The worst plumbing invention ever.....

[Guest123]

....has to go to gate valves. I hate them with a vengeance. Another stuck one today.

Worse still are the muppets who fit them on mains pressure lines.

 

[Phil]

Old gate valves from the 50's etc seem to be alot better than the cheapo just of today?

One pointless load of garbage it this cartridge cutter, my toolbox is heavy enough without filling it with more rubbish.

Stanley knife....HELLO?

 

[glasgowplumb]

they can be a bit of a bind but when demonstrated or shown to client that they have ceased to function properly its another chargeable job.

 

[WaterTight]

They are rubbish but it usually means a longer job, replacing them and therefore more money.

 

[Barry98]

....has to go to gate valves. I hate them with a vengeance. Another stuck one today.

Worse still are the muppets who fit them on mains pressure lines.

you mean its not flexis

 

[Guest123]

you mean its not flexis

They were not an invention, they were made for a laugh.

 

[Tap dancer]

Why don't you like gate valves?

I have 2 in my tank cupboard, with red handles. Not sure what these do. I haven't tried turning them for years.

Do gate valves shut off the water completely, or do they leak a bit?

 

[Guest123]

Why don't you like gate valves?

I have 2 in my tank cupboard, with red handles. Not sure what these do. I haven't tried turning them for years.

Do gate valves shut off the water completely, or do they leak a bit?

If they haven't been turned for years, chances are they will fail and either partially close, remain stuck closed or won't turn off at all. As Phil says the older ones are better than the modern equivalent.

It's so frustrating that after finishing a job to find that I can't turn the water back on because the gate valve is stuck. Ok, get paid for it but it usually involves working late to replace or try to fix it.

I replace with full bore lever ball valves.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

mostly they shut off completely except when they get stuck or snap off inside or let by slightly because they aren't closed properly because of limescale.

 

[Guest123]

Yes I agree Steve. Thankfully limescale isn't a problem up here.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

you're lucky then lol

 

[Guest123]

Still remember the "furry" kettles in Blackpool. LOL

 

[kay-jay]

Worst invention is those poxy doc lockshields where the screw which releases the water is inside the hose spigot .....
DOH! 🙄

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Destroyer2813]

Fast track 12 week wonder courses making redundant people think they can make a fortune in no time

 

[hunterseye]

So far for me it has to be plumbers mait. hate the stuff. used once...never again.

 

[mikegas]

Run out of co2?

 

[Guest123]

Run out of co2?

No Mike, it was in a newish house, only 4 years old and I didn't think I'd need to freeze it mate.

 

[Howsie]

Fast track 12 week wonder courses making redundant people think they can make a fortune in no time

Harsh.

 

[Phil]

With some gate valves you can tell if they're gonna fail you, its like they have a tag on them saying "touch me and your dinner's ruined".

Nothing worse when they snap and you kid yourself that just one extra turn anti clockwise is going to wind it up but no chance.

 

[Dotty]

With some gate valves you can tell if they're gonna fail you, its like they have a tag on them saying "touch me and your dinner's ruined".

Nothing worse when they snap and you kid yourself that just one extra turn anti clockwise is going to wind it up but no chance.

And always when it's least convenient.

 

[Rickster123]

The worst for me is ballofix pump valves. Always leak if touched and when you need to change them they are slightly smaller than a decent valve making an easy job a pain in the bum.

 

[mountainman]

I submit as my nomination.............
The Plumbing Forum.

It allows people with little or no knowledge to advise people who shouldn't be allowed to breed to advance their status to an adviser with little or no knowledge on a Plumbing Forum.

 

[Guest123]

I submit as my nomination.............
The Plumbing Forum.

It allows people with little or no knowledge to advise people who shouldn't be allowed to breed to advance their status to an adviser with little or no knowledge on a Plumbing Forum.

Anyone in mind?

 

[dontknowitall]

Great thread, System3!!

Quite agree with gate valves and other suggestions.

My pet hate is plastic inlet valves for wc's followed by plastic, push button operated flush valves. Fixing problems that weren't there.

 

[mountainman]

My keypad is locked on that subject, Fili Mou!
The Mods and Administrators have infiltrated my operating system so that my dictionary only allow me to post nice stuff.
Little do they know how they will suffer when I am crowned Emperor...
AAAH HAHAHAHAHAHA Etc..

 

[Guest123]

My keypad is locked on that subject, Fili Mou!
The Mods and Administrators have infiltrated my operating system so that my dictionary only allow me to post nice stuff.
Little do they know how they will suffer when I am crowned Emperor...
AAAH HAHAHAHAHAHA Etc..

Has someone rattled your cage? This is the OPEN forum and anyone can read this. If you don't like another forum member or the forum itself, why not vent this in the Arms mate and not here.

 

[mountainman]

Not at all Sys, only trying to lighten the topic.

 

[Guest123]

Okies. It's difficult to gauge someones post sometimes as, well your not face to face with them to see them smiling when writing it.

If you want to lighten a post, go and try the suicide one in the Arms! LOL

 

[chris watkins]

Don't know why you lot have such a downer on the poor old gate valve. Never had a problem with the green head Hattersleys or Crane & even at a push Peglar if you buy & fit rubbish what do you expect. LOL As for installing on the mains what do you think all em ones in the road are ???
My vote goes to a tool as well, this little baby
The Sheteck spanner, I think it is Sheteck it may have been spelt with an I (not the first E) Thought I would get one an it was a lot less than a monument adjustable, that was lesson one "don't buy cheap tools".

 

[mountainman]

Point taken Sys, I am a cynical bar person. But what the heck!
Already contributed to the Suicide Thread, but I think they are all hanging about elsewhere. 🙂

 

[Guest123]

Chris, I'm talking about the cheap and nasty red handled ones already installed in homes.

The ones used on water mains are designed for it, not like the red handled domestic use ones, which quickly sieze.

I agree about that spanner, it's cack and makes a better hammer than a wrench.

 

[mountainman]

I agree with the sheetec spanner Chris, I don't remember the thing ever fitting a nut properly.

 

[mountainman]

How about a slight change of tack.
I nominate the Honeywell motorised valve as both the best and the worst.

Best, because it it just is.

Worst, because the original valves had two microscopic non-magnetic screws holding the synchron motor in place and the later incarnation only had one such screw.

The miracle of these screws was their uncanny ability to drop out of the valve and follow an impossible trajectory leading to a gap between the floorboards beneath the HW cylinder.

Such joy, especially on a Friday afternoon.

 

[Mike Jackson]

I agree with the sheetec spanner Chris, I don't remember the thing ever fitting a nut properly.

They used to fit the older style nuts years ago. When I first started they were all you could get for taps. It was quite a revelation when I bought my first Rothenberger tap wrench.

 

[stevetheplumber]

i dont know how old you are mike but monument always did the adjustable tapwrench when i was an apprentice i lost the 1/2 inch jaw of a plumbers wrench it fell down a duct and was never seen again the plumber got the firm to buy him a new one and they stopped it out of my wages that was pre 74 at least ,got to agree about the shetack they fitted nothing my nomination would be those water softner that went under combis that had the balls inside that needed topping up sil phos was it ?