Opened the water supply valve for my backyard water spigot only to 
discover a leak.  Pipe is galvanized extending about 24" above ground 
level with a 180 degree elbow to which a standard valve is attached.  
Water leak found in the threads where the elbow connects to the stand up 
pipe.

Being at least 50 years old the connection is rather corroded.  Two pipe 
wrenches wouldn't budge it.  Have to be careful as I don't wish to crack 
the pipe below ground level.

Two questions:

1)  Any easy way to free up that elbow?

2)  Assuming answer to #1 is no, would it be possible to use a sawzall to 
cut of the elbow and somehow transition over to pvc?

Jim wrote:
> Opened the water supply valve for my backyard water spigot only to
> discover a leak.  Pipe is galvanized extending about 24" above ground
> level with a 180 degree elbow to which a standard valve is attached.
> Water leak found in the threads where the elbow connects to the stand
> up pipe.
>
> Being at least 50 years old the connection is rather corroded.  Two
> pipe wrenches wouldn't budge it.  Have to be careful as I don't wish
> to crack the pipe below ground level.
>
> Two questions:
>
> 1)  Any easy way to free up that elbow?

If pipe gets too corroded, the pipe just squashes when you try to hold it with a 
pipe wrench with enough force to loosen a rusted joint.

>
> 2)  Assuming answer to #1 is no, would it be possible to use a
> sawzall to cut of the elbow and somehow transition over to pvc?

There are PVC compression couplings. The cheapest way might be a 2" length of 
rubber hose with an I.D. equal to the O.D. of the pipe, and 2 hose clamps.

In article <49f4bb26$0$22504$6...@cv.net>,
 Jim <c...@go.nospam.com> wrote:

> Opened the water supply valve for my backyard water spigot only to 
> discover a leak.  Pipe is galvanized extending about 24" above ground 
> level with a 180 degree elbow to which a standard valve is attached.  
> Water leak found in the threads where the elbow connects to the stand up 
> pipe.
> 
> Being at least 50 years old the connection is rather corroded.  Two pipe 
> wrenches wouldn't budge it.  Have to be careful as I don't wish to crack 
> the pipe below ground level.
> 
> Two questions:
> 
> 1)  Any easy way to free up that elbow?

Put a six foot breaker bar on each wrench.

> 
> 2)  Assuming answer to #1 is no, would it be possible to use a sawzall to 
> cut of the elbow and somehow transition over to pvc?

Sure. Just thread the fresh pipe end after you cut it. Threaded PVC 
fittings are common.

On 26 Apr 2009 19:51:02 GMT, Jim <c...@go.nospam.com> wrote:

>Opened the water supply valve for my backyard water spigot only to 
>discover a leak.  Pipe is galvanized extending about 24" above ground 
>level with a 180 degree elbow to which a standard valve is attached.  
>Water leak found in the threads where the elbow connects to the stand up 
>pipe.
>
>Being at least 50 years old the connection is rather corroded.  Two pipe 
>wrenches wouldn't budge it.  Have to be careful as I don't wish to crack 
>the pipe below ground level.
>
>Two questions:
>
>1)  Any easy way to free up that elbow?
>
>2)  Assuming answer to #1 is no, would it be possible to use a sawzall to 
>cut of the elbow and somehow transition over to pvc?

You might have a better chance of opening up a joint underground but I
would be thinking about a whole new pipe if the stuff underground is
toast too.
Do not use a PVC female on a galvanized pipe!
Put a galvanized coupler on it and use a male PVC. 

The male pipe will start getting rusty and  female will end up
splitting.  

I wish there was a more politically correct way of saying that ;-)

Please be kind enough to take some pictures of that 180 
degree elbow, and post them to a photos hosting site. I'm 
not sure I've ever seen one of those.

As to freeing up a rotted on elbow, Mapp or acetylene torch, 
to heat the elbow. And then try the two wrenches while it's 
still plenty hot. I doubt a fermo connector would work on a 
water intake. Some threading kits are available to cut new 
threads into the cut end of a pipe. But, that's risky.

If heat doesn't work, with the two wrenches. Then try heat 
and then spray the threads with WD-4o till it cools down. 
sometimes helps. I've also heard of heating it, and then 
dripping candle wax onto the threads. but with a pipe coming 
through the floor, that's hard to drip uphill.

-- 
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
  www.lds.org
.


"Jim" <c...@go.nospam.com> wrote in message 
news:49f4bb26$0$22504$6...@cv.net...
Opened the water supply valve for my backyard water spigot 
only to
discover a leak.  Pipe is galvanized extending about 24" 
above ground
level with a 180 degree elbow to which a standard valve is 
attached.
Water leak found in the threads where the elbow connects to 
the stand up
pipe.

Being at least 50 years old the connection is rather 
corroded.  Two pipe
wrenches wouldn't budge it.  Have to be careful as I don't 
wish to crack
the pipe below ground level.

Two questions:

1)  Any easy way to free up that elbow?

2)  Assuming answer to #1 is no, would it be possible to use 
a sawzall to
cut of the elbow and somehow transition over to pvc? 

On Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:21:42 -0400, against all advice, something
compelled g...@aol.com, to say:

>     The male pipe will start getting rusty and  female will end up
>     splitting.  


That's a metaphor, yes?
-- 

Real men don't text.

On Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:36:19 -0700, Steve Daniels <s...@gorge.net>
wrote:

>On Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:21:42 -0400, against all advice, something
>compelled g...@aol.com, to say:
>
>>     The male pipe will start getting rusty and  female will end up
>>     splitting.  
>
>
>That's a metaphor, yes?

Just a mnemonic to remember the principle, like the
stelactite/stelagmite thing. 
"the mites go up and the tites come down" 

Sounds like a memory thing, to me. Like the stala*C*tites 
have a C. C for ceiling. stal*G*mites, G for Ground.

-- 
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
  www.lds.org
.


<g...@aol.com> wrote in message 
news:t...@4ax.com...

Just a mnemonic to remember the principle, like the
stelactite/stelagmite thing.
"the mites go up and the tites come down" 

On Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:19:03 -0400, against all advice, something
compelled "Stormin Mormon" ,
to say:

>     Sounds like a memory thing, to me.


That's what mnemonic means.
-- 

Real men don't text.

On Apr 26, 3:27=A0pm, "Stormin Mormon"
 wrote:
> Please be kind enough to take some pictures of that 180
> degree elbow, and post them to a photos hosting site. I'm
> not sure I've ever seen one of those.

I believe that would be a "pipe cap" ;)

Harry K