I replaced the taps on the bath a few months ago, and happened to take
the cover off the other day (hence the effloresence thread)

While it was off, I checked for leaks on the flexi tap tails, and
lo and behold, despite seeming ok when they were fitted, they've
developed a distinct "moistness" about them (with a plastic carton
underneath, i'm getting about a dessertspoon per day, possibly a
little less).

Now perhaps a question someone will have a really obvious and do-able
answer to...

How the f*ck do you get to them to get them tight ?

* I have a basin wrench - it's a little too large one end, so i've
been able to pad out one side to make it a good tight fit (did this
the first time around and didn't remove it)

(i.e. http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...13294&ts=16562)

* I can **just** get it onto the furthest tap by a combination of
manouvering the wrench into rough position by going under the bath
waste, then getting it onto the flexi-tail nut down the side of the
bath

* I have _no_ room whatsoever to put any purchase on to tighten the
nut (about 3" in total) - just enough to hold the wrench in place
without dropping it - the bath is hard up against the wall, the taps
are centrally fitted, and the overflow waste and pipework heavily
restrict access

* even if I could get to it, there's no way I could even wrap it in
PTFE tape due to the restricted access

Even with an "extended" (somehow) basin wrench, I don't think i'd be
able to get a swing on it without dismantling the waste pipework :-(

Anyone able to offer any suggestions, other than leave the plastic
carton in place and empty it every couple of months ?

TIA :-/ (getting seriously stressed with DIY)

In message , Colin
Wilson o.uk writes
Anyone able to offer any suggestions, other than leave the plastic
carton in place and empty it every couple of months ?

Yes, it's one of those contortionist jobs that gets me cursing too, I
use something similar to this:

http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/618-1530

It's a bit like a stilson, in that it locks onto the nut as you tighten
it, so you can get it at an angle where you do have some purchase, that
business end swivels and the tommy bar slides too which gives you more
options for positioning. Then I'll tighten it by locking on to the tommy
bar with a pair of mole grips.


--
bof at bof dot me dot uk

Yes, it's one of those contortionist jobs that gets me cursing too, I
use something similar to this:
http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/618-1530
It's a bit like a stilson, in that it locks onto the nut as you tighten
it, so you can get it at an angle where you do have some purchase, that
business end swivels and the tommy bar slides too which gives you more
options for positioning. Then I'll tighten it by locking on to the tommy
bar with a pair of mole grips.

Cheers - glad it's not just me who had trouble with them then :-}

Are the cheaper ones any good ?

i.e. http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/0-16184

In message , Colin
Wilson o.uk writes
Yes, it's one of those contortionist jobs that gets me cursing too, I
use something similar to this:
http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/618-1530
It's a bit like a stilson, in that it locks onto the nut as you tighten
it, so you can get it at an angle where you do have some purchase, that
business end swivels and the tommy bar slides too which gives you more
options for positioning. Then I'll tighten it by locking on to the tommy
bar with a pair of mole grips.

Cheers - glad it's not just me who had trouble with them then :-}

Are the cheaper ones any good ?

i.e. http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/0-16184

I've not used anything other than the one I linked, which has a small
1/2" end and a bigger 3/4" end, which are interchangeable and reversible
for even more options. The head looks a bit bigger on the one you
linked, which I suspect may not have fitted into the recess available on
the small hand basin I fitted.

--
bof at bof dot me dot uk

Colin Wilson wrote:
Yes, it's one of those contortionist jobs that gets me cursing too, I
use something similar to this:
http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/618-1530
It's a bit like a stilson, in that it locks onto the nut as you
tighten it, so you can get it at an angle where you do have some
purchase, that business end swivels and the tommy bar slides too
which gives you more options for positioning. Then I'll tighten it
by locking on to the tommy bar with a pair of mole grips.

