My downstairs toilet hot tap is dripping from the joint nut,
but space is so restricted that I can't get any purchase
with a spanner or mole grips to undo it:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0151.jpg
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0154.jpg

Can anyone advise how I can undo it? Will there be a washer to change
inside the
union?
Happy New year.
Pete

freecycle wrote:
My downstairs toilet hot tap is dripping from the joint nut,
but space is so restricted that I can't get any purchase
with a spanner or mole grips to undo it:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0151.jpg
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0154.jpg

Can anyone advise how I can undo it? Will there be a washer to change
inside the
union?

Do you have a basin wrench like this?
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/14631/...e-Basin-Wrench

No other way to do the job IMO. Most of the sheds sell them.
Inside the tap connector is usually a fibre washer. TBH I'd chamge the tap
connector using a flexible.


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

"freecycle" wrote in message
...
My downstairs toilet hot tap is dripping from the joint nut,
but space is so restricted that I can't get any purchase
with a spanner or mole grips to undo it:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0151.jpg
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0154.jpg

Can anyone advise how I can undo it? Will there be a washer to change
inside the
union?
Happy New year.
Pete

You can get a spanner in there on a slight angle by doing an impression of a
vet. Give it a try. You could also get adjustable pliers in although maybe
not mole grips. I doubt there is a washer inside by the joint.

On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:28:43 -0000, Ian wrote:

"freecycle" wrote in message
...
My downstairs toilet hot tap is dripping from the joint nut,
but space is so restricted that I can't get any purchase
with a spanner or mole grips to undo it:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0151.jpg
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0154.jpg

Can anyone advise how I can undo it? Will there be a washer to change
inside the
union?
Happy New year.
Pete

You can get a spanner in there on a slight angle by doing an impression of a
vet. Give it a try. You could also get adjustable pliers in although maybe
not mole grips.

That way lies a broken sink, if you try to undo the nut as suggested above.
TMH gave you good advice, use a basin/sink wrench, it's intended for the
job.

I doubt there is a washer inside by the joint.

Sadly, that shows a distinct lack of knowledge or understanding about tap
connectors. There is/should be a fibre washer which is located over the
spigot of the tap connector, the spigot fits inside the threaded pillar of
the tap, and the fibre washer is compressed against the end of the pillar
when you tighten up the nut on the tap connector.

--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

That way lies a broken sink, if you try to undo the nut as suggested
above.
TMH gave you good advice, use a basin/sink wrench, it's intended for the
job.

I doubt there is a washer inside by the joint.

Sadly, that shows a distinct lack of knowledge or understanding about tap
connectors. There is/should be a fibre washer which is located over the
spigot of the tap connector, the spigot fits inside the threaded pillar of
the tap, and the fibre washer is compressed against the end of the pillar
when you tighten up the nut on the tap connector.

--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net


Bear in mind that different makes of tap spanners might be slimmer - or
bulkier. Best to see a selection and decide.
You can easily crack the basin if you apply pressure with the wrench jammed
against the china.

"The Wanderer" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:28:43 -0000, Ian wrote:

"freecycle" wrote in message
...
My downstairs toilet hot tap is dripping from the joint nut,
but space is so restricted that I can't get any purchase
with a spanner or mole grips to undo it:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0151.jpg
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0154.jpg

Can anyone advise how I can undo it? Will there be a washer to change
inside the
union?
Happy New year.
Pete

You can get a spanner in there on a slight angle by doing an impression
of a
vet. Give it a try. You could also get adjustable pliers in although
maybe
not mole grips.

That way lies a broken sink, if you try to undo the nut as suggested
above.
TMH gave you good advice, use a basin/sink wrench, it's intended for the
job.

I doubt there is a washer inside by the joint.

Sadly, that shows a distinct lack of knowledge or understanding about tap
connectors. There is/should be a fibre washer which is located over the
spigot of the tap connector, the spigot fits inside the threaded pillar of
the tap, and the fibre washer is compressed against the end of the pillar
when you tighten up the nut on the tap connector.

--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

Thought you were referring to the MI5 paranoid schizphrenic - I wish I
knew...

On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:12:59 +0000, The Medway Handyman wrote:

TBH I'd chamge the tap
connector using a flexible.

I agree. I'd use a pipeslice to cut through the pipe a suitable way down
to put in a servicing isolation valve and a flexible connector then use a
box spanner to undo the tap-connector nut. The flexibles with 1/2"BSP
female ends both ends will go onto the top of a service valve but you have
to be careful (and use 3 hands) to stop them twisting. Easier to have
a stub of pipe above the isolation valve and use a speedfit-ended flexible
on it.

--
John Stumbles

Xenophobia? Sounds a bit foreign to me.

Lobster wrote:
Thought you were referring to the MI5 paranoid schizphrenic - I wish
I knew...

