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re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Top tip from Darkcloud.

Cut my heat shield from scrapped 9x9 stainless flue terminals. Usually have 3 in the hot bag, different sizes for different apps.

Work just as well protecting walls, skirting and other surfaces. Normally put additional damp cloth behind it if near sparky stuff.

Not tried ally but mild steel 'holes' too easily, and I like a bit of shine.
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

When unpacking a bath, keep the plastic packing pieces which hold the legs, then screw these to the floor for the bath panel to save you cutting pieces of wood.
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

when you weight in your scrap copper cut off all joints, copper pipe with fitting on is classed as brazery and you get a low price if u pull out any old lead with those big sweated joint on warm them up and peel them off , lots of tin in those and there worth a small fortune.
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Cut up an old oven/baking tray into various sizes for a heat shield.
 
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re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

On my first visit to this forum I spent a few hours reading this thread and learned more in that half-day than in... well, it was useful.

So here's my contribution, for all of you smartphone (iPhone and Android) users:

Honeywell has a really nifty, FREE app called the "Honeywell Wiring Guide" which will give you ALL (as far as I can tell) the wiring plans I can imagine.

Well worth having.
 
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re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Keep the round plastic feet from old bath legs as they are the correct size for using through the holes of basins for large washers and Fischer type bolted basin fixings.

The whole bath leg including the plastic foot can be used as a bolt fixing in its own right, if you thread the steel rod/leg through the plastic foot and use a M8 or M10 nut on each side.
 
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re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

No matter how much the customers ask do not take the head off of a TRV when taking a rad off ......
not unless u fancy a very sore finger/hand whilst trying to put it back on 1 handed
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Be very care with B&Q new range of waste pipe 32-40 mm it is not possible to solvent weld do not waste 30 mins waiting for it to set like i did it never does they have changed to compression only as far as im aware
 
you can use push fit type waste pipe for T1 & T2 runs on unvented systems instead off copper

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

It is D not T & you can't use plastic for D1 (T&P to tun dish, max 600mm any way).
D2 can now be installed in plastic but not S/W, only push fit, B&Q special is fine, so long as it is to BS7291 - 2 or 3 2006, class S which is PE-X or PB (please see AD Part G3 2010 for full details & restrictions)
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

Get properly trained! An apprenticeship is the best for those starting out who are 16-18 years old - great training plus suppport and a wage. Good luck
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

To remove a cutting of soil pipe that's stuck solid inside a ring seal socket, heat the point of a wood chisel with your blow torch until red hot and use the heated point to scrape/gouge along the inside of the plastic pipe until the hot metal goes through it. Do this on both sides and the once stuck pipe comes out easily in two halves. I do this a lot at the back of toilets when a new longer cutting of soil pipe is needed and an extension is not an option.

Be careful not to melt through too far and damage the ring seal socket.
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

To easily mount a wall hung basin, that doesn't have a pedestal, sit it face down on a piece of stiff card board, draw round the shape and mark the screw holes on the card. Cut out the shape with scissors and drill out the marked screw holes, hold the card up to the wall, level it and mark the screw holes. Simples!

Now you can accurately drill your screw holes/Fischer Fixings without having to hold up the heavy basin with one hand and try to mark the holes with the other. Do the same for Portman brackets and your cut out template can be used for a block of basins too or re-used for next time.
 
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re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

When an air lock occurs bridge the hot and cold washing machine valves with a w/m hose , and turn on , leave for a min and open up all taps. And of course check your surroundings before you say yes to that cup of tea lol
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

When taking an old fibre washer our from a tap connector they can get stuck , get a small flat head screw driver , push down onto the washer and with the other hand turn the tap connector clockwise , this will force the washer around the thread and it will pop out , I'm not sure if this has been posted but hope it helps
 
re: Hints, tips & secrets of plumbing - No Banter please!

I've had this on a few rare occasions . I have been to properties where the fault seems to be an air lock , I tried forcing it out with the w/m hose trick , checked the cwsc for blockages and yet the problem still occurs , I took the vent pipe off from the cylinder and found a black disk floating , took it out and problem solved . Has any one come across this and do they know where this disk is from ? My only guess is from the sacrificial anode ?
 

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