Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

The taps that you press down which should stay on for a while seem to be the
must unreliable item ever invented as they never seem to work properly. I
guess that with maintenance they can be adjusted and set to work correctly.

What is required to make the delay action work? (I want to challenge my
local pub landlord to fix his)

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

John wrote:

What is required to make the delay action work?

Depending on the design, a correctly-sized loop of cord under the spout
will often hold the button down. Failing that, a brick (one of the cheap
ones with circular holes instead of a frog is a better fit).

(I realise this isn't quite what you wanted :-) )

Pete

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

John wrote:
The taps that you press down which should stay on for a while seem to be the
must unreliable item ever invented as they never seem to work properly. I
guess that with maintenance they can be adjusted and set to work correctly.

What is required to make the delay action work? (I want to challenge my
local pub landlord to fix his)

They're known as 'percussion taps'. AFAIK some models have adjustable
timing and others don't - so if yours aren't working properly then
presumably it's fair to say that they either need adjusting or replacing...

David

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

Lobster wrote:
John wrote:
The taps that you press down which should stay on for a while seem
to be the must unreliable item ever invented as they never seem to
work properly. I guess that with maintenance they can be adjusted
and set to work correctly. What is required to make the delay action
work? (I want to challenge
my local pub landlord to fix his)

They're known as 'percussion taps'. AFAIK some models have adjustable
timing and others don't - so if yours aren't working properly then
presumably it's fair to say that they either need adjusting or
replacing...
David

Or perhaps the pub landlord just wants to save on his water bills!

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

Cash wrote:
Lobster wrote:
John wrote:
The taps that you press down which should stay on for a while seem
to be the must unreliable item ever invented as they never seem to
work properly. I guess that with maintenance they can be adjusted
and set to work correctly. What is required to make the delay action
work? (I want to challenge
my local pub landlord to fix his)
They're known as 'percussion taps'. AFAIK some models have adjustable
timing and others don't - so if yours aren't working properly then
presumably it's fair to say that they either need adjusting or
replacing...
David

Or perhaps the pub landlord just wants to save on his water bills!


Infra red detector ones are best. They only switch on when a hand or
similar is in range.

Bob

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

In message , Bob Minchin
wrote

Infra red detector ones are best. They only switch on when a hand or
similar is in range.

But that implies some electronics - electronics and water don't mix to
give a long term reliable solution.

--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

In article ,
Alan writes:
In message , Bob Minchin
wrote

Infra red detector ones are best. They only switch on when a hand or
similar is in range.

But that implies some electronics - electronics and water don't mix to
give a long term reliable solution.

The ones I came across used 1 D-cell battery, which lasted
about 5 years (but not very heavily used - I think they were
supposed to last 1 year in heavy use). None of them ever broke
AFAIK, and they were probably 10 years old when I left that place.
Sorry, no idea what make they were.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

In uk.d-i-y, Owain wrote:
On 9 Aug, 22:50, Bob Minchin wrote:
Infra red detector ones are best. They only switch on when a hand

They have them in my local shopping centre loos. I seem to have
invisible hands though

I find the taps OK but the hand detectors used in hot-air dryers are
something else. It's apparently beyond the wit of man to design a
detector that actually works properly.

--
Mike Barnes

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

"Mike Barnes" wrote in message
...
In uk.d-i-y, Owain wrote:
On 9 Aug, 22:50, Bob Minchin wrote:
Infra red detector ones are best. They only switch on when a hand

They have them in my local shopping centre loos. I seem to have
invisible hands though

I find the taps OK but the hand detectors used in hot-air dryers are
something else. It's apparently beyond the wit of man to design a
detector that actually works properly.

--
Mike Barnes

Infrared ones will require someone to be instructed to go and change the
batteries - but by then people will have got so annoyed at not getting any
water that the taps will probably have been thumped and broken.
Probably a contractor will have to be given a requisition to change all the
batteries this will be beyond the authorisation limit of the person who
knows what needs doing. Of course a risk assessment will be needed - and a
shop fitter will be needed to open up the panels under the sinks to access
the batteries.

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:50:44 +0100, Bob Minchin wrote:

Cash wrote:
Lobster wrote:
John wrote:
The taps that you press down which should stay on for a while seem
to be the must unreliable item ever invented as they never seem to
work properly. I guess that with maintenance they can be adjusted
and set to work correctly. What is required to make the delay action
work? (I want to challenge
my local pub landlord to fix his)
They're known as 'percussion taps'. AFAIK some models have adjustable
timing and others don't - so if yours aren't working properly then
presumably it's fair to say that they either need adjusting or
replacing...
David

Or perhaps the pub landlord just wants to save on his water bills!


Infra red detector ones are best. They only switch on when a hand or
similar is in range.

