On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 01:50:56 +0000, Reestit Mutton wrote:

Hi Guys,

After mucking me around for six weeks, my plumber has finally let me
down for the final time and left me with a thermostatic mixer shower to
install myself.

There are 15mm hot & cold shower tails behind the bath which I need to
step up to 22mm as this is the size of the shower inlet.

I'm using compression joints and I've been told that I need to use a
22mm joint with a 22x15mm internal reducer. I have all this stuff and
there is only one way that the internal reducer will fit into the joint
and that is if I throw away the olive that comes with the joint.
Everything seems to fit snugly but, when everything is tightened, the
15mm pipe is not gripped tightly. i.e. I can pull it out of the joint
with my fingers.

Now, even a numpty like myself knows that this is just plain wrong.

Is there a specific way this joint and reducer needs to be fitted or am
I missing a vital ingredient that does the job of gripping the 15mm pipe?

Just to recap, I have the following:

22mm plastic pipe with insert
15mm plastic pipe with insert
22mm elbow joint
22x15mm internal reducer

(all purchased from B&Q if that has any bearing on teh situation)

and that's it.

Can anyone help?...My partner really would like to be able to use the
bathroom again this side of Christmas and you just cannot get a plumber
out of bed at short notice for anything less than a fortune at this time
of year.

cheers (and Merry Christmas folks)
Laurence

Reducing sets come in two flavours ( that I have so far used).

In both cases you discard (to your tool box) the 22mm olive.

In the case with the set that is made from 3 parts you put the deep part
(the bit with less than 15mm hole) in it into the 22mm fitting then you
put the 22mm back nut on to the 15mm pipe, then the shallower part then
the 15mm olive. Insert pipe into deep insert in fitting and tighten to
take up the slack should be hand tight unless the pipes are slightly
awkward. The tighten about 4-7 flats more. This should grip the plastic
pipe well unless the reducing set is not really a 22/15 unit or the
plastic pipe is not 15mm.

With the one peice reducers. These go long end into the 22mm fitting first.
These may require working harder to get a grip and they crimp the
thinnish centre section onto the plastic.

Note in both cases you probably need to treat the fitting with at least
the same "oomph" that you would to make the joint on to a 22mm pipe. A
little grease on the threads and a little sealant (eg. liquid ptfe) on the
mating surfaces may save some hassle.

--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html