Turning water off @ the combi boiler? valiant ecotec plus 825

[SteelMeadow]

Hi all,

I've lurked this forum every now and then for a few years now when researching projects and it seems to be a good and friendly resource.

So I wondered if anyone wouldn't mind answering a pretty basic question for me but something that has been stumping me today.

Had some T pieces to fit today for a project and the stopcock at the road is totally seized and I have nothing in the house.

I had a plumber in a few years ago who unless he snuck off to do it, I'm fairly sure never turned the mains supply off.

So I'm thinking did he turn this off at the boiler? I believe there is a 'service valve' which I tried but could be the wrong part.

So anyway if any of you know whether it's possible to just turn the water supply off coming into the boiler to do work I'd really appreciate the wisdom.

Picture attached. The valve I tried is the small one next inline to the stopcock for the right most fill loop. This is meant to be the cold water supply pipe.

Many thanks

 

[terryplumb]

Closing the mains cold water into the boiler wil not isolate cold water taps ,only hot water taps.

 

[SteelMeadow]

Thank you for the reply! There's no way to isolate the mains entirely at the boiler then? I wasn't sure the whole supply was routed through a combi or not but it doesn't seem like that's the case then? Plumbing has never been my favourite! Plumber must have snuck off to turn off the property main at some point then. I guess I will have to see if I can get some leverage to un-seize the thing!

Thanks again

 

[terryplumb]

Are you sure there is no internal stopcock, close to where the mains cold water enters the property ?

 

[SteelMeadow]

There is one exactly where you'd expect it to be but it only affects the hot taps. I showed it to the plumber when he was here and he didn't seem to have much interest in it or touch it. There's another pipe running next to this as well I can see behind the cladding. I managed to get the road mains unseized but to no avail. Got 1 and a half turns before it would absolutely go no more.

I've had a previous property where the road mains stopcock was shot and that had to be replaced so I'm not sure if this even works with that experience at the back of my mind. I can post a picture if anyone knows how many turns its type would take to close? It's quite a traditional one and looks very well aged. Like I say I don't recall the plumber taking any time to go out to touch this either.

This is why I thought maybe he had turned it off at the boiler somewhere, as there's absolutely no other valves or stopcocks on any of the pipes surrounding the boiler. So all together quite a confusing one! Thanks for taking the time to offer assistance !

 

[Deleted member 267285]

I can’t see the use of a hot water only isolation for a combi unless it was a conversion, but even then, that should be in the airing cupboard/previous cylinder cupboard. Have you looked in any downstairs toilets, under a kitchen sink/base unit, by he front door? They’re usually on the ground floor.

 

[terryplumb]

Show us a pic of external stopcock

 

[SteelMeadow]

Hi CBW, There was no central heating of any kind in the house until about 15 years ago so I'm assuming what used to be the pipe with mains stopcock has now been plumbed into the cold feed to the combi? Absolutely nothing hiding anywhere else.

 

[Deleted member 267285]

That stopcock shouldn’t be where it is, as could be subject to undue warming and potential freezing. Maybe pour some boiling water on it, or try a maintenance spray to free it up?

 

[SteelMeadow]

I got a hefty piece of steel pipe over the tap ends for leverage and I got worried about breaking something when the whole arrangement just started twisting and moving before the tap would oblige to move any further! You reckon it should take a few rotations to shut off then?

I will have a go at your tips or applying some penetrant over the course of time etc if it should be moving more than it is. There's no rush so I've got plenty of time to have a go at it but I'm guessing that it's gotta be the only possible avenue here from what you say.

 

[terryplumb]

Does closing that external stopcock as far as you have result in a slower flow of water from your kitchen cold tap ?
The water suppliers stopcock wouldn't usually be that close to your premises ,is there another one further away ?

 

[SteelMeadow]

It's about 70ft or so from the property at the end of the drive, the brickwork is from the side facing the road. It didn't seem to make any difference to the flow closing it that far but I can say that the pressure is way higher now after turning it all the way open again. It's bouncing off the sink now!

 

[terryplumb]

Contact your water supply company. It's their stopcock and it's failed and needs replacing,it's their responsibility not yours.
How old is your property ?

 

[SteelMeadow]

That's what I had worried! Same thing I experienced in my last property and had to have them replace it. It's 120 years old.

Thanks for the assistance!

 

[SteelMeadow]

Just to close this one off with some good news. I had taken another crack at this today with some penetrant and managed to continue closing the stopcock beyond where it had seized solid. Took about three+ turns to close off and once freed up in general it also had much more travel back again in the open direction. About 6 or 7 rotation from closed to fully open!

Thanks for all the assistance again!