On Apr 26, 12:51*pm, Jim wrote:
Opened the water supply valve for my backyard water spigot only to
discover a leak. *Pipe is galvanized extending about 24" above ground
level with a 180 degree elbow to which a standard valve is attached. *
Water leak found in the threads where the elbow connects to the stand up
pipe.

Being at least 50 years old the connection is rather corroded. *Two pipe
wrenches wouldn't budge it. *Have to be careful as I don't wish to crack
the pipe below ground level.

Two questions:

1) *Any easy way to free up that elbow?

2) *Assuming answer to #1 is no, would it be possible to use a sawzall to
cut of the elbow and somehow transition over to pvc?

2: Probably best not to try to free it up. Cut the pipe below the
elbow, install a "Dressler Coupling" (compression fitting), with a
stub of new iron pipe and elbow. I would bother with the PVC.

As someone else said: If you do go to PVC be sure the PVC to iron
adapter is a male. Just screwing a female pvc onto iron can split the
coupling (I did it and discovered the error after having to dig it up
to fix).

Harry K