(I'm SO sorry. I'm learning a new browser and I managed to post this as a
reply for someone else instead of a new post.)

Nothing is easy in home repair!!!
We tried to replace the packing washer in our outside hose bib and that
seemed to go OK, but we removed the screw securing the handle and that
screw seemed to plug a hole in the hollow stem which now leaks.

What is the purpose of a hole in the hollow stem and how do you stop THAT
from from leaking?

The guys at Lowes never heard of such a thing.

Here is a picture to help you understand what I have...
http://mysite.verizon.net/bjkass123/bibhole.jpg

Thanks for any ideas of what it's for and how to fix.

Joy

Maybe like a prevention for a frozen pipe. Blows out if under pressure?
Could be.

--



BetsyB



"Joy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> (I'm SO sorry. I'm learning a new browser and I managed to post this as a
> reply for someone else instead of a new post.)
>
> Nothing is easy in home repair!!!
> We tried to replace the packing washer in our outside hose bib and that
> seemed to go OK, but we removed the screw securing the handle and that
> screw seemed to plug a hole in the hollow stem which now leaks.
>
> What is the purpose of a hole in the hollow stem and how do you stop THAT
> from from leaking?
>
> The guys at Lowes never heard of such a thing.
>
> Here is a picture to help you understand what I have...
> http://mysite.verizon.net/bjkass123/bibhole.jpg
>
> Thanks for any ideas of what it's for and how to fix.
>
> Joy

" Nothing is easy in home repair!!!
> We tried to replace the packing washer in our outside hose bib and that
> seemed to go OK, but we removed the screw securing the handle and that
> screw seemed to plug a hole in the hollow stem which now leaks.> What is
> the purpose of a hole in the hollow stem and how do you stop THAT from
> from leaking?> The guys at Lowes never heard of such a thing.> Here is a
> picture to help you understand what I have...
> http://mysite.verizon.net/bjkass123/bibhole.jpg> Thanks for any ideas of
> what it's for and how to fix.> Joy"

I've also never heard of a completely hollow valve stem. Usually, the hole
is tapped only deep enough to take the handle mounting screw. Are you sure
it is leaking through the hole, and not from the base of the stem where it
goes into the valve nut? May be easiest just to replace the hose bib valve,
if replacing the packing and replacing the handle does not do the trick.
Bib valves are fairly cheap.

Joy wrote:
> (I'm SO sorry. I'm learning a new browser and I managed to post this as
> a reply for someone else instead of a new post.)
>
> Nothing is easy in home repair!!!
> We tried to replace the packing washer in our outside hose bib and that
> seemed to go OK, but we removed the screw securing the handle and that
> screw seemed to plug a hole in the hollow stem which now leaks.
>
> What is the purpose of a hole in the hollow stem and how do you stop
> THAT from from leaking?
>
> The guys at Lowes never heard of such a thing.
>
> Here is a picture to help you understand what I have...
> http://mysite.verizon.net/bjkass123/bibhole.jpg
>
> Thanks for any ideas of what it's for and how to fix.
>
> Joy
Replace it. That is a boiler drain valve, not a true hosebib.
You can't stop it from leaking, because it looks like its been
modified to use the screw instead of the nut to hold the handle on.
Since it is a boiler valve, you can replace the whole stem and
washer from another 3/4 inch boiler valve. The guys at Lowes ought
to be able to sell you on of those for less than $10.
--
Grandpa

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:07:20 -0400, Roger <sherryrogeratcomcastdotnet>
wrote:
>> We tried to replace the packing washer in our outside hose bib and that
>> seemed to go OK, but we removed the screw securing the handle and that
>> screw seemed to plug a hole in the hollow stem which now leaks.> What is
>> the purpose of a hole in the hollow stem and how do you stop THAT from
>> from leaking?> The guys at Lowes never heard of such a thing.> Here is a
>> picture to help you understand what I have...
>> http://mysite.verizon.net/bjkass123/bibhole.jpg> Thanks for any ideas of
>> what it's for and how to fix.> Joy"
>
> I've also never heard of a completely hollow valve stem. Usually, the
> hole is tapped only deep enough to take the handle mounting screw. Are
> you sure it is leaking through the hole, and not from the base of the
> stem where it goes into the valve nut? May be easiest just to replace
> the hose bib valve, if replacing the packing and replacing the handle
> does not do the trick.
> Bib valves are fairly cheap.

Replacing would probably be difficult. It might be welded on the pipe. Do
any of these things get screwed on??? I don't want to risk making things
worse.

I can SEE the lower part of the screw through the hole in the stem and I'm
sure the water is leaking from this hole (probably squeezing past the
screw threads). WITHOUT the screw, the water squirts from the hole under
pressure. Caught me by surprise, it did.

I don't believe the hole is to relieve pressure since you can just open
the bib valve and do the same thing.

Joy

Joy wrote:
> On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:07:20 -0400, Roger <sherryrogeratcomcastdotnet>
> wrote:
>>> We tried to replace the packing washer in our outside hose bib and that
>>> seemed to go OK, but we removed the screw securing the handle and that
>>> screw seemed to plug a hole in the hollow stem which now leaks.> What is
>>> the purpose of a hole in the hollow stem and how do you stop THAT from
>>> from leaking?> The guys at Lowes never heard of such a thing.> Here is a
>>> picture to help you understand what I have...
>>> http://mysite.verizon.net/bjkass123/bibhole.jpg> Thanks for any ideas of
>>> what it's for and how to fix.> Joy"
>>
>> I've also never heard of a completely hollow valve stem. Usually, the
>> hole is tapped only deep enough to take the handle mounting screw. Are
>> you sure it is leaking through the hole, and not from the base of the
>> stem where it goes into the valve nut? May be easiest just to replace
>> the hose bib valve, if replacing the packing and replacing the handle
>> does not do the trick.
>> Bib valves are fairly cheap.
>
> Replacing would probably be difficult. It might be welded on the pipe.
> Do any of these things get screwed on??? I don't want to risk making
> things worse.
>

Boiler valves are NOT welded. They screw on. Yours looks like a 3/4
FIP valve. Depending upon what the attaching pipe is, you may or may
not be able to wrench it off. If its old galvanized pipe, you're
probably better off replacing the guts of the valve.
--
Grandpa

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 18:55:31 +0000, Joy wrote:

> (I'm SO sorry. I'm learning a new browser and I managed to post this as a
> reply for someone else instead of a new post.)
>
> Nothing is easy in home repair!!!
> We tried to replace the packing washer in our outside hose bib and that
> seemed to go OK, but we removed the screw securing the handle and that
> screw seemed to plug a hole in the hollow stem which now leaks.
>
> What is the purpose of a hole in the hollow stem and how do you stop THAT
> from from leaking?
>
> The guys at Lowes never heard of such a thing.
>
> Here is a picture to help you understand what I have...
> http://mysite.verizon.net/bjkass123/bibhole.jpg
>
> Thanks for any ideas of what it's for and how to fix.
>
> Joy

Looks like it could be removed and replaced. It's brass so it couldn't be
welded to steel.

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:26:21 -0400, Grandpa <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Joy wrote:
>> (I'm SO sorry. I'm learning a new browser and I managed to post this as
>> a reply for someone else instead of a new post.)
>> Nothing is easy in home repair!!!
>> We tried to replace the packing washer in our outside hose bib and that
>> seemed to go OK, but we removed the screw securing the handle and that
>> screw seemed to plug a hole in the hollow stem which now leaks.
>> What is the purpose of a hole in the hollow stem and how do you stop
>> THAT from from leaking?
>> The guys at Lowes never heard of such a thing.
>> Here is a picture to help you understand what I have...
>> http://mysite.verizon.net/bjkass123/bibhole.jpg
>> Thanks for any ideas of what it's for and how to fix.
>> Joy

> Replace it. That is a boiler drain valve, not a true hosebib.
> You can't stop it from leaking, because it looks like its been
> modified to use the screw instead of the nut to hold the handle on.
> Since it is a boiler valve, you can replace the whole stem and
> washer from another 3/4 inch boiler valve. The guys at Lowes ought
> to be able to sell you on of those for less than $10.

AAhhh. I tried my best to be clear. I'm afraid you assumed the picture is
of my actual bib... It's not. It's just a picture I found so I could
illustrate.

The bib does not appear to be modified and I doubt it was leaking from
that hole until I removed the screw holding the handle on. Hmmmm. Maybe
some loc-tite or something to seal the threads and block the water?
Anyway, still want to know why the hollow stem and how it should REALLY be
repaired.

Joy

On Jun 1, 2:55 pm, Joy <Mycrof...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> (I'm SO sorry. I'm learning a new browser and I managed to post this as a
> reply for someone else instead of a new post.)
>
> Joy

I make 2 or 3 posts to alt.home.repair per year, and one of 'em gets
hi-jacked??

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 20:00:39 +0000, Joy wrote:

> On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:26:21 -0400, Grandpa <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Joy wrote:
>>> (I'm SO sorry. I'm learning a new browser and I managed to post this as
>>> a reply for someone else instead of a new post.)
>>> Nothing is easy in home repair!!!
>>> We tried to replace the packing washer in our outside hose bib and that
>>> seemed to go OK, but we removed the screw securing the handle and that
>>> screw seemed to plug a hole in the hollow stem which now leaks.
>>> What is the purpose of a hole in the hollow stem and how do you stop
>>> THAT from from leaking?
>>> The guys at Lowes never heard of such a thing.
>>> Here is a picture to help you understand what I have...
>>> http://mysite.verizon.net/bjkass123/bibhole.jpg
>>> Thanks for any ideas of what it's for and how to fix.
>>> Joy
>
>> Replace it. That is a boiler drain valve, not a true hosebib.
>> You can't stop it from leaking, because it looks like its been
>> modified to use the screw instead of the nut to hold the handle on.
>> Since it is a boiler valve, you can replace the whole stem and
>> washer from another 3/4 inch boiler valve. The guys at Lowes ought
>> to be able to sell you on of those for less than $10.
>
> AAhhh. I tried my best to be clear. I'm afraid you assumed the picture is
> of my actual bib... It's not. It's just a picture I found so I could
> illustrate.
>
> The bib does not appear to be modified and I doubt it was leaking from
> that hole until I removed the screw holding the handle on. Hmmmm. Maybe
> some loc-tite or something to seal the threads and block the water?
> Anyway, still want to know why the hollow stem and how it should REALLY be
> repaired.
>
> Joy

Take a picture of it if you can and put it up so we can see it.