Cheers - glad it's not just me who had trouble with them then :-}

Are the cheaper ones any good ?

i.e. http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/0-16184

These are pretty good http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/420064


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

These are pretty good http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/420064

Cheers - wonder whether the end would fit on my flexi-tail :-} (having
said that, I think it might be too big to fit down the gap anyway)

These are pretty good http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/420064

Just noticed they do a self adjusting basin wrench as well:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/500535&temp=largeimage

Might be worth a trip down there anyway, see if I can depress myself
any more about my complete lack of DIY knowledge / skill :-/

Colin Wilson wrote:
These are pretty good http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/420064

Just noticed they do a self adjusting basin wrench as well:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/500535&temp=largeimage

Might be worth a trip down there anyway, see if I can depress myself
any more about my complete lack of DIY knowledge / skill :-/

I keep both types in my plumbing toolbag.

Bath taps are just an embuggeration!


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

"Colin Wilson" o.uk wrote
in message t...
These are pretty good http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/420064

Just noticed they do a self adjusting basin wrench as well:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/500535&temp=largeimage

Might be worth a trip down there anyway, see if I can depress myself
any more about my complete lack of DIY knowledge / skill :-/

If room is very restricted then the monument wrench is your best option. The
most expensive but the slimmest. The only drawback is that it requires TWO
hands to put into position because it is NOT spring loaded.

"Colin Wilson" o.uk wrote
in message t...

TIA :-/ (getting seriously stressed with DIY)

I know what you are saying, I try to do as little as possible.

In my next house I will make sure the bathroom is downstairs and on an
outside wall and just let all the water drain outside

In my next house I will make sure the bathroom is downstairs and on an
outside wall and just let all the water drain outside

Ours *IS* downstairs, and on an outside wall !

The problem being is it's a shared entry, and I can't really go
putting stuff straight out the wall as it would restrict access down
the passageway...

The only bright side I can see so far, is that the surface water drain
is combined with the grey water drain (the house was built in the 30s
and they both go to the same gulley in the entry) - so if push really
does come to shove, I could drill a new hole through the brickwork for
a bath waste, as it would come out immediately adjacent to the
downspout from the flat-roof extension, and dangle it into the same
grid...

Sadly the toilet waste is a whole other ball game :-/ (set in
concrete, a little too close to the side wall, and a little too far
out from the wall it should go on to be useful, and made more obvious
by use of a manifold that currently takes the sink and bath wastes)

The missus wants to hide the pipework (can't blame her) but all the
above just seem to conspire to make it bloody awkward - and the leaky
tails don't help make me feel any easier about it, as i'd have ZERO
chance of getting to them if vanity units went in :-/

Colin Wilson wrote:
I replaced the taps on the bath a few months ago, and happened to take
the cover off the other day (hence the effloresence thread)

While it was off, I checked for leaks on the flexi tap tails, and
lo and behold, despite seeming ok when they were fitted, they've
developed a distinct "moistness" about them (with a plastic carton
underneath, i'm getting about a dessertspoon per day, possibly a
little less).

I'd put money on that your 'leaking' tails are infact not leaking, the usual
cause for moisture in this area is water getting in from above and finding
its way down between the hole for the tap and the tap itself, the only way I
found to stop this was loads of silicon sealant applied from below around
the tap thread

Jon

On 29 Aug, 07:59, "Jonathan Pearson"
wrote:
Colin Wilson wrote:
I replaced the taps on the bath a few months ago, and happened to take
the cover off the other day (hence the effloresence thread)

While it was off, I checked for leaks on the flexi tap tails, and
lo and behold, despite seeming ok when they were fitted, they've
developed a distinct "moistness" about them (with a plastic carton
underneath, i'm getting about a dessertspoon per day, possibly a
little less).

I'd put money on that your 'leaking' tails are infact not leaking, the usual
cause for moisture in this area is water getting in from above and finding
its way down between the hole for the tap and the tap itself, the only way I
found to stop this was loads of silicon sealant applied from below around
the tap thread

Jon

I would go along with that, (leaking from above), but if you do want
to tighten the Flexi to Tap connection you may have to disconnect the
nearest flexi and the bath overflow pipe to get better access. Thats
why plumbers are good at looking out of their own fundamental orifices!

I'd put money on that your 'leaking' tails are infact not leaking, the usual
cause for moisture in this area is water getting in from above and finding
its way down between the hole for the tap and the tap itself, the only way I
found to stop this was loads of silicon sealant applied from below around
the tap thread

Sad to say, but you'd lose money on this one - the walls aren't tiled,
and the shower is only really hand-held these days to wash your hair.

