I need to sort out 22mm IMI solder fitting gate valve, in a very
awkward location to try to get at, with a weep down its spindle. If
managed to slow its weep down, by wrapping the spindle with a bit of
waxed twin and tightening the 'gland nut' onto it.

The awkward location means I would rather not disturb the body of the
valve. Might I be able to get hold of a suitable replacement insert for
it? I appreciate I might need to buy the complete valve.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

On Mar 2, 10:44*pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
I need to sort out 22mm IMI solder fitting gate valve, in a very
awkward location to try to get at, with a weep down its spindle. If
managed to slow its weep down, by wrapping the spindle with a bit of
waxed twin and tightening the 'gland nut' onto it.

The awkward location means I would rather not disturb the body of the
valve. Might I be able to get hold of a suitable replacement insert for
it? I appreciate I might need to buy the complete valve.

--
Regards,
* * * * Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

Probably not. If you can determine the make you might be able to buy a
complete new identical valve and get the part from that. However the
valve should be maintainable. You need to remove the bonnet first and
then when you have it off take off the handle & screw the stem right
in and out of the water side. Remove all the old stem packing &
replace. I f you go to a proper heating engineer (not B&Q), they will
have valve stem packing made of PTFE.
The existing packing will have gone hard. Take the valve assembly
with you to get the correct size packing.

On Mar 2, 10:44*pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:


Oh, BTW, be sure to polish the valve stem with steel wool before re-
assembly. Prevents wear of the packing. Work the handle open and shut
a few times whilst tightening the packing nut down. Check for leaks
after a few days to see if it needs a further tweak.

harry explained on 03/03/2011 :
On Mar 2, 10:44*pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:


Oh, BTW, be sure to polish the valve stem with steel wool before re-
assembly. Prevents wear of the packing. Work the handle open and shut
a few times whilst tightening the packing nut down. Check for leaks
after a few days to see if it needs a further tweak.

It is not 'packing style old', it seems it will have an O ring around
the stem. Probably 20 to 25 years old, I just tried packing it to
reduce the leakage to give me time to get organised to get it sorted.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

On Mar 3, 4:09*pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
harry explained on 03/03/2011 :

On Mar 2, 10:44 pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:

Oh, BTW, be sure to polish the valve stem with steel wool before re-
assembly. Prevents wear of the packing. Work the handle open and shut
a few times whilst tightening the packing nut down. Check for leaks
after a few days to see if it needs a further tweak.

It is not 'packing style old', it seems it will have an O ring around
the stem. Probably 20 to 25 years old, I just tried packing it to
reduce the leakage to give me time to get organised to get it sorted.

--
Regards,
* * * * Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

If it has an O ring chuck it out. If there is a nut round the valve
stem it is conventional. It's not usual for there to be O rings on
gate valves.

harry expressed precisely :
On Mar 3, 4:09*pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
harry explained on 03/03/2011 :

On Mar 2, 10:44 pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
Oh, BTW, be sure to polish the valve stem with steel wool before re-
assembly. Prevents wear of the packing. Work the handle open and shut
a few times whilst tightening the packing nut down. Check for leaks
after a few days to see if it needs a further tweak.

It is not 'packing style old', it seems it will have an O ring around
the stem. Probably 20 to 25 years old, I just tried packing it to
reduce the leakage to give me time to get organised to get it sorted.

--
Regards,
* * * * Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

If it has an O ring chuck it out. If there is a nut round the valve
stem it is conventional.

Thanks for the reply Harry, I've never needed to examine the working of
a gate valve before - at least not one this small :-)

I took the hand wheel off, removed the spindle surround nut and under
that was what looked like a brass inner 'lump' around the spindle, from
what I could manage to see. Its at the rear of the airing cupboard,
behind the pump and other pipe work and side on - so not easy to see
very much and why I'm dreading trying to change it.

The spindle nut seemed to be tight against the brass 'lump' rather than
tightening up on any packing, which was why I assumed it must use O
ring seals.

It's not usual for there to be O rings on
gate valves.

Do you think the brass 'lump' around the spindle might have packing
under it?

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

On Mar 3, 7:54*pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
harry expressed precisely :





On Mar 3, 4:09 pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
harry explained on 03/03/2011 :

On Mar 2, 10:44 pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
Oh, BTW, be sure to polish the valve stem with steel wool before re-
assembly. Prevents wear of the packing. Work the handle open and shut
a few times whilst tightening the packing nut down. Check for leaks
after a few days to see if it needs a further tweak.

It is not 'packing style old', it seems it will have an O ring around
the stem. Probably 20 to 25 years old, I just tried packing it to
reduce the leakage to give me time to get organised to get it sorted.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

If it has an O ring chuck it out. *If there is a nut round the valve
stem it is conventional.

