Broken handle on stopcock

[ivorbro]

Hello all I hope you can help.

I have broken the handle on my rising main stopcock,the rising main pipe is black plastic which i am led to believe is imperial. I have measured the diameter of the pipe with a micrometer,this measures 20.35 mm. I have a 20mm poly to 15mm is this going to fit and is there anything i should be particularly aware of?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Ivor

 

[Kyle87]

Do you have to change entire stop tap. Can't you just take unscrew the guts and replace with the existing leaving the body in place?

 

[Kyle87]

If changing the whole thing you'll need the correct insert for the black plastic pipe.

Think an adapter we had to get recently to go from old 1/2 black plastic to 15mm compression was about 10 quid

 

[ivorbro]

Do you have to change entire stop tap. Can't you just take unscrew the guts and replace with the existing leaving the body in place?

I am pretty sure i need to change the lot,I am not sure if the guts would be the same.

 

[Kyle87]

Might be worth a try but I'd have the other bits to hand just incase

 

[ivorbro]

If changing the whole thing you'll need the correct insert for the black plastic pipe.

Think an adapter we had to get recently to go from old 1/2 black plastic to 15mm compression was about 10 quid

The new brass poly stopcock is 20mm in 15mm out. I thought as the black pipe is 20.35 mm I thought that may well fit

 

[Kyle87]

The new brass poly stopcock is 20mm in 15mm out. I thought as the black pipe is 20.35 mm I thought that may well fit

Even if it fits the pipe you will need an insert that goes into the pipe to stop the fitting crushing the plastic. I wouldn't attempt using it unless its bespoke fitting for the pipe or else your a house may meet mains pressure in the middle of the night!!

 

[ivorbro]

Even if it fits the pipe you will need an insert that goes into the pipe to stop the fitting crushing the plastic. I wouldn't attempt using it unless its bespoke fitting for the pipe or else your a house may meet mains pressure in the middle of the night!!

But would that insert not be in there already as it already has a brass stopcock,or am I being dumb(probably)

 

[Kyle87]

But would that insert not be in there already as it already has a brass stopcock,or am I being dumb(probably)

Ill be honest mate, I don't know what's going to be in there. Personally I'd just use the right fitting for the right pipe.

It might cost you an extra couple of quid today but could save you a thousand tomorrow.

Someone else might say its fine and to carry on, I can only give my opinion.

 

[ivorbro]

Ill be honest mate, I don't know what's going to be in there. Personally I'd just use the right fitting for the right pipe.

It might cost you an extra couple of quid today but could save you a thousand tomorrow.

Someone else might say its fine and to carry on, I can only give my opinion.

Thank you for your good advice I don't want to have flood.

 

[lame plumber]

black alkathene pipe can be thick or thin walled, and there are several fittings you can use, get it wrong and you'll be sorry. Also some old alkathene /plastic pipe is glued and very fragile, break it off near where it appears out the floor wall and youll be even more sorry. Make sure you have access to all the possible parts before you start

 

[AWheating]

clean the pipe up and see if you can see any writing on it. if your lucky and can find some it may help identify it correctly.

take a picture and put it up here so we can see what you have.

you could always just fit a 15mm stoptap above it.

 

[lame plumber]

lateral thinking in the vertical plane 🙂

 

[ivorbro]

clean the pipe up and see if you can see any writing on it. if your lucky and can find some it may help identify it correctly.

take a picture and put it up here so we can see what you have.

you could always just fit a 15mm stoptap above it.

That seems like a good idea as I am ok with ordinary metric stuff ,compression and solder. I will try cleaning the pipe to see if there is any print on it.

Thank you for your help

Ivor

 

[Ray Stafford]

clean the pipe up and see if you can see any writing on it. if your lucky and can find some it may help identify it correctly.

AW's advice is good.

The outside diameter is not the critical thing here unfortunately. Its the class/density of pipe.

Even if you can't read the writing, or there are only a couple of characters visible, take note of the colour.

Black alkathene came in at least 5 different densities/wall thicknesses that I know of, but each had a different colour writing on it - for example, IIRC Class D low density was a darkish green. Some of the manufacturers colour code their inserts to that writing.

Usually, in any given area, the water company only used one or two pipe types - this is where your local merchant's advice will be invaluable.

 

[ivorbro]

AW's advice is good.

The outside diameter is not the critical thing here unfortunately. Its the class/density of pipe.

Even if you can't read the writing, or there are only a couple of characters visible, take note of the colour.

Black alkathene came in at least 5 different densities/wall thicknesses that I know of, but each had a different colour writing on it - for example, IIRC Class D low density was a darkish green. Some of the manufacturers colour code their inserts to that writing.

Usually, in any given area, the water company only used one or two pipe types - this is where your local merchant's advice will be invaluable.

Thanks for the information I will go to merchants to see what advice they can give.

Ivor

 

[Alex Pelton]

Easiest and best thing to do is leave it alone and fit a new one just after it in the copper pipe. if its not leaking don't touch it. Use a full bore lever action as not to reduce your flow

 

[Kyle87]

Easiest and best thing to do is leave it alone and fit a new one just after it in the copper pipe. if its not leaking don't touch it. Use a full bore lever action as not to reduce your flow

Providing there's room. Not always the case but I agree if there is room then this is easiest way to solve problem

 

[Alex Pelton]

make room plumbing is more important! 🙂