Stopcocks - any difference?

[Francis]

Any difference between a main stopcock for a house and those in the sheds described as "central heating stopcocks" ?

TIA

[T i m]

[T[ Possibly, depending on the actual tap.

I think there a 3 common tpes of inline 'tap'.

1) The real 'stopcock' with a rubber washer seal that has several turns between on and off and really turns off (when new anyway ). Has a T- bar type handle. 2) A ball (isolator) valve, a ball with a hole through it in a nylon seat that can be turned through 90 deg with a screwdriver (or little handle like on a washing machine one). 3) A gate valve where a slightly tapered metal plate is wound into a tapered slot (turns like a real tap) and typically has a round red handle) but often leaks if you try to use it as a real tap.

All the best ..

T i m

[Francis]

These from B&Q are with the bar handle and compression joints. But the packs they are in are marked "central heating". The main stopcock in the house is oozing a little water and I want to replace it. The body of this one has a more barreled look.

Is there any reason why "plumbers" run pipes so close together you can hardly work on them?

Regards,

Francis

[MrCheerful]

just change the top bit, don't bother with the main body.

MrCheerful

[BillV]

You should be able to just change the screw in body of the stopcock with the same bit from new one. I'd get one from plumbers merchant or jewson not B&Q. Of course you will have to turn off the house supply in the road or get the water company to do it.

hardly work on them? Yes, they are idiots who don't think ahead to when maintainance has to be done..

[OldScrawn]

Do you mean, water is dribbling out of the valve around the stem, i.e. the round rod (turned by the "handle") which goes into the valve? Water appearing where this goes into a hex-threaded component? Try tightening up this "nut"; if it is an old-style valve, the nut is squashing some sort of "string" against the rotating part. It's called a gland. Crude, simple, effective. Provided the pressure between the "string" and the stem is more than the water pressure then the water doesn't get out.

[Francis]

Thank you (and the other respondents) this has cured the problem :-))

Best regards,

Francis

[Mark]

Yes neatness, but then.

[Simon Avery]

Hello Francis

Because customers complain if they spread piping out all over the place. There's also an element of professional pride in keeping it as neat and tidy as possible.

[David Hearn]

And then billing £££ the next time they're called out as it takes them twice as long to do the work as access is difficult.

D

[PoP]

It'll never catch on as an idea though :)

PoP

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