Hello,

I posted this under "mains water" but no-one has looked at it, so I'm
reposting with a more descriptive title.

Our pipes keep making "kicking" noises when the (cold) taps are turned
on. I saw that a PRV was cheaper to buy than a pressure gauge so I
bought the Comap PRV from Screwfix. Has anyone used one of these? How
do they work to reduce the pressure?

part 63442:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/63442/...ge-15mm-x-22mm

I fitted the supplied gauge but could not leave it in place
permanently because it leaked. Do you have the same problem with yours
or is mine faulty? I wonder why they don't supply a washer of some
sort to stop this?

With the screw turned to allow maximum pressure, my supply appeared to
be 4 (bars?). Turned down to the recommended 3 (bars?) the kicking
noises have gone.

It came with some clever adaptors that allow 15mm pipe to fit inside
22mm connections, I presume by friction. Are these reliable?

I couldn't find them when I had a very quick look at Screwfix but they
are like part 23608 at Toolstation:
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Plum.../sd2697/p23608

Whilst on my hands and knees under the stairs where the water enters
the house, I found that there is a slight leak. The water enters the
house in a black plastic pipe. This pipe looks 22mm. It goes into what
looks like a 22mm to 15mm straight adaptor from which runs 15mm copper
to the stop cock. The 22 to 15mm compression fitting and the pipes
were wet. Possibly the copper pipe was wet from condensation onto the
cold pipe but I would not expect the plastic pipe to have
condensation; I'm thinking that it is more likely that there is a
leak.

There's not much of the plastic pipe to play with. What's the best
solution: change the 22mm olive? Should I use one of those Fernox leak
sealing pastes?

Thanks,
Stephen.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Stephen
saying something like:

Our pipes keep making "kicking" noises when the (cold) taps are turned
on. I saw that a PRV was cheaper to buy than a pressure gauge so I
bought the Comap PRV from Screwfix. Has anyone used one of these? How
do they work to reduce the pressure?

It's a spring-driven thing. When you adjust the doodah, you actually
load or unload the spring to the desired pressure.

part 63442:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/63442/...ge-15mm-x-22mm

I fitted the supplied gauge but could not leave it in place
permanently because it leaked. Do you have the same problem with yours
or is mine faulty? I wonder why they don't supply a washer of some
sort to stop this?

It's often a taper thread on those, so a layer of PTFE tape will do it.

Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I posted this under "mains water" but no-one has looked at it, so I'm
reposting with a more descriptive title.

Our pipes keep making "kicking" noises when the (cold) taps are turned
on.

Is this happening on all of the cold taps in the house and are they
mains pressure fed?

Dave

On Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:06:03 +0100, Grimly Curmudgeon
wrote:

It's a spring-driven thing. When you adjust the doodah, you actually
load or unload the spring to the desired pressure.

I'm sure I've seen a cross-section that shows a spring but I still
can't work out how a spring can reduce the water pressure.

It's often a taper thread on those, so a layer of PTFE tape will do it.

Why didn't I think of that!?

Thanks.

On Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:56:57 +0100, Dave
wrote:

Is this happening on all of the cold taps in the house and are they
mains pressure fed?

Hello. Yes, all cold taps (except bath) are mains fed and the pipes
knock(ed) when any of these taps or the washing machine opens.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Stephen
saying something like:

It's a spring-driven thing. When you adjust the doodah, you actually
load or unload the spring to the desired pressure.

I'm sure I've seen a cross-section that shows a spring but I still
can't work out how a spring can reduce the water pressure.

http://www.plumbingsupply.com/waterp...egulators.html

"Stephen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:56:57 +0100, Dave
wrote:

Is this happening on all of the cold taps in the house and are they
mains pressure fed?

Hello. Yes, all cold taps (except bath) are mains fed and the pipes
knock(ed) when any of these taps or the washing machine opens.

Washing machine hoses tend to be the cause of this problem - a shockwave
causes them to expand slightly and then cause a sort of recoil. Do you have
several in the house - if they are not really well reinforced then the
problem can be worse.

On Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:34:20 +0100, "John"
wrote:

Washing machine hoses tend to be the cause of this problem - a shockwave
causes them to expand slightly and then cause a sort of recoil. Do you have
several in the house - if they are not really well reinforced then the
problem can be worse.

Only one washing machine but there is also a dishwasher, and I guess
their hoses are the same? Perhaps I should have replaced these? Too
late now but I know for next time. Thanks.