Timeline for any sort of inflatable cork to plug pipe when shutoff valve is being repaired
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
18 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 6, 2017 at 12:14 | comment | added | mr blint | I don't have much experience with valves, and my fear was that if I loosened the nut, the stem of the valve would come out of its seat and the system would start to drain. These are return shutoffs. They feed back into the boiler. I will pack as you say. Thanks. I have learned something new. | |
| Jan 6, 2017 at 10:59 | comment | added | d.george | The packing must fit inside the packing nut, so I would use the larger packing if it fits under the packing nut, if not use the smaller. Also in your Dec 30' 16 at 15:04 you said that if you open the valve to repack it the system would start to drain. That does not look like a drain valve. A wider picture would be helpful. | |
| Dec 30, 2016 at 17:45 | comment | added | d.george | Let us continue this discussion in chat. | |
| Dec 30, 2016 at 17:02 | comment | added | d.george | Show more pictures of the piping so I can see what this valve is for. I can't understand why the system will drain when the valve is opened. | |
| Dec 30, 2016 at 15:04 | comment | added | mr blint | Pics added. I guess I should have said that my CONCERN is that the system will start to drain if I try to repack the valve with the valve partly open. I haven't it yet (it's cold here at the moment and I'm waiting for a warmer day to do this). | |
| Dec 30, 2016 at 14:50 | comment | added | d.george | I am getting curious now , Add a picture.the system should not drain unless this a drain valve. Show a picture of the valve and a picture of the connected piping. | |
| Dec 30, 2016 at 13:06 | comment | added | mr blint | Not sure of the kind of valve. Multi-turn shutoff. I could add a picture if that would help. | |
| Dec 30, 2016 at 13:04 | comment | added | mr blint | It is the main return on a heating system (hot water with convector-fin style radiators). The pipe this valve is on is nominal 1.25" black iron pipe. I will let the system cool down before working on it. When I back the packing nut off, the system will begin to drain if the valve isn't shutt. I can catch the water in a bucket but I try to avoid that, as refilling with fresh water increases chances of a leak. It's 75 years old. Graphite impregnated packing is 3/32 diameter and the teflon packing is 5/32. Would the larger diameter be the right choice for such a large valve? | |
| Dec 30, 2016 at 11:54 | comment | added | d.george | I would install the packing with the valve midway but it should not matter. 2 or 3 wraps should be enough. You can always add more. By the way what kind of system is this steam or water and what kind of valve? | |
| Dec 28, 2016 at 12:19 | comment | added | mr blint | Is this repacking done with the valve fully closed ? | |
| Dec 28, 2016 at 10:39 | comment | added | d.george | looking down at the stem,from the handle to the pipe,wrap the packing clockwise or the same way as when you tighten the packing nut. | |
| Dec 26, 2016 at 13:04 | comment | added | mr blint | It seems to be dripping from the handle side of the packing nut, along the stem. Is the packing applied clockwise when facing the valve from the stopper side or from the multi-turn-handle side? | |
| Dec 26, 2016 at 11:39 | comment | added | d.george | Don't use the oakum. | |
| Dec 26, 2016 at 11:37 | comment | added | d.george | Is there a packing nut where the leak is coming from? If so, loosen the nut all the way and slide it up the stem. Add a few wraps of packing, slide the nut back down and tighten the nut hand tight . Slowly tighten the nut until the leak stops. You can buy packing at a local hardware store, Home Depot, Lowes. buy thin packing, 1/8 inch or less or as available. Wrap the new packing clockwise around the stem. You can use almost any type of packing; graphite, silicone, I have even used pipe Teflon tape looped together and twisted into a string when I could not find any thing else. | |
| Dec 24, 2016 at 13:18 | comment | added | mr blint | It is coming from the valve stem. What kind of packing? I have some oakum left over from a plumbing repair on an old lead-sealed waste pipe toilet flange. | |
| Dec 24, 2016 at 12:46 | comment | added | d.george | Where is the drip coming from, a valve stem, pipe fitting, pipe union, etc. If the leak is at the valve stem you can sometimes add packing at the stem. | |
| Dec 23, 2016 at 11:54 | comment | added | mr blint | Thanks for the dry-ice tip. I just assumed there would be something like a Viton washer inside. All I know is that it's dripping :) It is nominal 1.25 inch black-iron pipe. The O.D. is 1.66" | |
| Dec 23, 2016 at 11:52 | history | answered | d.george | CC BY-SA 3.0 |