Joining onto lead pipe

[DaleRCL]

Good day all,

I have a large cold water storage tank I need to replace on top of a block of four flats feeding cylinders and down service to all flats. Currently the mains feed to the ball valve comes up out of the floor in lead pipe and this is where I will need to connect onto it and run new copper the rest if the way to the new tank ball valve.
My problem is that this all needs to be done in a day and until the old tank is out I can't really see the size of the lead or what sort if state it is in. However, by looking under the current tank I can see that the lead appears to be about 40mm thick. For smaller lead pipe in the past, I have used a leadloc to join on but they only seem to make those to connect onto the lead equivalent of 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch.
I need to have a selection of fittings with me ready to try and make the connection as I won't have time on the day to drive around the merchants with a lump of lead trying to get something to fit it.
Any suggestions?

 

[Bosswhite]

Pull out all the lead pipework and replace to current standards.

 

[DaleRCL]

I would love to but this is not an option I'm afraid as it runs up through all the flats below ours with god knows how many tees off for drinking water etc. I would have to pull apart 3 finished flats if I were to do if like that.

 

[Bosswhite]

I would love to but this is not an option I'm afraid as it runs up through all the flats below ours with god knows how many tees off for drinking water etc. I would have to pull apart 3 finished flats if I were to do if like that.

You may have to if you own the flats, next year the lead level in drinking water is to be reduced to 10 micrograms per litre

 

[Dan Robinson]

Don't know if they make a universal transition coupling that size - but it should be removed.

What does the freeholder and water company say?

 

[Razor900]

How is the ballvalve joined to the lead at the moment ?

It gotta be easier to adapt it from there and leave the old crap alone

 

[DaleRCL]

I don't own the flats, they are owned by a large property company but the other flats are leased to the tenants so the freeholder can't make them have any work done if they don't want to. I won't be able to make any connections where the old ball valve is as the new pipework needs to be rerouted slightly. The new configuration of the tank is different to the old one.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Tell all owners that the water mains will be off between 10am and 1pm on Monday, most people will be at work.

Turn of water mains, open cold water tap to take away any water in lead pipe work.
Cut lead pipe and remove a section and go and get a lead loc.
Come back and fit lead loc with new stop cock and re-connect to cold water tanks with Hep.

Then you can organise to remove and replace the tanks another day.

Andy

 

[DaleRCL]

Good suggestion Andy, but as I say, I can't cut a section of the pipe without totally removing the old tank to get to it. And once I remove the tank it will never all go back in as it is a huge rusty galvanized steel thing. Also, my main concern is that there is no lead loc this size, then I will really be in trouble with an open ended mains, no tank, no way to join onto the pipe and 3 angry tenants.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Don't take this the wrong way; but if you are being entrusted with such a relatively big job, do you think you should be asking on a DIY website?

Do you have the insurance for this job?

 

[DaleRCL]

Yes I do have insurance. I'm not asking how to do the whole job, just advice on one fitting. I don't think that's too big a question to post on here.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Well with the information already in this thread I have found what you need. In less than 30 seconds.

Amazing what you can do on the internet.

 

[DaleRCL]

I AM on the Internet trying to find the answer. But instead of just typing it into Google I thought I'd ask on here if anyone has any suggestions as I would also get some objective advice (something that Google doesn't offer).

 

[Dan Robinson]

http://www.philmac.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Utc_3G_tech_manual_METRIC-IMPERIAL_email_version.pdf

 

[DaleRCL]

Thank You Dan. You've been most helpful.