You mean the bloke who reckons TV presenters are watching him?

Completely Dagenham. (Three stops beyond Barking).


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

in 692995 20071231 090751 freecycle wrote:
My downstairs toilet hot tap is dripping from the joint nut,
but space is so restricted that I can't get any purchase
with a spanner or mole grips to undo it:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0151.jpg
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0154.jpg

Can anyone advise how I can undo it? Will there be a washer to change
inside the
union?
Happy New year.
Pete

When I read your subject line I thought you were referring to the MI5 "victim",
the answer to which I would really like to know.

In article
,
freecycle wrote:
My downstairs toilet hot tap is dripping from the joint nut, but space
is so restricted that I can't get any purchase with a spanner or mole
grips to undo it:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0151.jpg
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u...t=HPIM0154.jpg

Can anyone advise how I can undo it? Will there be a washer to change
inside the union? Happy New year. Pete

I have a set of 'crows feet' spanners which fit my socket set. Best thing
ever for getting at this sort of thing. Any decent tool shop should stock
them.

--
*What happens if you get scared half to death twice? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Bob Martin wrote:
When I read your subject line I thought you were referring to the MI5
"victim", the answer to which I would really like to know.

Pop across to uk.misc. That's his home. I don't subscribe anymore - just
too busy. But I'm not sure if the present lot are really from him or
someone just making mischief.

--
*Stable Relationships Are For Horses. *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

The Medway Handyman wrote:

No other way to do the job IMO. Most of the sheds sell them.
Inside the tap connector is usually a fibre washer. TBH I'd chamge the tap
connector using a flexible.

I followed your advice a couple of weeks ago, and used long flexibles on
the bath I fitted.All went well. Or so I thought.
I was there again yesterday, and got a complaint that the water for the
hot taps was running slowly.
Check the downstairs sink - running fine, the 2 hot taps I'd replaced
(bath and sink) were both running slowly.
Strange. Both iso vales open etc. Thoughts turned to maybe an anti-scald
measure in the new taps.
OK, he was just going out to Halfords, with Screwfix just down the road,
so I asked him to get some full bore iso valves, as the iso valves I had
fitted may be constricting the flow.

So when he came back, new 'full bore' valves were fitted. No difference
at all.
OK, go to take off the tap unions, to see if it is the taps constricting
the flow.
It was when I was on my back looking up that I saw the flexi connector
had a slight kink in it. It can't be that. It was. I shortened the
copper pipe by an inch, and the kink was gone. Next onto the 22mm pipe
on the bath. Again, a slight kink, right at the top of its bend.
Loosened off the compression joint, and twisted it round slightly, and
the kink was gone.
Bugger. Such a simple fault that wasnt noticed until an hour of
investigating had passed.
What made it worse was that it was only the hot taps that were running
slowly - both cold taps were running fine, with no kinks at all in the
flexi pipes, so I concluded it must have been a fault with the hot feed.

Ha well, more experience if such a thing happens again.
Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

The Wanderer wrote:

. There is/should be a fibre washer which is located over the
spigot of the tap connector, the spigot fits inside the threaded pillar of
the tap, and the fibre washer is compressed against the end of the pillar
when you tighten up the nut on the tap connector.

Why are these washer fibre and not rubber?
I made the mistake of tightening one up too much on a shower, and it
split into 2 'O' s, and obviously leaked everywhere when I turned on the
water. On inspecting a new one, they are pretty flimsy things.

I'd have thought a rubber waasher would be better.
Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 10:44:31 +0000, (A.Lee) wrote:

The Wanderer wrote:

. There is/should be a fibre washer which is located over the
spigot of the tap connector, the spigot fits inside the threaded pillar of
the tap, and the fibre washer is compressed against the end of the pillar
when you tighten up the nut on the tap connector.

Why are these washer fibre and not rubber?

Traditionally fibre washers were used for hot-water taps and rubber
for cold.

--
Frank Erskine

On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 10:44:31 +0000, A.Lee wrote:

The Wanderer wrote:

. There is/should be a fibre washer which is located over the
spigot of the tap connector, the spigot fits inside the threaded pillar of
the tap, and the fibre washer is compressed against the end of the pillar
when you tighten up the nut on the tap connector.

Why are these washer fibre and not rubber?
I made the mistake of tightening one up too much on a shower, and it
split into 2 'O' s, and obviously leaked everywhere when I turned on the
water. On inspecting a new one, they are pretty flimsy things.

So it wasn't the washer that was faulty, it was the way it was
installed.....
:-)

I'd have thought a rubber waasher would be better.

I can only guess that rubber may perish/deriorate quicker at the higher
temperature. Personally I've never had any probs with fibre washers, I
wonder perhaps if yer average DIYer is prone to overtightening plumbing
fittings - 'Just give it that last crack, make sure it's good and tight'.



--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net