice and I will tell youi what I did

In the end I gently turned back the pipe by around 180 degrees and it was approx 18 inches off the ground. I fixed it to the wall using three 22mm pipe brackets which were necessary to hold it firm. They were a devil to get on and it is now in the centre of the sink unit. There was dampness around the copper connection so to avoid any possibility of a leak I changed the pipe and olive.