Recommended fitting for mains water pipe

[ABF1]

Evening all,

I’m after a bit of advice on the best way to fix my leaking mains water pipe.

I’ve been looking to replace my still stopcock which is located in my kitchen cupboard. However when I’ve followed the pipework beneath the cabinet. I’ve noticed the old hep20 fitting on the main incomer is leaking. I’ve wiped it dry but it’s still leaking, fitting has green gunk around it as well.

I’m going to remove the Isolation ball valve with a straight piece of pipe as I think this was put it before the kitchen was fitted and the stopcock.

As you can see it’s in a very awkward place as it was all done before the kitchen was put it so I’m going to have to make an access hatch in the cabinet I think.

The mains water pipe is rather old 60s and has bits of paint on it so im concerned about it being delicate.

Should I try cut the pipe down a bit and use a new push fitting like the newer Hep20, or should I get a compression fitting in it with jointing compound, or should I get a plumber to solder it? Access might me an issue with the later.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[dilalio]

Are you sure it's not condensation on the pipe?

I'd rather have soldered joints on anything before the internal stopcock and defo no Ballofix.
Change the stopcock to a lever valve.

 

[ABF1]

Definitely not condensation as I wiped it away and the drip started forming again.

Thanks for the reply. I’ll have to look at getting a plumber in. In the meantime would it be worth trying a compression fitting or new push fit to see if that stops it for now?

As access is terrible for any sort of repair I’ll try to make a decent access hatch

 

[dilalio]

Definitely not condensation as I wiped it away and the drip started forming again.

Thanks for the reply. I’ll have to look at getting a plumber in. In the meantime would it be worth trying a compression fitting or new push fit to see if that stops it for now?

As access is terrible for any sort of repair I’ll try to make a decent access hatch

I could probably fix that without you needing to make a hatch!
I'd certainly try first.

 

[gas112]

use compression fittings if you can and get rid of that ballofix valve

 

[denso13]

Pull that support leg off, fit compression, then put the leg back. There is plenty of room to sort it.

 

[JohnD]

It is very difficult to solder pipes that have had water in them, if they are in place and you can't remove them to dry out.

When you have copper pipes, I can't see a good reason not to use brass fittings.

And yes, get rid of that horrid valve. It obstructs the flow and may leak for no reason.

If you really want a stopcock, get a proper one that can be operated by hand, and is within easy reach, and visible so people in the house can easily find it.

If you want a small valve, Pegler do a full-bore with T-handle that is a hundred times better than the one you've got.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/pegler-pb300t-compression-full-bore-15mm-tee-ball-valve-with-blue-handle/21860

 

[JohnD]

BTW if you slacken off that support leg, you can remove it, and reposition it where it will not be in the way.

They are telescopic, with a screw thread to lengthen or shorten.

But if the cabinets are screwed to each other, the one next to it will hold it up when you take the leg away.

 

[gas112]

BTW if you slacken off that support leg, you can remove it, and reposition it where it will not be in the way.

They are telescopic, with a screw thread to lengthen or shorten.

But if the cabinets are screwed to each other, the one next to it will hold it up when you take the leg away.

legs are usually screwed to base with a few screws

 

[ABF1]

Thanks for all the input guys.

To make things easier I did make an access hatch. I’ll cover the hatch with some flat uPVC multi trim. Being a sparky and not a plumber I need to make life easier were I can



I already purchased a Pegler 15mm full bore 1/4 turn to replace the stopcock, great minds think a like.




I’ll grab a compression fitting next week as going away for the weekend. The push-fit is only weeping a little so I’ve stuck some PTFE tape butt upto it whilst I’m away.

Thankfully the outside stopcock got replaced in 2022 due to it leaking. So I shouldn’t have an issue isolating the house.

 

[JohnD]

legs are usually screwed to base with a few screws

Mine have a socket at the top that is screwed to the cabinet, the leg can be slackened and pulled out. Come to thi k of it, I have seen a few types

 

[CountryFan]

Thankfully the outside stopcock got replaced in 2022 due to it leaking. So I shouldn’t have an issue isolating the house.

View attachment 421206

Looks like it still is, or is that rainwater?

 

[ABF1]

Looks like it still is, or is that rainwater?

That’s just ground water as it’s on an incline in my back garden. The stopcock was leaking for 3 months before Yorkshire Water come out to fix it. They even needed a pump, So the ground got really saturated.

 

[ABF1]

Another quick one.

As my house is a 1950s. I assume the main copper pipe is the older 1/2 OD which is 15.14mm. I tried to measure it with my calipers and it’s coming in at 15.25mm, but that could be all the crud. I measured the size of a random olive I have and it measured roughly the same 15.25mm.

Has anyone had any issue using modern 15mm compression fittings? On older 1/2 pipe. Are there any particular brands, should I try get compression fittings with a copper olive instead of brass etc.

 

[denso13]

Has anyone had any issue using modern 15mm compression fittings?

No, can be a bit tight but will go on.

Are there any particular brands, should I try get compression fittings with a copper olive instead of brass etc.

Doesn't really matter on copper.