djdewig
Member
Here's a picture of a compression valve underneath my sink. I attempted to use a flat head screwdriver to turn the water off, but it won't budge. Can anyone identify the tool necessary to turn this valve? Thank you.
Can someone identify the tool for this compression valve?
- Thread starter djdewig
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Those are keyed stops but should still turn off with a screwdriver because there’s a slot for one.
It’s froze up from lack of use and age.
It’s froze up from lack of use and age.
djdewig
Member
I can only seem to find keys for square stems and not this strange one. Anyone know where to find the right key? Or suggestions on how i can loosen it up so I can close the valve? Or is it just better to replace the whole compression valve?
I don’t know where to find the right key.
You might could loosen the packing nut little then try to use a flat head.
Or replace the entire valve.
Tim Whistler
Well-Known Member
Hit it with some WD40 and try again in a few minutes. Make sure your screwdriver is wide enough to catch both sides of the spline.
arctic bill
Well-Known Member
we used to use these in schools where kids would shut off the water.
now we go with square cocks , i tried to google a photo but porn just showed up. It is a shut off valve with a special keyed shut off handle
now we go with square cocks , i tried to google a photo but porn just showed up. It is a shut off valve with a special keyed shut off handle
Sometimes if you give the screw driver a couple of wacks, it might free up, that also depends on how well the water line is supported in the wall,if that's a threaded connection you can change the valve, use the proper size screw driver also, you will ruin the slots if the screw driver keeps slipping
Bird Doo Head
Well-Known Member
An NFL stadium, built in the early 1970's, where I was in charge of the trades had such tamper resistant stops. The plumbers would use 4-way hose bibb keys. Maybe this will be a fit for yours. They also make (or used to make) friction-fit keys. These were tapered to fit damaged stems.
Maybe this will work for you, but if the stem snaps, you may need to replace the valve:
It's how I freed many, many gate & globe valves on my plumbing & hydronic system when I bought the house:
Turn off the branch supplying the valve, remove the packing nut, wrap electrical tape around the jaws of water pump pliers (AKA Channelocks) and try to turn the stem. Maybe give a gentle counterclockwise turn first to break corrosion. (The tape is to try to prevent putting marks on the stem that might cause packing leaks.)
Last Ditch Effort:
Will the stem and nut from a current model angle stop fit? Most of those in my house accepted Brass Craft or Mueller stems.
Take the packing nut off and grab the stem firmly with water pump pliers or gas pliers. You'll damage it, so be ready to swap valve bodies if this fails.
Hope this helps.
Also note that I'm not currently a plumber, so maybe ask the real plumbers here if these are bad ideas before proceeding. (Completed my apprenticeship in the 70's and worked almost exclusively pipe fitting & DWV installations, thus I've very little knowledge of faucets, drains & such. When PVC became the norm, I had to stop because of anaphylactic reactions to the solvents.)
Maybe this will work for you, but if the stem snaps, you may need to replace the valve:
It's how I freed many, many gate & globe valves on my plumbing & hydronic system when I bought the house:
Turn off the branch supplying the valve, remove the packing nut, wrap electrical tape around the jaws of water pump pliers (AKA Channelocks) and try to turn the stem. Maybe give a gentle counterclockwise turn first to break corrosion. (The tape is to try to prevent putting marks on the stem that might cause packing leaks.)
Last Ditch Effort:
Will the stem and nut from a current model angle stop fit? Most of those in my house accepted Brass Craft or Mueller stems.
Take the packing nut off and grab the stem firmly with water pump pliers or gas pliers. You'll damage it, so be ready to swap valve bodies if this fails.
Hope this helps.
Also note that I'm not currently a plumber, so maybe ask the real plumbers here if these are bad ideas before proceeding. (Completed my apprenticeship in the 70's and worked almost exclusively pipe fitting & DWV installations, thus I've very little knowledge of faucets, drains & such. When PVC became the norm, I had to stop because of anaphylactic reactions to the solvents.)
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That key was a good thought,but it only works if it's square, I use that key all the time, the poster needs a good sharp flat head that's almost to big to fit otherwise it will strip that slot or it looks like it could be threaded off
Not great lighting but that looks suspiciously like a Torx-drive socket is what you'd need - 1/4" or 3/8" maybe!?
Probably need a deep, thin walled socket - pic below is the (torx) type but for impact.
Or, for a plan "B", shut the water off and it appears that valve may be serviceable. May be able to disassemble that front section and free it up that way!?
Probably need a deep, thin walled socket - pic below is the (torx) type but for impact.
Or, for a plan "B", shut the water off and it appears that valve may be serviceable. May be able to disassemble that front section and free it up that way!?
It looks like that valve threads on to something coming out of the wall,thats a flat head screw driver slot I've seen the before,I would change the valve if you gonna buy a new stem, if you can findd the brand name not gonna be much money and the time would about the same
LOL Google is your friend.