Bob

I like the ones used in many food and food packaging factories - they have
the tap mechanism *under* the sink and it has an arm or plate that you push
with your knee and it springs back when released. Can't be left on (unless
someone deliberately sabotages them), doesn't cut-off until you're ready
and you have some control over the flow rate. It also means that you don't
have to touch the tap after you've cleaned your hands to either turn it off
or to rinse them (depending on tap type).

Following on from this, why do the doors to toilets open inwards? I don't
mean the cubicles, I mean the entrance to the toilet area. You wash and dry
your hands and then have to get hold of a handle that other people will
have used without washing their hands. If the door opened outwards, you
could just push against it with your shoulder. Having the door set in would
prevent passers-by being hit as it opened.

SteveW

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

"Steve Walker" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:50:44 +0100, Bob Minchin wrote:

Cash wrote:
Lobster wrote:
John wrote:
The taps that you press down which should stay on for a while seem
to be the must unreliable item ever invented as they never seem to
work properly. I guess that with maintenance they can be adjusted
and set to work correctly. What is required to make the delay action
work? (I want to challenge
my local pub landlord to fix his)
They're known as 'percussion taps'. AFAIK some models have adjustable
timing and others don't - so if yours aren't working properly then
presumably it's fair to say that they either need adjusting or
replacing...
David

Or perhaps the pub landlord just wants to save on his water bills!


Infra red detector ones are best. They only switch on when a hand or
similar is in range.

Bob

I like the ones used in many food and food packaging factories - they have
the tap mechanism *under* the sink and it has an arm or plate that you
push
with your knee and it springs back when released. Can't be left on (unless
someone deliberately sabotages them), doesn't cut-off until you're ready
and you have some control over the flow rate. It also means that you don't
have to touch the tap after you've cleaned your hands to either turn it
off
or to rinse them (depending on tap type).

Following on from this, why do the doors to toilets open inwards? I don't
mean the cubicles, I mean the entrance to the toilet area. You wash and
dry
your hands and then have to get hold of a handle that other people will
have used without washing their hands. If the door opened outwards, you
could just push against it with your shoulder. Having the door set in
would
prevent passers-by being hit as it opened.

SteveW

Still no answer to the question of how to fix the delay on the tap - but,
when was it decided that urinals didn't need privacy screens - some are so
bad that you stand peeing next to someone drying their hands. With some -
anyone opening a door can see down the entire row. Mid stream and some kid
starts to watch you!

In contrast - in the USA they have screens - but in the WCs they have low
doors or big gaps down the sides so you don't have privacy for a number 2.

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

On 9 Aug, 22:16, "John" wrote:

What is required to make the delay action work? (I want to challenge my
local pub landlord to fix his)

Timed-flow taps, the delay is controlled by a viscous damper type
thing, I think. Look at the manufacturer's (Armitage Shanks?)
instructions.
It greatly ****es me off that the premises owners can't be arssed to
get the adjuster screw turned; it isn't difficult. They're probably
equally lax with the hand-washing provision for their catering staff
handling your food.

Infra-red are superb when they work properly. The cost & UK-standard
vandalism/theft are probably the deterrents against their widespread
use.

On 10 Aug,
Mike Barnes wrote:

I never use warm air dryers. They just blow the bugs back onto your hands. I
just drip dry mine if nothing hygenic is available, they dry quite quickly
due to body heat.

ISTR there was a press campaign a few years back stressing research
that showed hot air dryers were less hygenic. It turned out the
research had been sponsored by manufacturers of paper towels.

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

On Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:33:31 +0100, John wrote:

"Steve Walker" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:50:44 +0100, Bob Minchin wrote:

Cash wrote:
Lobster wrote:
John wrote:
The taps that you press down which should stay on for a while seem
to be the must unreliable item ever invented as they never seem to
work properly. I guess that with maintenance they can be adjusted
and set to work correctly. What is required to make the delay action
work? (I want to challenge
my local pub landlord to fix his)
They're known as 'percussion taps'. AFAIK some models have adjustable
timing and others don't - so if yours aren't working properly then
presumably it's fair to say that they either need adjusting or
replacing...
David

Or perhaps the pub landlord just wants to save on his water bills!


Infra red detector ones are best. They only switch on when a hand or
similar is in range.

Bob

I like the ones used in many food and food packaging factories - they have
the tap mechanism *under* the sink and it has an arm or plate that you
push
with your knee and it springs back when released. Can't be left on (unless
someone deliberately sabotages them), doesn't cut-off until you're ready
and you have some control over the flow rate. It also means that you don't
have to touch the tap after you've cleaned your hands to either turn it
off
or to rinse them (depending on tap type).

