On 9 Apr, 16:57, T i m wrote:
Hi All,

I just went into my 'local plumbers merchant' for a bit of advise and
to then (based on the advise) buy some bits.

I have used them many times over the years, one guy is a stores man
the other much more helpful (so guess which one I normally head for).
;-)

Today my friendly guy wasn't there so had to use the stores man and
whilst trying to keep it short and relevant, briefly described what I
needed to do (the water connections on this replacement multipoint
water heater). I mentioned the the old heater used joints with a
washer (on a flat shoulder, as per a tap connector on both fitting and
appliance) whereas the new heater used olived type compression joints,
however one of the ends I had from the old installation was quite a
neat tight 90 deg bend in 15mm copper but not a 'fitting' as such (ie,
just a bit of bent 15mm copper, no flange or collar etc) and I could
probably use something similar to re-fit the new heater in the
existing location. [1]

A guy hanging about in the shop came over (I'd seen him in there
before, maybe their 'plumber') and suggested the bent bit of copper
may have been part of a 'tail' that could have been supplied with the
boiler and instead I could just use a 'street elbow'. I asked if that
was ok to use with what was supposed to be an olived compression
connection (as opposed to a washered connection, as with a tap
connector) and he muttered summat about 'if you don't know what you
are doing you shouldn't be doing it' yada yada.

I thanked him again for trying to help, bade my farewells and went and
spent 30 quid in Wickes instead. I found what I was looking for re the
neat bent pipe in the form of a 'part crossover 15mm' where I can cut
a nice neat 90 deg section of plain copper pipe, suitable for fitting
into the heater one end (with an olive) and the isolation valve at the
other (again, a compression joint). I could have done (and may still
do) the same thing with a std 90 deg compression elbow and a couple of
bits of 15mm pipe, but that would result in a slightly tighter turn
(water resistance etc).

No wonder some of these 'local traders' are going out of business
[2]. :-(

All the best ..

T i m

[1] One of the other original water connections was a 90 deg 15mm tap
connector and in my understanding, 'not suitable' for use against an
olived type fitting? A connection possibly originally made by a
professional plumber, like the guy in the shop! ;-)

[2] If I get the opportunity I will (quietly) mention what happened to
the friendly guy (and possibly the owner), just so he knows ...

Thats just the "builders merchant" attitude you find all over the
place.
One local merchant is open to the "public" as well as trade,
and you see them sizing up the clients for trade or public before
deciding
how to treat them ! I ask for advice elsewhere (including this group)
and
go in asking for exactly what I want. If I use the wrong terminology
and get
a funny look, I add, "or whatever you call it down here" , implying
I'm from
some unspecified area of the country where they may well call purlins
"porloynes"
and roof tiles "wigglers".
Simon.