The odds of it getting in from above are somewhat slim...

Add to this, having removed any traces of damp, and without using the
bath taps at all, they were damp a short while later again :-/

Colin Wilson wrote:

I'd put money on that your 'leaking' tails are infact not leaking, the
usual cause for moisture in this area is water getting in from above and
finding its way down between the hole for the tap and the tap itself, the
only way I found to stop this was loads of silicon sealant applied from
below around the tap thread

Sad to say, but you'd lose money on this one - the walls aren't tiled,
and the shower is only really hand-held these days to wash your hair.

The odds of it getting in from above are somewhat slim...

Add to this, having removed any traces of damp, and without using the
bath taps at all, they were damp a short while later again :-/

Condensation? In certain conditions the cold pipes in our bathroom are
covered in water. Try a bit more ventilation before going to lots of effort
with the pipes.

Edgar

Edgar wrote:
Colin Wilson wrote:

I'd put money on that your 'leaking' tails are infact not leaking,
the usual cause for moisture in this area is water getting in from
above and finding its way down between the hole for the tap and the
tap itself, the only way I found to stop this was loads of silicon
sealant applied from below around the tap thread

Sad to say, but you'd lose money on this one - the walls aren't
tiled, and the shower is only really hand-held these days to wash
your hair.

The odds of it getting in from above are somewhat slim...

Add to this, having removed any traces of damp, and without using the
bath taps at all, they were damp a short while later again :-/

Condensation? In certain conditions the cold pipes in our bathroom are
covered in water. Try a bit more ventilation before going to lots of
effort with the pipes.


I agree! I was reticent to post this comment myself since the OP seemed
to imply it was both H&C and therefore seems unlikely but could be an
issue?

Add to this, having removed any traces of damp, and without using the
bath taps at all, they were damp a short while later again :-/
Condensation? In certain conditions the cold pipes in our bathroom are
covered in water. Try a bit more ventilation before going to lots of effort
with the pipes.

I was hoping it was just condensation myself, but the side of the bath
is still off so there's oodles of ventilation.

Nowhere else along the ~6 foot run of pipework through the bathroom
(all exposed) is damp at all, nor is the isolating valve end of the
flexi-tail.

Colin Wilson wrote:
Add to this, having removed any traces of damp, and without using
the bath taps at all, they were damp a short while later again :-/
Condensation? In certain conditions the cold pipes in our bathroom
are covered in water. Try a bit more ventilation before going to
lots of effort with the pipes.

I was hoping it was just condensation myself, but the side of the bath
is still off so there's oodles of ventilation.

Nowhere else along the ~6 foot run of pipework through the bathroom
(all exposed) is damp at all, nor is the isolating valve end of the
flexi-tail.

Sorry to hear that. Suffering from too much recent exercise myself. Just
had the "ultimate external solution" in terms of windows, soffits and
bargeboards. To do this - hack the jungle down outside, make good
inside! Presently, trying to remember to get out of bed sloooowly due to
shock to the base of the spine. The most serious effect was that when
SWMBO'd suggested we walk to the pub at the weekend, I had to decline!

I think you've had good advice from other respondents regarding the kit
available- some of which I've used to good effect in the past. Good
luck!

In message , Colin
Wilson o.uk writes
I'd put money on that your 'leaking' tails are infact not leaking, the usual
cause for moisture in this area is water getting in from above and finding
its way down between the hole for the tap and the tap itself, the only way I
found to stop this was loads of silicon sealant applied from below around
the tap thread

Sad to say, but you'd lose money on this one - the walls aren't tiled,
and the shower is only really hand-held these days to wash your hair.

The odds of it getting in from above are somewhat slim...

My method for eliminating condensation / sourcing slow leaks is to tie a
small piece of bog roll around the pipe just below where I suspect the
leak, if the paper gets damp and the pipe below stays dry you can
suspect the connection above.

--
bof at bof dot me dot uk

On Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:48:16 +0100, Colin Wilson wrote:
---------------8
.... the shower is only really hand-held these days to wash your hair.

Really? What about de-sudsing your nethers?

... the shower is only really hand-held these days to wash your hair.
Really? What about de-sudsing your nethers?

I use the missus :-p