Thanks for the reply Harry, I've never needed to examine the working of
a gate valve before - at least not one this small :-)

I took the hand wheel off, removed the spindle surround nut and under
that was what looked like a brass inner 'lump' around the spindle, from
what I could manage to see. Its at the rear of the airing cupboard,
behind the pump and other pipe work and side on - so not easy to see
very much and why I'm dreading trying to change it.

The spindle nut seemed to be tight against the brass 'lump' rather than
tightening up on any packing, which was why I assumed it must use O
ring seals.

It's not usual for there to be O rings on
gate valves.

Do you think the brass 'lump' around the spindle might have packing
under it?

--
Regards,
* * * * Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

This is a normal gate valve. The hexagon nut round the shaft is the
thing that compresses the valve stem packing.

The hex below it it where the valve bonnet is unscrewed. They are
usually very tight and hard to remove.

http://www.germes-online.com/direct/...Gate_Valve.jpg

On Mar 3, 7:54*pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
harry expressed precisely :





On Mar 3, 4:09 pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
harry explained on 03/03/2011 :

On Mar 2, 10:44 pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
Oh, BTW, be sure to polish the valve stem with steel wool before re-
assembly. Prevents wear of the packing. Work the handle open and shut
a few times whilst tightening the packing nut down. Check for leaks
after a few days to see if it needs a further tweak.

It is not 'packing style old', it seems it will have an O ring around
the stem. Probably 20 to 25 years old, I just tried packing it to
reduce the leakage to give me time to get organised to get it sorted.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

If it has an O ring chuck it out. *If there is a nut round the valve
stem it is conventional.

Thanks for the reply Harry, I've never needed to examine the working of
a gate valve before - at least not one this small :-)

I took the hand wheel off, removed the spindle surround nut and under
that was what looked like a brass inner 'lump' around the spindle, from
what I could manage to see. Its at the rear of the airing cupboard,
behind the pump and other pipe work and side on - so not easy to see
very much and why I'm dreading trying to change it.

The spindle nut seemed to be tight against the brass 'lump' rather than
tightening up on any packing, which was why I assumed it must use O
ring seals.

It's not usual for there to be O rings on
gate valves.

Do you think the brass 'lump' around the spindle might have packing
under it?

--
Regards,
* * * * Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sorry I misread your reply. The brass lump is on top of the packing as
you surmise. It just prises out. But you still need to remove the
valve bonnet and unscrew the valve stem. It's all much easier with the
valve in the vice.

If you look at the picture I have indicated, this is a screwed valve.
ie for threaded pipe. This is the commonest type. You will probably
find that the valve you have is one of these with solder fittings
screwed into it to convert it. They can obviously be unscrewed if it
helps.

http://www.gwsupplies.co.uk/img/prod...d+male+iron+to
+copper+adaptor+15mm+x+12%22.jpg

They can be brss or copper.
You might have to cut & paste the above link, the line wrap seems to
bugger them up on my browser.

They put this

On Mar 3, 7:54*pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
harry expressed precisely :





On Mar 3, 4:09 pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
harry explained on 03/03/2011 :

On Mar 2, 10:44 pm, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
Oh, BTW, be sure to polish the valve stem with steel wool before re-
assembly. Prevents wear of the packing. Work the handle open and shut
a few times whilst tightening the packing nut down. Check for leaks
after a few days to see if it needs a further tweak.

It is not 'packing style old', it seems it will have an O ring around
the stem. Probably 20 to 25 years old, I just tried packing it to
reduce the leakage to give me time to get organised to get it sorted.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

If it has an O ring chuck it out. *If there is a nut round the valve
stem it is conventional.

Thanks for the reply Harry, I've never needed to examine the working of
a gate valve before - at least not one this small :-)

I took the hand wheel off, removed the spindle surround nut and under
that was what looked like a brass inner 'lump' around the spindle, from
what I could manage to see. Its at the rear of the airing cupboard,
behind the pump and other pipe work and side on - so not easy to see
very much and why I'm dreading trying to change it.

The spindle nut seemed to be tight against the brass 'lump' rather than
tightening up on any packing, which was why I assumed it must use O
ring seals.

It's not usual for there to be O rings on
gate valves.

Do you think the brass 'lump' around the spindle might have packing
under it?

--
Regards,
* * * * Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's possible you might be able to squeeze a bit more packing on top
of what's there. (ie under the brass "lump") However consider this to
be temporary. I t won't last. If you can drain the system, you could
try running a bit of liquid PTFE or similar in the same place if
practical. This might work if you don't operate the valve again

BTW I assume you have already tried to simply tighten the nut down?
If this fails the packing has gone hardworn.