Hello,

I read some old posts about connecting water butts and there seemed to
be some concern about the taps running too slowly. Has anyone tried to
replace the taps that are supplied with brass bib taps? Are these any
faster and would there be a big difference between using the 15mm pipe
and 1/2 inch tap or 22mm pipe and 3/4 inch tap?

The hole in the water but looks as though it is slightly smaller than
a 22mm tank connector so a hole saw might be needed to shave another
millimetre off. The inside doesn't look too smooth though, there seems
to be a lip around the tap outlet. Still, I guess the rubber washer
will take care of that.

Thanks.

Stephen wrote:
I read some old posts about connecting water butts and there seemed to
be some concern about the taps running too slowly. Has anyone tried to
replace the taps that are supplied with brass bib taps? Are these any
faster and would there be a big difference between using the 15mm pipe
and 1/2 inch tap or 22mm pipe and 3/4 inch tap?

I'd go for a quarter turn tap for the added convenience since the
pressure is so low.

Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I read some old posts about connecting water butts and there seemed to
be some concern about the taps running too slowly.
Probably because they block up with crud off the roof, when they are
empty you should take the
opportunity to flush and clean them out thoroughly, it's surprising how
fast the crud builds up.
Don
Has anyone tried to
replace the taps that are supplied with brass bib taps? Are these any
faster and would there be a big difference between using the 15mm pipe
and 1/2 inch tap or 22mm pipe and 3/4 inch tap?

The hole in the water but looks as though it is slightly smaller than
a 22mm tank connector so a hole saw might be needed to shave another
millimetre off. The inside doesn't look too smooth though, there seems
to be a lip around the tap outlet. Still, I guess the rubber washer
will take care of that.

Thanks.



--
Bold is Brown with the People's Purse. (loosely translated from a Welsh couplet "Hael yw Hywel ar bwrs y wlad")

Probably because they block up with crud off the roof, when they are
empty you should take the
opportunity to flush and clean them out thoroughly, it's surprising how
fast the crud builds up.
Don

Enlarge the cut out at the top. Insert an old sieve - if it has a couple
of loops to support it, they can even be bent down so the sieve is level
and feed the incoming water through it. It will catch most of the debris
off the roof and can easily be cleaned out every few weeks.

Andy C

On 10 Sep, 15:49, Donwill wrote:
Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I read some old posts about connecting water butts and there seemed to
be some concern about the taps running too slowly.

Probably because they block up with crud off the roof, when they are
empty you should take the
*opportunity to flush and clean them out thoroughly, it's surprising how
fast the crud builds up.
Don

Not if you have something at the top of the pipe to stop the crud
coming through.

The tap on a butt is a couple of inches at least from the base of the
butt, it takes quite some time for crud to build up. None of our
gutter-filled butts has had a build up of crud for the ten years
they've been installed.

Mary

On Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:18:32 +0100, Jim wrote:

Has anyone tried to replace the taps that are supplied with brass
bib
taps? Are these any faster and would there be a big difference
between
using the 15mm pipe and 1/2 inch tap or 22mm pipe and 3/4 inch
tap?

I'd go for a quarter turn tap for the added convenience since the
pressure is so low.

I tried a bib type tap but the plastic of our butt is to wibbly
really and you have to turn it full on (turn turn turn...) to get a
decent flow. What has been there for a while now is a lever operated
15mm 1/4 turn valve.

Easy to use, quick on/off, good flow rate (which could be improved by
using a full bore valve but isn't necessary. IIRC it's a normal 15mm
tank connector, short bit of tube, valve, then a bit of tube with an
elbow to direct the flow down. I think 22mm would be a bit too fast.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Stephen" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I read some old posts about connecting water butts and there seemed to
be some concern about the taps running too slowly. Has anyone tried to
replace the taps that are supplied with brass bib taps? Are these any
faster and would there be a big difference between using the 15mm pipe
and 1/2 inch tap or 22mm pipe and 3/4 inch tap?

The hole in the water but looks as though it is slightly smaller than
a 22mm tank connector so a hole saw might be needed to shave another
millimetre off. The inside doesn't look too smooth though, there seems
to be a lip around the tap outlet. Still, I guess the rubber washer
will take care of that.


