Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?

Failing that, I may get to use my Aladdin!

GB Wrote in message:
Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?

Failing that, I may get to use my Aladdin!



Which one?

How are you attempting to turn it?

--
Jim K


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

On 12/12/2017 00:08, jim wrote:
GB Wrote in message:
Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?

Failing that, I may get to use my Aladdin!



Which one?

There's only one Aladdin.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/aladdin-e...ter-pack/36008


How are you attempting to turn it?


So far, I have tried turning the stop cock by hand and tried with a
spanner on the handle. It feels quite solid.

I think the stop cock was probably replaced about ten years ago, as it
doesn't look corroded. It's just been sitting there unloved for ten years.

Also, knowing who last used it, when he turned it on he probably turned
it fully on until it wouldn't turn any further.

Mine is jammed as well, its in the cupboard under the stairs and seems to be
just hanging on two bits of lead pipe, so trying to turn it could result in
a flood. I'll have to ask Thames if they know how the new fangled meter in
the road stopcock works before I use any force on the thing. Its their
bloody limescale ridden hard water that causes all this grief in he first
place. Brian

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

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"GB" wrote in message
news
On 12/12/2017 00:08, jim wrote:
GB Wrote in message:
Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?

Failing that, I may get to use my Aladdin!



Which one?

There's only one Aladdin.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/aladdin-e...ter-pack/36008


How are you attempting to turn it?


So far, I have tried turning the stop cock by hand and tried with a
spanner on the handle. It feels quite solid.

I think the stop cock was probably replaced about ten years ago, as it
doesn't look corroded. It's just been sitting there unloved for ten years.

Also, knowing who last used it, when he turned it on he probably turned it
fully on until it wouldn't turn any further.

On 12/12/2017 05:19, GB wrote:
On 12/12/2017 00:08, jim wrote:


So far, I have tried turning the stop cock by hand and tried with a
spanner on the handle. It feels quite solid.

I think the stop cock was probably replaced about ten years ago, as it
doesn't look corroded. It's just been sitting there unloved for ten years.

Also, knowing who last used it, when he turned it on he probably turned
it fully on until it wouldn't turn any further.


Try undoing the nut by half a turn where the spindle goes into the body
of the stopcock.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 12/12/2017 08:35, alan_m wrote:
On 12/12/2017 05:19, GB wrote:
On 12/12/2017 00:08, jim wrote:


So far, I have tried turning the stop cock by hand and tried with a
spanner on the handle. It feels quite solid.

I think the stop cock was probably replaced about ten years ago, as it
doesn't look corroded. It's just been sitting there unloved for ten
years.

Also, knowing who last used it, when he turned it on he probably
turned it fully on until it wouldn't turn any further.


Try undoing the nut by half a turn where the spindle goes into the body
of the stopcock.


Loosening the gland, I had forgotten that. Thanks.

GB wrote:
On 12/12/2017 08:35, alan_m wrote:
On 12/12/2017 05:19, GB wrote:
On 12/12/2017 00:08, jim wrote:


So far, I have tried turning the stop cock by hand and tried with a
spanner on the handle. It feels quite solid.

I think the stop cock was probably replaced about ten years ago, as
it doesn't look corroded. It's just been sitting there unloved for
ten years.

Also, knowing who last used it, when he turned it on he probably
turned it fully on until it wouldn't turn any further.


Try undoing the nut by half a turn where the spindle goes into the
body of the stopcock.


Loosening the gland, I had forgotten that. Thanks.
If it has one and not oring type.

On 12/12/2017 00:08, jim wrote:
GB Wrote in message:
Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?

Failing that, I may get to use my Aladdin!



Which one?

How are you attempting to turn it?

Hopefully clockwise....

--
Adam

On 11/12/2017 22:20, GB wrote:
Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?

Failing that, I may get to use my Aladdin!

Penetrating oil, slackening the gland nut a little may help. Then see if
you can work it back and forth a bit. Also make sure when opening a stop
cock, to back away half a turn from the fully open position before
leaving it for an extended period. That way its a bit less likely to get
stuck in the fully open position.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Tue, 12 Dec 2017 08:50:12 +0000, John Rumm wrote:

On 11/12/2017 22:20, GB wrote:
Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?

Failing that, I may get to use my Aladdin!

Penetrating oil, slackening the gland nut a little may help. Then see if
you can work it back and forth a bit. Also make sure when opening a stop
cock, to back away half a turn from the fully open position before
leaving it for an extended period. That way its a bit less likely to get
stuck in the fully open position.

Very sage advice since it will also give you some 'wriggle room' to try
turning it in either direction to get it to unstick the next time you
might need to shut it off in another ten years or so.

--
Johnny B Good

..


Not turning it hard to the fully open means that the clearances in the
threads are relaxed - rather than the thrust pressure being hard onto the
flanks if you see what I mean.

On Wed, 13 Dec 2017 10:03:54 +0000, DerbyBorn wrote:

.


Not turning it hard to the fully open means that the clearances in the
threads are relaxed - rather than the thrust pressure being hard onto
the flanks if you see what I mean.

