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

[Dannypipe]

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

I cranked up a 22mm compression fitting onto an 3/4 bit of pipe the other week as it was the discharge from an unvented. So no pressure will ever be on the joint.

I would never do it on a joint that's under pressure, as its a bodge. Adapters are pence.

 

[CXR100]

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

i have some 3/4" olives and 3/4" to 22mm solder couplings along with slips couplings in an old small swarfega pot in the van , this way i never try to use them on normal 22mm pipe an think they ar faulty 22mm couplers and chuck then in the scrap box!

 

[Bunker]

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

When removing rads:
(Assuming you've prepared the system appropriately and have your old towels under the valves etc)..
Have a couple of male compression caps at hand (1/2 or 3/4 dependng) and, once the rad is undone from the valve, gently separate and lob the cap in between, then do your rad-side nut up. No need to drain inside the house, no leakage, just carry outside and empty there. (obviously this will make the rad heavier so this will only work if its a smallish rad, or if there are 2 of you, or if you look like Croppie and can lift one in each hand...🙂)

 

[mutley racers]

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

When soldering and a fitting is in a tight place, heat the pipe further down from the fitting and then solder

 

[Whyme]

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

If your in a pickle with a mildly scuffed rad get a small tub of white combined T cut and polish works a treat as long as its not too deep and will last you years..( disclaimer the right thing to do would be replace rad but hey ho).

 

[WaterTight]

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

When fitting a fluidmaster dual flush drop valve into a WC with a 2 inch cistern hole and therefore using the supplied 2 inch seal, keep the foam washer that it comes fitted with - they are better than the thin rubber ones which come with normal handle operated syphons.

While on the subject had anyone tried the handle operated fluidmaster dual flush valves (not flapper type)? Wondering if they were as reliable and the classic...

 

[kay-jay]

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

Yes. Excellent. Lift up handle for half flush and depress handle for full flush.

 

[Bunker]

Best tool in my box - 52mm pump valve spanner from Screwfix. Oh god it's awesome...🙂

 

[Dannypipe]

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

Best tool in my box - 52mm pump valve spanner from Screwfix. Oh god it's awesome...🙂

They are good, and a life saver if you're in a tight spot. However I've since gone back to grips for pump unions. Haven't pulled the pump spanner out in months. Simply as I have the grips in the tool box I carry onto a job and the bloody great big pump spanner is in the tool tub in the van.

 

[Bunker]

COMPLAINT:
I've not been around the forum for long but having been reading it including this section, I have increasingly found my work is suffering. For example, on your appalling advice, I bought a wet n dry vacuum and have used it so many times its getting embarrassing, so much stuff is alot easier and taking LESS TIME! How am I supposed to string these jobs out now? Plus, I keep reading it like now when I should be working. It's an outrage.

 

[CXR100]

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

tell customers to put harpic blue block in cisters of leaking toilets, had loads this year and turned out to be condesation , couldent believe it was so much water, if the base of the toilet or the flush pipe or doughnut washer is leaking you will see the blue mark from the leak , very handy if it is a very small leak, or for customers in social housing that just want a new toilet because its "leaking" when its really just condensation!

 

[Bunker]

13mm ratchet spanner on tail key.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

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

13mm ratchet spanner on tail key. View attachment 11770

Should have for your self the rotenberger rad rachet .... Sorry can not post link as I use my phone

 

[Bunker]

Should have for your self the rotenberger rad rachet .... Sorry can not post link as I use my phone

Yes I've seen those but that's an extra tool, my way uses stuff I already have. 🙂

 

[WHPES]

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

If you can't find the test point plug for the boiler after you've finished doing a combustion test, it's usually stuck to the magnet on the back of your analyser.

 

[WHPES]

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

Leave it in a compartment in the top of your toolbox then it won't get lost under dust sheets etc.

 

[WHPES]

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

Don't carry round junk and scrap and tools you don't need in your van, only adds to weight and uses extra fuel hauling it all around.

 

[Plumb-pro]

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

When applying silicone along a bath, basin etc i always spray with windolene before smoothing, this stops any smearing up the tiles and bath and gives a great finish.

 

[iiplumbing]

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

When applying silicone along a bath, basin etc i always spray with windolene before smoothing, this stops any smearing up the tiles and bath and gives a great finish.

I use the smallest amount of silicone possible and then from a cup of water wet my finger to smooth down. Different colour silicones sometimes behave differently, black being the most difficult (I used fairy liquid on finger to ease lubrication!)

 

[Dannypipe]

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

13mm ratchet spanner on tail key. View attachment 11770

I like that. I resent paying Rothenburger 30 sheets for a posh spud key!

Here's a tip talking of boilers - purchase this set of magnetic trays from Toolstation :
Magnetic trays. That way you can put boiler components into them as you remove them, and not mix screws up.


I personally have a couple of these trays, also from Toolstation- but wished I'd bought the above set as it's better value.
Magnetic tray