You can get "fast flow" taps which are, well, fast flowing. Just like a
normal water butt tap but around 22mm OD. I also use them as connectors
between butts as you can push fit 20mm ribbed plastic tube onto them if you
heat it first and you get the advantage of being able to isolate a butt from
the system when needed.

Try here at £4 each plus a bit of P&P:
http://www.greenhousesupply.co.uk/browse.asp?cat=31:

On Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:45:44 +0100, Calvin Sambrook wrote:

You can get "fast flow" taps which are, well, fast flowing. Just like a
normal water butt tap but around 22mm OD.

Our butt came with something similar but it siezed up within a year
or so and was never very good in the first place. The 1/4 turn lever
valve "just works".

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article o.uk,
"Dave Liquorice" writes:
On Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:45:44 +0100, Calvin Sambrook wrote:

You can get "fast flow" taps which are, well, fast flowing. Just like a
normal water butt tap but around 22mm OD.

Yes, my little local hardware store keeps both, and whenever
I take one to the till, they are sure to ask if you have picked
the right one for your application.

Our butt came with something similar but it siezed up within a year
or so and was never very good in the first place.

They have limited life as eventually fine grit gets in the sliding
bits. I guess I've replaced mine about every 4 years.

The 1/4 turn lever valve "just works".

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

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article o.uk,
"Dave Liquorice" writes:
On Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:45:44 +0100, Calvin Sambrook wrote:

You can get "fast flow" taps which are, well, fast flowing. Just like a
normal water butt tap but around 22mm OD.

Yes, my little local hardware store keeps both, and whenever
I take one to the till, they are sure to ask if you have picked
the right one for your application.

Our butt came with something similar but it siezed up within a year
or so and was never very good in the first place.

They have limited life as eventually fine grit gets in the sliding
bits. I guess I've replaced mine about every 4 years.

The 1/4 turn lever valve "just works".


I've had mine for varying lengths of time between about 10-15 years (ie. so
long ago I can't even remember doing the job but not too long after we moved
in) and 1 year. That said my application is slightly unusual in that they
don't get turned on and off too often as they are mostly used for linking
butts. We take water automatically into the pond and by pushing a container
in the top when filling watering cans etc.

On Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:46:56 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

What has been there for a while now is a lever operated
15mm 1/4 turn valve.

Easy to use, quick on/off, good flow rate (which could be improved by
using a full bore valve but isn't necessary. IIRC it's a normal 15mm
tank connector, short bit of tube, valve, then a bit of tube with an
elbow to direct the flow down. I think 22mm would be a bit too fast.

Thanks. That is interesting. I thought 15mm plumbing might be too slow
because I had read threads here about the flow from the tap being so
poor. I realise now I must have made a mistake: these posts must have
been about the supplied taps rather than 15mm bib taps. (What is a bib
BTW?)

Quoting back-to-front:
I tried a bib type tap but the plastic of our butt is to wibbly
really and you have to turn it full on (turn turn turn...) to get a
decent flow.

Is there a way to reinforce the butt. Since it would be submerged, I
guess it would have to be brass. Could a brass plate be put inside
behind the tap? Where could you buy a suitable square of brass from?

On Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:25:02 +0100, Stephen wrote:

I thought 15mm plumbing might be too slow because I had read threads
here about the flow from the tap being so poor.

Thats down to the restriction at the valve. If you are worried get a
full bore 1/4 turn lever valve.

15mm bib taps. (What is a bib BTW?)

Thing babies/toddlers wear around their necks when being fed or
feeding themselves to protect their clothes from food that misses the
mouth.

In the context of a tap, donno...

Is there a way to reinforce the butt. Since it would be submerged, I
guess it would have to be brass. Could a brass plate be put inside
behind the tap? Where could you buy a suitable square of brass from?

Remember that this plate may well have to be curved to fit the round
side of the butt and maybe in the other direction as well. ie be part
of spheroid shape. If the threaded part sticking into the tank is
long enough you might be able to fix/seal that then have another nut
to hold the plate in place. But bear in mind you are probably going
to be fitting it 4' down an 18" dia tube, not the easiest of places
to reach, particularly as you may need to be at both sides at the
same time...

--
Cheers
Dave.