Outside Stop Tap Cover - North West

Flibby

Flibby

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I am looking to replace our inside stop tap, but the outside isolator cover has a square headed inset, which frustratingly is smaller than a 3/8 socket adaptor...

This is what is looks like:

Does anyone know where to get the tool to unlock these?

Cheers.
 

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The metal cover looks binded to the outer box. Usually a lot of patience and perseverance, a large headed flat bladed screwdriver usually does the trick.
 
CBW said:
The metal cover looks binded to the outer box. Usually a lot of patience and perseverance, a large headed flat bladed screwdriver usually does the trick.
Click to expand...


Sorry - possibly my stupid question, but I believed that I have to undo the square socket beneath "CT" in "Ductile" with a tool that I don't have. Is this possibly for something else?
 
It looks like a latch, but it may not actually have been locked shut. Will the lid move when you lever it?

By the age, I guess it is probably an inch measurement, not metric. I have some iron water valves, and the square-looking heads are tapered. I have some iron keys to fit.

If all else fails, ask the water company.

P.s.
I just tried to look up the size of an old doorknob spindle, can't find it. Have you got one handy?

Or a radiator spanner?
https://www.screwfix.com/p/radiator-spanner/11467
 
Last edited:
JohnD said:
It looks like a latch, but it may not actually have been locked shut. Will the lid move when you lever it?

By the age, I guess it is probably an inch measurement, not metric. I have some iron water valves, and the square-looking heads are tapered. I have some iron keys to fit.

If all else fails, ask the water company.

P.s.
I just tried to look up the size of an old doorknob spindle, can't find it. Have you got one handy?

Or a radiator spanner?
Click to expand...

Thanks for that.

The house was built 1997 but United Utilities may still have been in imperial land by then!

I have the lid a decent screwdriver lever but the whole cover started moving up rather than the cover. It seems to have been put in with about as much care as the rest of the house by the original builders (none). Ill rummage around but I think I may have got rid of any spare door handles. A large flat head screw driver was close but I don't want to round off the edges if it's possible to get s proper tool.
 
If the whole thing isn’t moving, then it’s binded to the cover lid. The square bit underneath works a bit like the meter boxes, so a plastic latch. Using a large headed screwdriver, you can often get this to rotate out fin the way. Need to separate the lid and cover first, unless you want to patch it up with sand/cement afterwards? Failing all of this, if there’s room beneath existing inside stopcock, you could always freeze it.
 
Scrape round the join with a knife or thin screwdriver then tap the cover lightly with a hammer, that should loosen it within the frame. Dig out the square lock and use some WD40 on it, turn it 90 deg to unlock with a large screwdriver or make a square tool with a grinder and a piece of rod. The cover should then be able to be teased out. It might take you a while to finally get it lifted.
 
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