Yet another stop tap question

[GQuigley67]

the pipe does look like its in a bad state, when doing some work on an old steel heating system not that long ago, one of my workmates was trying to get a 1/2" M/F elbow out of a 2x 1/2" Tee, he heated it up to try and get the stilsons on it and it ended up snapping in the fitting, then it turned into a nightmare but he managed to get it out although it wasn't in an awkward position like this stopcock.

you could cut it 100mm or so off of the floor, and put a philmac fitting on and then continue from there in copper with a new stopcock that seems to be the best and easiest way in my opinion, and as said already earth bonding across the fitting as when fitting plastic your breaking the continuity.

Universal Transition Couplings | Philmac

 

[WaterTight]

Is this iron or steel?
And how do you tell the difference?
And does it matter when using philmac's?
And could you relatively easily cut it with a hacksaw or would it have to be an anglegrinder?
And where do babies come from?

 

[GQuigley67]

it can be cut with a hacksaw, if you have it in a good position or on a vice lol I'd use a grinder.

the philmac fitting will fit both pipes, tom plumb has a video on it on youtube demonstrating it I think its Iron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wvQs-WVEUY

 

[leelister6]

Sorry, another stop-tap dilemma. Below is a picture of my stop-tap. As you can see the joints at either end are pretty corroded. Does this look like a nightmare to change?

I think it's around 50 years old - what are my chances of finding just a new tap body that will fit so I don't need to disturb the rest?

The tap operates okay but I can't close it without the gland nut leaking quite badly. A local plumber repacked the gland for me but it took him over an hour to get a seal on it because it has been cross-threaded in the past and also the nut is almost rounded off.

I haven't dared touched it since then but just about to start refitting my bathroom so going to be need to turn it on and off quite a bit.

View attachment 2741

Turn water off outside, disconnect copper from stopcock, pair of stilsons on steel elbow to brace it, pair of stilsons on steel pipe and give it some welly and should fly out!

 

[guinness]

you could cut it 100mm or so off of the floor, and put a philmac fitting on and then continue from there in copper with a new stopcock that seems to be the best and easiest way in my opinion, and as said already earth bonding across the fitting as when fitting plastic your breaking the continuity.

I'm liking this option. I notice they also do an elbow coupler which would be handy. How smooth do I need to get the pipe for the coupler to seal - it's pretty scruffy at the moment.

Think I'm going to order a coupler anyway as an emergency measure!

 

[mredd]

Yes, as you have shown with the arrows. You would stop short of cutting through the thred. You could finish the last bit with a junior hacksaw.It will break off ok with a good twist. Not too much heat, just enough for the remainder of the elbow to expand and loosen it's grip on the vertical.
If there is enough room for the elbow to turn without hitting the wall you can try with stillsons but you can run the risk of making the joint in the floor leak.
If it does go wrong, as you say use the philmac fitting.

 

[tackleburger]

If you can get it off a the outside toby it's an hour's work plus a tap I'd do it for £108

 

[guinness]

Yep, external isolation not a problem - got a brand new tap out there! Is that an offer?!

 

[tackleburger]

Two ways to do it you remove the existing tap and fitting to the iron new fitting copper and stop tap. If that part isn't sound cut back re-thread same deal. Or as said fit a new one in front and leave that one on.

I'm in Scotland.

 

[guinness]

Ah, bit far away then. Thanks anyway!

 

[tackleburger]

Just looked at the pics again. I would turn off in street drain down, remove existing stop tap. Get a wet vac and suck the water out the pipe from the main. Get plenty heat on and that fitting will come out the elbow and all for sure and it will be fine. New female iron to compression elbow & PTFE job done. Get a decent set of stilsons. Done this quite a few times without any real issues.

Use the fitting to the stoptap as a lever on the elbow the cut it away once it starts turning so you canb rotate the elbow.

 

[guinness]

Spoke to my neighbour last night and he mentioned he was having a plumber around this morning to fit his new dishwasher. Asked him to send him over to mine afterwards for another quick opinion on my stop-tap

15 minutes later - new tap body from local plumbers merchant fitted and job done.

Thanks again everyone for your help but it turned out to be a lot simpler than I thought!

 

[mredd]

Good to hear.