Following on from this, why do the doors to toilets open inwards? I don't
mean the cubicles, I mean the entrance to the toilet area. You wash and
dry
your hands and then have to get hold of a handle that other people will
have used without washing their hands. If the door opened outwards, you
could just push against it with your shoulder. Having the door set in
would
prevent passers-by being hit as it opened.

SteveW

Still no answer to the question of how to fix the delay on the tap - but,
when was it decided that urinals didn't need privacy screens - some are so
bad that you stand peeing next to someone drying their hands. With some -
anyone opening a door can see down the entire row. Mid stream and some kid
starts to watch you!

In contrast - in the USA they have screens - but in the WCs they have low
doors or big gaps down the sides so you don't have privacy for a number 2.

On a French owned cross channel ferry about 18 years ago there was a single
door into the gents, as soon as it opened, everyone was on view, but as
there was a woman cleaning the toilets and the French were carrying on
regardless, I thought what the hell and just went ahead. I then arrived at
the campsite and found that the toilet block was split into two halves, but
women had to come into the gents half as there were sinks for washing pots
there, but not in the ladies and finally the urinals were on the outside of
the building so you were stood in view of the entire campsite - you soon
got used to it!

As to privacy screens, what's wrong with the good old fashioned trough
instead of all these individual urinals?

SteveW

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

John wrote:

In contrast - in the USA they have screens - but in the WCs they have low
doors or big gaps down the sides so you don't have privacy for a number 2.



I was told once this was so you had no privacy to inject yourself.

Andy

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

In message , Rod
writes
wrote:
On 10 Aug, Mike Barnes wrote:

I find the taps OK but the hand detectors used in hot-air dryers are
something else. It's apparently beyond the wit of man to design a
detector that actually works properly.
I never use warm air dryers. They just blow the bugs back onto your
hands. I
just drip dry mine if nothing hygenic is available, they dry quite quickly
due to body heat.

I almost never use them because they are so noisy. Seems to be the
perfect tinnitus trigger...

And he pulled the fastest milk cart in the west ...

--
geoff

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:16:50 +0100, Rod wrote:

wrote:
On 10 Aug,
Mike Barnes wrote:

I find the taps OK but the hand detectors used in hot-air dryers are
something else. It's apparently beyond the wit of man to design a
detector that actually works properly.

I never use warm air dryers. They just blow the bugs back onto your hands. I
just drip dry mine if nothing hygenic is available, they dry quite quickly
due to body heat.

I almost never use them because they are so noisy. Seems to be the
perfect tinnitus trigger...

And I bet you just love those ones that don't use heat at all, but just a
high speed airflow! We first encountered one of these at a children's theme
park and it was so noisy that the kids were too scared to use it - the
thing was uncomfortably loud from *outside* the toilet block.

SteveW

Public Toilets - Press down taps
 

Steve Walker wrote:
On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:50:44 +0100, Bob Minchin wrote:

Cash wrote:
Lobster wrote:
John wrote:
The taps that you press down which should stay on for a while seem
to be the must unreliable item ever invented as they never seem to
work properly. I guess that with maintenance they can be adjusted
and set to work correctly. What is required to make the delay action
work? (I want to challenge
my local pub landlord to fix his)
They're known as 'percussion taps'. AFAIK some models have adjustable
timing and others don't - so if yours aren't working properly then
presumably it's fair to say that they either need adjusting or
replacing...
David
Or perhaps the pub landlord just wants to save on his water bills!


Infra red detector ones are best. They only switch on when a hand or
similar is in range.

Bob

I like the ones used in many food and food packaging factories - they have
the tap mechanism *under* the sink and it has an arm or plate that you push
with your knee and it springs back when released. Can't be left on (unless
someone deliberately sabotages them), doesn't cut-off until you're ready
and you have some control over the flow rate. It also means that you don't
have to touch the tap after you've cleaned your hands to either turn it off
or to rinse them (depending on tap type).

Following on from this, why do the doors to toilets open inwards? I don't
mean the cubicles, I mean the entrance to the toilet area. You wash and dry
your hands and then have to get hold of a handle that other people will
have used without washing their hands. If the door opened outwards, you
could just push against it with your shoulder. Having the door set in would
prevent passers-by being hit as it opened.

SteveW

*Hee Hee*

It's fairly common on offshore oil installations to have a wash-up area
in or near the changing rooms, to wash up before coming into the
accomodation module.

The wash-basin is sometimes a large trough thing, operated by a foot
treadle.

Lots of fun with new recruits... Clap hands, water comes on. Clap hands
again, water goes off. Recruit tries it: nothing. 'Na, you're doing
it all wrong. It's like *this*.' clap Water on. clap water off. Try
again. etc, etc.....

--
Ron