Castrads, am I going bonkers

[Riley]

I just wondered if any of you guys have had dealings with the company castrads. I have a customer who has Bought 4 sets of really good quality radiator valves from them at £70 a pop to plumb in 4 old cast-iron radiators.

First set of valves was delivered three out of four of the wheel heads were not milled properly and would not go onto 15 mm pipe and two out of four of the lockshields were the same.

I called the company as I can explain the situation better than the customer. They agreed to send replacement valves. These arrived on Thursday and all three of the manual wheel heads again did not fit the pipe but this time the lockshields were fine.

So we're onto our third set which arrived today and once again the pipe doesn't go in. Basically I want to know where we stand I have essentially lost 2 1/2 days work and the company tell me this is the clients problem not theirs.

Company have subsequently phoned back and spoken with the client and say that you need to force the pipe into the fitting, now in all my time of plumbing I have never had a compression fitting where I've literally had to beat the pipe into it ? Am I being too particular here or does it sound like the company are trying it on??

The lack of customer care is somewhat mindnumbing and i now don't want fit these valves as its my insurance at the end of the day

Does anybody have any words of wisdom

 

[ShaunCorbs]

No your right if the pipe won't push into the valve there's something wrong / out of tolerance , made in China ???

Other than going to the local machine shop and sticking it on a lathe and tbh you shouldn't have to do it but other than getting a set of valves from a different company and sending the rubbish ones back

customers call

 

[Riley]

Cheers Shaun, as far as I'm aware they are actually manufactured in the UK as the lady I spoke with earlier on said that she would give the local factory a ring. This is really starting to get to me because I'm speaking to the customer who now thinks I'm making it up whereas I now just think they've been poorly made. I've never used a compression fitting which doesn't just nicely slot over the pipe but I'm being spoken to like I'm doing something wrong. People really are idiots

 

[AlexGas]

Sounds like it was made in China...

 

[Best]

You would have thought the company would have had the decency and the common sense to have got a cutting of 15mm copper and checked the replacement valves before they sent them the second and now the third time.
Just get the customer to tell the company the valves are still faulty as have been inspected by engineer. Your time wasted is your customers responsibility as they have bought the valves

 

[Riley]

Sounds like it was made in China...

Agreed, sounds it but sadly not :-(

 

[Riley]

You would have thought the company would have had the decency and the common sense to have got a cutting of 15mm copper and checked the replacement valves before they sent them the second and now the third time.
Just get the customer to tell the company the valves are still faulty as have been inspected by engineer. Your time wasted is your customers responsibility as they have bought the valves

They claim to have tested them and are adamant that the compression fitting should be tight on the pipe. My argument is that if that were the case why would the other one have fitted onto the pipe as I would've expected. Technical helpline my arris

 

[Best]

They claim to have tested them and are adamant that the compression fitting should be tight on the pipe. My argument is that if that were the case why would the other one have fitted onto the pipe as I would've expected. Technical helpline my arris

More like Technical- Pass- Buck- to- the- Plumber- Helpline.

 

[Riley]

Problem is its making my customers doubt what I'm saying as they are telling the customer that the valves are fine

 

[rpm]

Might be missing something, can`t you show the customer with an off cut of pipe.

 

[Riley]

Might be missing something, can`t you show the customer with an off cut of pipe.

I have done exactly that mate but the company are saying that the fitting should be quite tight and you might have to twist the pipe into it which to me is rubbish

 

[rpm]

I have done exactly that mate but the company are saying that the fitting should be quite tight and you might have to twist the pipe into it which to me is rubbish

I agree.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I have done exactly that mate but the company are saying that the fitting should be quite tight and you might have to twist the pipe into it which to me is rubbish

Have you tried beating a piece (scrap) in to see if it frees it up a bit ??

 

[Best]

Not being funny, but I would use a bit of lube if I was trying to shove it in.
Would be difficult pulling it out later if you don't.

That somehow sounds so wrong

 

[rpm]

Not being funny, but I would use a bit of lube if I was trying to shove it in.
Would be difficult pulling it out later if you don't.

That somehow sounds so wrong

Think most are used to how your mind works mate. :wink5:

 

[Phil]

Maybe the UK valves are right and have such tight fitting tolerences that its puts to shame the slack Chinese tat we are all used to fitting?

 

[Rickster123]

You sure it's not just you being a namby pamby weakling?

 

[mfgs]

I have fitted a fair few rads and valves from castrads and cant say I have had a problem with any of them. Doesn't sound right that the pipe wont go into the valve though, does compound help it go in any better?

 

[Best]

Think most are used to how your mind works mate. :wink5:

It's just my age and my hormones your Honor. :smile:
I was honestly actually thinking of him using silicone grease/oil or paste.

 

[SimonG]

I had the same problem a few years ago. Customer sourced antique looking rad valves for their cast iron rads. Cant remember the manufacturer, but absolute tat. Not fit on the parts, olives that were just a ring of brass, nuts splitting and leaking from the guts.