Operating my outside stop tap

ChilliBob

Hey guys, 

We have had lots of work done over the last few months/1 year or so which has required the water to be shut off - which iss been done in the street.

I thought it was high time I tried to do this myself in case I needed to.. And I'm struggling!

I asked one of the plumbers before who said he just used an adjustable spanner. I tried with this and couldn't make it budge.

Basically it has a, raised section I'd guess is about 10mm side and 20mm long. I ordered a stop !!!!!! key from Amazon but its way to big - it goes over the round brass bit and not the raised bit.

So, what tool am I after that I can't seem to find?! 

Boat_to_Bolivia

A picture of the tap might help.

ChilliBob

Indeed it would! Alas my daughter has just fell asleep on me after a bit of a fight to stay awake!

Below is one stolen from Google, essentially mine is like that but old fashioned brass where the white bit is. 

Sounds silly but remindes me of a scaled down hob control if you get me! 

ChilliBob

And before anyone asks why not the inside one.. I don't believe I have one (yeah I know, legally I think I need one but that's a different conversation!), and when offered to the plumbers or heating engineers (i was told it was in some inspection hatch, I can't see it!) they always prefer the external one, saying that sometimes not everything shuts off with an internal one or something!

Boat_to_Bolivia

I would have thought a spray of WD40, a pair of pliers and a bit of elbow grease would do the job!

ChilliBob

Boat_to_Bolivia said:

I would have thought a spray of WD40, a pair of pliers and a bit of elbow grease would do the job!

Yeah I can't help but think I'm doing something wrong - the plumbers dont seem to struggle! If all else fails I'll just look like a lame duck and ask them to show me when they pop round next week. Bit lame though lol, fortunately they are a friendly couple of blokes. 

Boat_to_Bolivia

Swallow your pride and ask them or take up weight training to build up your muscles..

ETA are you sure your are trying to turn it the right way?

cymruchris

https://www.screwfix.com/p/faithfull-stopcock-key-universal-1140mm/656RH?kpid=656RH&ds_rl=1244066&gclid=Cj0KCQjwr82iBhCuARIsAO0EAZxNHQh0WUKb3QNNYUb19nH35XoKN5AmyoJ0a0Z0_WW3D5VIFWbCL-YaAt35EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Did you order something like this? I've got a home-made one in the garage my dad made years ago - not had need to use it yet This one says it fits a range of sizes so might be more suitable than your amazon one?

ChilliBob

Yeah, I'm happy to ask, and not known to be defeated by undoing or doing sfuff up - I'm no Arnie but no weakling lol..

Yeah, we tried both ways. (We, my wife had a stab too, also not easily defeated by stuff!) 

ChilliBob

Sorry, that was a closest possible image I could find jobbie. Daughter has woken up now, (I dared to move a muscle lol).. So here's mine

ChilliBob

cymruchris said:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/faithfull-stopcock-key-universal-1140mm/656RH?kpid=656RH&ds_rl=1244066&gclid=Cj0KCQjwr82iBhCuARIsAO0EAZxNHQh0WUKb3QNNYUb19nH35XoKN5AmyoJ0a0Z0_WW3D5VIFWbCL-YaAt35EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Did you order something like this? I've got a home-made one in the garage my dad made years ago - not had need to use it yet This one says it fits a range of sizes so might be more suitable than your amazon one?

Pretty much the same thing, miles too big though