I just wish somebody would invent the jam proof stop cock that is unaffected
by the hard water in London. I tried to turn thepressure down about a week
ago, but the damned tap in the cupboard under the stairs is jammed again.
Since its attached to a lead pipe and has no mounting brackets, I'm loathe
to use a couple of mole grips on it in case I end up in the situation loved
by comedy writers with water everywhere.
Brian

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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Andrew Mawson" wrote in message
news
Dug a tree stump out from beside the gravel drive leading to our holidays
lets - bit of a b""""""r but the JCB 803 got it out eventually. I knew
that there was a run of 2.5 mm SWA cable close ( Lamp Post Feed) as I laid
it a few years ago, but also there is a 32 mm blue MDPE water main
running from the the main road SOMEWHERE around here

No sign of it as I dug, but the excavation got awfully wet and was filling
despite bailing - has the pipe been damaged or is it ground water ? It
should be 18" deep but is it? Has a bucket tooth found it? A lot of rain
recently so things are pretty wet. But need to know definitely before
making good - don't want to have to do the job twice.

Then I hit on an idea. Stopcock by water meter, and at the cottage end a
pressure reducer WITH A GAUGE followed by another stop cock. First prove
that neither of the stop cocks 'lets by' (cock off tap open look for
drips) then pressurise the pipe, close the stop cocks tight, watch the
pressure gauge. So simple (and reassuring !) - pipe is sound - safe to
proceed

An added bonus is I've proved the stop cocks are OK and that my street key
fits that particular water board stop cock.

. . . .I do like a tale with a happy ending

Andrew