Hello,
One for the oldies with bad knees.
1960's house- my (soldered) stopcock was in a bad way- passing water, leaking from gland and almost seized up.
I initially planned turn off the water in the street, take off the top, re washer and repack and replace. Upon removing the top of the cock it looked pretty ropy inside- badly pitted, scaled and looked like copper- like the zinc had gone from the brass. It was also apparent that the stopcock in the street was also dribbling water past
I decided to replace it for a new stopcock. One lovely afternoon with wife and kids out and a shiny new compression stopcock in hand and every possible tool within reach I took my pipeslice to the copper incomer which I assumed to be half inch or 15mm.
After taking ten turns to cut the pipe I should have become suspicious but upon removing the cock I realised that no fitting whatsoever would fit. The horrible realisation of having a house with no water supply, a slowly filling Save all (washing up bowl) and her indoors soon to be returning.
I legged it to my local plumbing store where one of the old chaps told me to hammer a speedfit fitting onto it with a block of wood. This I duly did, it was a very very tight fit and will never come off in one piece. The day was saved.
However I want to replace this properly- the speedfit fitting must have been strained on fitting and I don't think speedfit fittings are a long term solution for the 'wrong' side of the stopcock- relying on a perishable rubber ring.
Anybody any idea how to connect to it? With a vernier it is about 15.5mm in diameter and very thick walled. It is in a tight space and I don't fancy being able to file off smooth enough to take a compression fitting.
I am thinking of boring a brass fitting so it can be sweated on after freezing it.
Anybody know of something I can get?
I toyed with using my monument socket former but don't know if the thick walls will open up enough.
Any advice please- and no I'm not leaving the speedfit!
Cheers!!
One for the oldies with bad knees.
1960's house- my (soldered) stopcock was in a bad way- passing water, leaking from gland and almost seized up.
I initially planned turn off the water in the street, take off the top, re washer and repack and replace. Upon removing the top of the cock it looked pretty ropy inside- badly pitted, scaled and looked like copper- like the zinc had gone from the brass. It was also apparent that the stopcock in the street was also dribbling water past
I decided to replace it for a new stopcock. One lovely afternoon with wife and kids out and a shiny new compression stopcock in hand and every possible tool within reach I took my pipeslice to the copper incomer which I assumed to be half inch or 15mm.
After taking ten turns to cut the pipe I should have become suspicious but upon removing the cock I realised that no fitting whatsoever would fit. The horrible realisation of having a house with no water supply, a slowly filling Save all (washing up bowl) and her indoors soon to be returning.
I legged it to my local plumbing store where one of the old chaps told me to hammer a speedfit fitting onto it with a block of wood. This I duly did, it was a very very tight fit and will never come off in one piece. The day was saved.
However I want to replace this properly- the speedfit fitting must have been strained on fitting and I don't think speedfit fittings are a long term solution for the 'wrong' side of the stopcock- relying on a perishable rubber ring.
Anybody any idea how to connect to it? With a vernier it is about 15.5mm in diameter and very thick walled. It is in a tight space and I don't fancy being able to file off smooth enough to take a compression fitting.
I am thinking of boring a brass fitting so it can be sweated on after freezing it.
Anybody know of something I can get?
I toyed with using my monument socket former but don't know if the thick walls will open up enough.
Any advice please- and no I'm not leaving the speedfit!
Cheers!!