I do understand that important point. I just thought it worth mentioning
the side benefit of having two directions available for 'wriggling' the
the tap free. IOW, not just *one* good reason to back off a half or
quarter turn from fully on but *two*! :-)

--
Johnny B Good

On Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at 4:11:11 PM UTC, Johnny B Good wrote:
On Wed, 13 Dec 2017 10:03:54 +0000, DerbyBorn wrote:

.


Not turning it hard to the fully open means that the clearances in the
threads are relaxed - rather than the thrust pressure being hard onto
the flanks if you see what I mean.

I do understand that important point. I just thought it worth mentioning
the side benefit of having two directions available for 'wriggling' the
the tap free. IOW, not just *one* good reason to back off a half or
quarter turn from fully on but *two*! :-)

--
Johnny B Good

AFAIK water authorities are obliged to provide you with a stopcock in the road. They will usually come along within a couple of days and either unearth the original or put a new one in. How else could you ever replace your internal stopcock?

On 11/12/2017 22:20, GB wrote:
Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?


Is this (a) stop cock inside the house or (b) stop cock outside house
in supply pipe? If (a) then turn off (b) - or at least make sure you
can turn it off - before becoming "vigorous".


--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

/New Year Resolution to everyone - Check your Stop Tap works. Ensure it is
not quite turned hard on. (Half a turn makes no difference to the flow).
Give it a squirt of something.

On 12/12/2017 09:43, Robin wrote:
On 11/12/2017 22:20, GB wrote:
Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?


Is this (a) stop cock insideÂ* the house or (b) stop cock outside house
in supply pipe?Â* If (a) then turn off (b) - or at least make sure you
can turn it off - before becoming "vigorous".


When I swapped mine (a) there was zero chance of a full swap as the
copper had no play in it. So I turned off (b) and just swapped the
innards of (a).

Although the SureStop is also worth considering as an addition to the
brass one if you need to turn the water off a lot - eg my parents
holiday home insurance requires the water to be turned off when the
place is unoccupied. It's now just turned off by a simple switch high up
at the front of a kitchen cupboard with non of that kneeling down and
moving the contents of the kitchen cupboard stuff that they had to do
before.

--
Adam

On 13/12/2017 19:20, ARW wrote:
On 12/12/2017 09:43, Robin wrote:
On 11/12/2017 22:20, GB wrote:
Stop cock won't turn off. I hesitate to try too much brute force. Any
suggestions? WD40. Blow torch. Anything else?


Is this (a) stop cock insideÂ* the house or (b) stop cock outside house
in supply pipe?Â* If (a) then turn off (b) - or at least make sure you
can turn it off - before becoming "vigorous".


When I swapped mine (a) there was zero chance of a full swap as the
copper had no play in it. So I turned off (b) and just swapped the
innards of (a).

Although the SureStop is also worth considering as an addition to the
brass one if you need to turn the water off a lot - eg my parents
holiday home insurance requires the water to be turned off when the
place is unoccupied. It's now just turned off by a simple switch high up
at the front of a kitchen cupboard with non of that kneeling down and
moving the contents of the kitchen cupboard stuff that they had to do
before.


If I could turn off a stopcock elsewhere, there wouldn't be a problem.
However, this is in a 1930s block of flats. The incoming mains comes
through the wall from a neighbouring flat (in a very corroded iron
pipe). Goodness knows whether there's a working stop cock the other side
of the wall.

I did turn off the stop cock under the sink in a different flat, then
got complaints from upstairs that they had no water!

On Thu, 14 Dec 2017 12:03:28 +0000, Huge wrote:

On 2017-12-14, GB wrote:

[30 lines snipped]

I did turn off the stop cock under the sink in a different flat, then
got complaints from upstairs that they had no water!

*grin* In our last house our neighbours turned off their water and we
lost ours, too. Turned out our main was tee'd off theirs *after* the
external stopcock.

Some people may have heard this before, but...

Our supply had another supply tee'd off it after the external stopcock.
Internal one was jammed, so our plumber (tricky job I wasn't going to
attempt) turned it off externally.

Apparently this interrupted an 'assisted shower' in the brothel next door.



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On Thu, 14 Dec 2017 12:13:26 +0000, Huge wrote:

On 2017-12-14, Bob Eager wrote:
On Thu, 14 Dec 2017 12:03:28 +0000, Huge wrote:

On 2017-12-14, GB wrote:

[30 lines snipped]

I did turn off the stop cock under the sink in a different flat, then
got complaints from upstairs that they had no water!

*grin* In our last house our neighbours turned off their water and we
lost ours, too. Turned out our main was tee'd off theirs *after* the
external stopcock.

Some people may have heard this before, but...

Our supply had another supply tee'd off it after the external stopcock.
Internal one was jammed, so our plumber (tricky job I wasn't going to
attempt) turned it off externally.

Apparently this interrupted an 'assisted shower' in the brothel next
door.

Tee-hee.

I'll write down the whole story one day, including the shotgun siege and
the stuff through the letterbox.



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 13/12/2017 19:20, ARW wrote:

Although the SureStop is also worth considering

I've seen and like them; and fitting one is on my list of "things it'd
be kind to do before I die". I do just worry though that doing so will
reduce reasons 'er indoors has not to put arsenic in me tea

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid