# ID an 'antique' sillcock backflow preventer?



## PoodleHeadMikey (Jun 21, 2014)

This customer has sillcocks with an after-the-valve backflow preventer. 

Like the standard cheap add-on backflow preventers which are female-hose thread x male-hose thread -

BUT . . . . these backflow preventers are a fine machine thread on the female side x male-hose thread. I'm sure they were not meant to detach from the sillcocks but somehow over the years they were all taken off, likely with the channelock tightened hose ends which really needed new washers. <g>

I have some pics I can e-mail to you - but I don't know how to embed them into a post directly.

Anybody remember ever seeing anything like that? From the 1980's I would guess from the age of the house. I can't see any make or numbers on the sillcocks. Can anybody think of who might have made them? 

PHM
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## ibeplumber (Sep 20, 2011)

Woodford?


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## PoodleHeadMikey (Jun 21, 2014)

*Weirdly; these seem the Opposite of Woodford units*

Thanks. But all the Woodford sillcocks I have ever seen are female machine thread into the body of the valve - with the male portion of the threads on the vent attachment part. The sillcocks these people have are the opposite arrangement: on these the male straight threads are on the valve body and the vent attachment is female.

PHM
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ibeplumber said:


> View attachment 32001
> 
> 
> Woodford?


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## PoodleHeadMikey (Jun 21, 2014)

*sillcock - test picture*

http://s4.photobucket.com/user/pood...ersillcock4_zpsd0d7d0e3.jpg.html?sort=2&o=126


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## PoodleHeadMikey (Jun 21, 2014)

*maybe this will work ?*

http://rs4.pbsrc.com/albums/y146/poodleheadmikey/vacuumbreaker2_zpsd3ccc326.jpg~c100?t=1403381191


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## Gargalaxy (Aug 14, 2013)

Can you post your intro before we start helping you?


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## PoodleHeadMikey (Jun 21, 2014)

*Sorry; what do you want to know?*

What is an intro? Just hello; here I am? Or do you want intimate details?

PHM
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Gargalaxy said:


> Can you post your intro before we start helping you?


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

you obviously dont read what you should be reading before posting.


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## Gargalaxy (Aug 14, 2013)

PoodleHeadMikey said:


> What is an intro? Just hello; here I am? Or do you want intimate details?
> 
> PHM
> ------


We read what we want to.... Could you give is an introduction please? Let us know who you are and your plumbing experience.


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## PoodleHeadMikey (Jun 21, 2014)

OK; I give up. <g> I just searched everywhere that I could find here - there is apparently no instruction sheet of what to do before asking questions and helping other people. 

BTW: earlier today I did calculate the piping, pressure drops, and flow velocities for some guy on here - can I get at least partial credit for my free engineering efforts? <g>

PHM
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## Gargalaxy (Aug 14, 2013)

PoodleHeadMikey said:


> OK; I give up. <g> I just searched everywhere that I could find here - there is apparently no instruction sheet of what to do before asking questions and helping other people.
> 
> BTW: earlier today I did calculate the piping, pressure drops, and flow velocities for some guy on here - can I get at least partial credit for my free engineering efforts? <g>
> 
> ...


Lol, ok you earned some credit.....

An intro is requested from all new members. In case you missed it, here is the link. http://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/.

The PZ is for Plumbing Professionals ( those engaged in the plumbing profession)

Post an intro and tell our members where you are from, yrs in the trade, and your area(s) of expertise in the plumbing field.

This info helps members who are waiting to welcome you to the best plumbing site there is.

We look forward to your valuable input.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

PoodleHeadMikey said:


> OK; I give up. <g> I just searched everywhere that I could find here - there is apparently no instruction sheet of what to do before asking questions and helping other people....


You received a PM when you registered that had a lot of information about the "intro" tradition.


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## PoodleHeadMikey (Jun 21, 2014)

*Here are some pics to show you what I mean -*

http://tinyurl.com/pgzj8uu

http://tinyurl.com/ogqelpk


PHM
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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Good cooling engineer would call a licensed plumber to do the job.. quit saying its the customer while its you trying to freeloaning from us.


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

if you would be a real plumber, you would have just replaced the 40 year old pos :whistling2:


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

It's more than likely a watts just go and get a new one and quit wasting your time trying to find parts.


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## PoodleHeadMikey (Jun 21, 2014)

*Any fool can just sell them a new one*

I know because the A/C business is filled to overflowing with salesmen disguised as techs. <g> But the hard fact is: I'm not interested in selling the guy anything or doing any plumbing for him. It's not what I do and I don't want to start. 

But I do imagine that is what Bryan will do - if he ever gets out there - just sell them new frost proof units. <g> But; the guy is a long term customer of ours and he asked me about getting the parts for the existing sillcocks. I'm just trying to help him out but I'm sure not willing to kill myself over it. If the parts are or aren't available it's really nothing to me - well, let's face it; except for the Hero Factor. <g>

For many years when calling for technical assistance I always asked to talk to the oldest guy there. And I guess that was my same logic here. I just thought that maybe someone here would have seen them before. The old guys at the local plumbing supply came up empty with their memories.

Bryan always says that I'm the kind of guy who can fix any plumbing problem with one finger - I just gesture towards him and say: Yo buddy; you wanna have a look at this? Take care of that for me willya? <g>

PHM
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SchmitzPlumbing said:


> if you would be a real plumber, you would have just replaced the 40 year old pos :whistling2:


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

PoodleHeadMikey said:


> I know because the A/C business is filled to overflowing with salesmen disguised as techs. <g> But the hard fact is: I'm not interested in selling the guy anything or doing any plumbing for him. It's not what I do and I don't want to start.
> 
> But I do imagine that is what Bryan will do - if he ever gets out there - just sell them new frost proof units. <g> But; the guy is a long term customer of ours and he asked me about getting the parts for the existing sillcocks. I'm just trying to help him out but I'm sure not willing to kill myself over it. If the parts are or aren't available it's really nothing to me - well, let's face it; except for the Hero Factor. <g>
> 
> ...


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

...


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## PoodleHeadMikey (Jun 21, 2014)

*That is a Great idea! Anybody here work in Gloucester County?*

Does anyone here work in Gloucester County NJ? This customer is in Williamstown. He's a good guy, never questions a bill, always wants to do the job right.

Anybody?

And even further - is there anybody that I can refer all plumbing work to? Customers ask me all the time but all the plumbers I know are always screamingly busy.

Although . . . maybe they just Say that and it's actually that they secretly hate me. <g> 

PHM
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rjbphd said:


> PoodleHeadMikey said:
> 
> 
> > I know because the A/C business is filled to overflowing with salesmen disguised as techs. <g> But the hard fact is: I'm not interested in selling the guy anything or doing any plumbing for him. It's not what I do and I don't want to start.
> ...


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

Look up Plumbinator. He is very knowledgeable and is in NJ.


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## swedishcharm21 (Oct 29, 2011)

Woodford model 25. This is actually very modern.


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## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

I've always replaced bad ones instead of repairing. Partly because our supply houses don't stock the parts and the parts cost more. Of course special situations I would still repair. But haven't ran into it on residential.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

If you actually touch that " half assed in boiler drain" on the side of that home it will probably break off in the brick and you will be stareing at a bunch of ....rusted ..eaten out...galvanized threads.......:laughing::laughing:

been there and done that... and then its crying time...

I NEVER,, EVER fool with hose bib repairs... you cannot warranty the work and stare at a dripping hose bib for 20 minutes with the customer looking over your shoulder the whole time.......
So then next spring it freezes and breaks and they blame you for it....:no:

We install woodford hose bibs, we dont repair anything
even if it is only 10 years old.... 

Get yourself a sledge hammer and a chisel and tear that junk out of there and then get back to a joint and replace the whole thing with copper or pex.


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