I have a 15mm pipe supplying my upstairs mains water for the bathroom and loft storage tank. Downstairs there is a stop c*ck in this pipe and ideally I would like to have a drain valve immediately above the stop c*ck to allow me to drain all the cold water pipework upstairs. Would appreciate any advice on parts I could use for this. Tia
Pipework, or all water? If all water, you're going to need either a seperate pipe, or a anti backflow valve just before the existing shutoff valve (in case of low mains pressure), an anti-backflow valve mounted the other way in the tank, so it'll let water flow out, connected to the existing pipe, a tee and a drain-valve just above the existing stopcock. Otherwise, a T above the existing valve, followed by a valve will work, sort-of. (as there is no means of admitting air, so the pipe may take a while to drain.)
It's just the pipes I want to drain, so like you say I think I'll put a T piece just above the stopcock. From looking in the Screwfix catalogue it's not clear how I would attach a drain c*ck to the T piece. How would I do this? Tia
You could replace the stopcock with one which incorporates a drain point - or you could simply insert a 15mm tee into the pipe immediately above the stopcock, and fit a drain point into the branch. Take you pick between solder, compression or push-fit fittings - you can get the appropriate bits for any of these types.
This will enable the *pipes* to be drained but not, of course, the cold storage tank.
While you're at it, you might consider fitting a full-flow quarter-turn valve innediately above the stopcock and below the drain point. When you want to turn the water off, use this quarter turn valve rather than the stopcock - it's much easier and quicker.
If you run off some hot water - after turning off the cold - the tank level will drop a bit, allowing the ball valve to drop. This will admit air. [I suppose you could just force the ball down with a piece of wood to avoid having to drain any hot off]
It depends on which technology you choose!
Screwfix 13349 or 17843 are designed to be used with solder fittings. They have a 15mm inlet pipe which has to be soldered into the branch of the tee.
Screwfix 65868 screws in. You would use this if you are using compression fittings. You would need a 15mm comp x 15mm comp x 1/2" BSP female iron tee - which has a threaded boss on the branch for the drain fitting to screw into. [Can't see one in the Screwfix catalogue - but your local plumbers merchant will have one.] Seal the threads with PTFE tape.
Screwfix 12232 is very similar to 13349 etc. - but seems to be the one to use if you're going the push-fit route. It just pushes into the branch of the tee - where it is automatically gripped by a gripper ring and sealed by an 'O' ring.
If using either solder or push-fit - particularly solder - you'll have to make a good job of cleaning the pipe either side of where you cut it.
With my level of expertise it'll have to be brass compression fittings !! I'd seen the Screwfix 65868 drain c*ck which is referred to as 1/2 inch bsp but what threw me was that the picture in the catalogue shows a plain shank where I was expecting to see some threads. However, problem now solved. I was looking for a 15mm x 15mm x 1/2 bsp T piece on the BES site and found a 15mm T piece with a built in drain c*ck
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