Cold water storage tank started overflowing very slightly and intermittently
the other day. Further investigation reveals an enormous ballcock valve -
about 1½ in diameter - connected to a 22 mm input. So in my innocence I
went along to my nearest plumbers merchants - PTS to get a new one, given
that the old one is 40 years old. They'd heard of nothing like it - the
biggest they could come up with was a ¾" BSP fitting. Decided in the end to
get a bog standard ½" BSP ballcock valve, plus a 22 mm to 15 mm reducer etc.
Then I suddenly realised that the hole in the tank was going to be too big.
But I thought even making a smaller hole nearby and somehow sealing the old
one was still probably my best option. Now it isn't a metal tank. And it
isn't a black plastic tank. It's basically grey, not as soft as black
plastic, a sort of composite material. What I'm wanting please are
suggestions as to how best to seal the old hole - what sort of patch and
glue to use, or do I bolt on a patch with sealant.

Thoughts please.

TIA

Keith

"Keith Dunbar" wrote in message
...
Cold water storage tank started overflowing very slightly and
intermittently the other day. Further investigation reveals an enormous
ballcock valve - about 1½ in diameter - connected to a 22 mm input. So in
my innocence I went along to my nearest plumbers merchants - PTS to get a
new one, given that the old one is 40 years old. They'd heard of nothing
like it - the biggest they could come up with was a ¾" BSP fitting.

I supply drop arms - extensions for adjusting the height of the ball - up to
7/8" Whitworth thread, which I understand is used on 3" bore inlet valves.
Perhaps you need to try someone like Pipecenter, who deal with bigger
systems, rather than a plumbers' merchant.

...Now it isn't a metal tank. And it isn't a black plastic tank. It's
basically grey, not as soft as black plastic, a sort of composite material.
What I'm wanting please are suggestions as to how best to seal the old
hole - what sort of patch and glue to use, or do I bolt on a patch with
sealant.

Could it be GRP? If it is, a sheet of similar thickness GRP attached with
epoxy resin would probably be the best option.

Colin Bignell

Keith Dunbar wrote:

Cold water storage tank started overflowing very slightly and intermittently
the other day...... What I'm wanting please are
suggestions as to how best to seal the old hole - what sort of patch and
glue to use, or do I bolt on a patch with sealant.

It shouldnt need sealing as such, as the overflow pipe will be below the
level of the inlet pipe, so no chance of water getting out unless the
overflow is blocked, but if that happens, the hole is the least of your
worries.
Anyway, I'm guessing at an hole of around 30mm?
Go to a plumbers merchants, and get a tap hole filler bung. These are
used to seal up the hole in sinks when only one tap is fitted, around
£3. They come with the upper bit, a seal to ge behind it and the nut to
tighten it.
You may have to file the hole slightly bigger for it to fit, but it is a
pretty good solution to the problem.
Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert my surname here wrote in message
...

"Keith Dunbar" wrote in message
...
Cold water storage tank started overflowing very slightly and
intermittently the other day. Further investigation reveals an enormous
ballcock valve - about 1½ in diameter - connected to a 22 mm input. So
in
my innocence I went along to my nearest plumbers merchants - PTS to get
a
new one, given that the old one is 40 years old. They'd heard of
nothing
like it - the biggest they could come up with was a ¾" BSP fitting.

I supply drop arms - extensions for adjusting the height of the ball - up
to
7/8" Whitworth thread, which I understand is used on 3" bore inlet valves.
Perhaps you need to try someone like Pipecenter, who deal with bigger
systems, rather than a plumbers' merchant.

...Now it isn't a metal tank. And it isn't a black plastic tank. It's
basically grey, not as soft as black plastic, a sort of composite
material.
What I'm wanting please are suggestions as to how best to seal the old
hole - what sort of patch and glue to use, or do I bolt on a patch with
sealant.

Could it be GRP? If it is, a sheet of similar thickness GRP attached with
epoxy resin would probably be the best option.

Could it be asbestos?

On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:10:48 +0100, "PM" mused:


"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert my surname here wrote in message
...

"Keith Dunbar" wrote in message
...
Cold water storage tank started overflowing very slightly and
intermittently the other day. Further investigation reveals an enormous
ballcock valve - about 1½ in diameter - connected to a 22 mm input. So
in
my innocence I went along to my nearest plumbers merchants - PTS to get
a
new one, given that the old one is 40 years old. They'd heard of
nothing
like it - the biggest they could come up with was a ¾" BSP fitting.

I supply drop arms - extensions for adjusting the height of the ball - up
to
7/8" Whitworth thread, which I understand is used on 3" bore inlet valves.
Perhaps you need to try someone like Pipecenter, who deal with bigger
systems, rather than a plumbers' merchant.

...Now it isn't a metal tank. And it isn't a black plastic tank. It's
basically grey, not as soft as black plastic, a sort of composite
material.
What I'm wanting please are suggestions as to how best to seal the old
hole - what sort of patch and glue to use, or do I bolt on a patch with
sealant.

Could it be GRP? If it is, a sheet of similar thickness GRP attached with
epoxy resin would probably be the best option.

Could it be asbestos?

Er, lol?
--
Regards,
Stuart.