Need to do some maintenance to the power shower (work out
why the hot flow seems to be restricting more and more,
and the flow switch on the hot side doesn't work, which
may be related).

Now, I have another shower over the bath, but it's never
worked because it is low pressure and has double-check non-
return valves fitted, which pretty much stop all forward
flow too. Want this working so I can be without the power
shower for a few days.

To fix either of these, I have to shut off the gate valves
in the feeds from the loft tank. I discover most of them
don't work at all, and the only one which does (power shower
cold supply) only turns part way off.

So I will have to drain the tank. I turn off the tank feed,
and order a set of full bore 1/4 turn valves.

Full bore valves arrive just as the tank runs out of water,
which is a bit of good timing. Replace 4 gate valves with
4 full-bore valves (two 15mm, and two 22mm). Also, remove
the non-return valves from the low pressure shower. (Looks
like someone has already replaced the originals with giant
1.25" ones, presumably in an earlier failed attempt to
improve the flow.) Refill tank a bit, check for leaks,
none! Low pressure shower now works well enough as a
backup.

Refill the tank completely. Stopcock on tank inlet starts
leaking through the shaft/stuffing box, so have to turn it
off until I can see to that, although I now have the tank full.
Check for leaks on my new plumbing, and everything is bone
dry.

Half an hour later, I'm suddenly aware of a waterfall
sound. Run up and check all the plumbing, but no sign,
and I can't hear it now. Back downstairs, and I can hear
it again. Eventually find one of the upstairs loos is
****ing out through its overflow into the front flower bed,
which is now a mud puddle. Fortunately, it has its own
isolating valve, which I turn off. At that point, the
isolating valve starts leaking through its screwdriver
slot, sigh. By jiggling it with the screwdriver, I can
stop it leaking.

Take the top off the torbeck valve in the WC, and it's
got a bit of grit in it, probably something washed through
as a result of emptying the tank. Put it back together,
and check it works - it does. Glance back at isolating
valve, which is now leaking again. Again, some jiggling
with a screwdriver stops this, but I'm obviously going
to have to swap it.

At least I can now turn off the water without having to
drain the tank again.

BTW, haven't got as far as even looking at the power
shower issue yet, which is what started this all off,
and I've still got the isolating valve to replace and
and tank inlet stopcock...

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

On Feb 9, 6:23*pm, (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
Need to do some maintenance to the power shower (work out
why the hot flow seems to be restricting more and more,
and the flow switch on the hot side doesn't work, which
may be related).

Now, I have another shower over the bath, but it's never
worked because it is low pressure and has double-check non-
return valves fitted, which pretty much stop all forward
flow too. Want this working so I can be without the power
shower for a few days.

To fix either of these, I have to shut off the gate valves
in the feeds from the loft tank. I discover most of them
don't work at all, and the only one which does (power shower
cold supply) only turns part way off.

So I will have to drain the tank. I turn off the tank feed,
and order a set of full bore 1/4 turn valves.

Full bore valves arrive just as the tank runs out of water,
which is a bit of good timing. Replace 4 gate valves with
4 full-bore valves (two 15mm, and two 22mm). Also, remove
the non-return valves from the low pressure shower. (Looks
like someone has already replaced the originals with giant
1.25" ones, presumably in an earlier failed attempt to
improve the flow.) Refill tank a bit, check for leaks,
none! Low pressure shower now works well enough as a
backup.

Refill the tank completely. Stopcock on tank inlet starts
leaking through the shaft/stuffing box, so have to turn it
off until I can see to that, although I now have the tank full.
Check for leaks on my new plumbing, and everything is bone
dry.

Half an hour later, I'm suddenly aware of a waterfall
sound. Run up and check all the plumbing, but no sign,
and I can't hear it now. Back downstairs, and I can hear
it again. Eventually find one of the upstairs loos is
****ing out through its overflow into the front flower bed,
which is now a mud puddle. Fortunately, it has its own
isolating valve, which I turn off. At that point, the
isolating valve starts leaking through its screwdriver
slot, sigh. By jiggling it with the screwdriver, I can
stop it leaking.

Take the top off the torbeck valve in the WC, and it's
got a bit of grit in it, probably something washed through
as a result of emptying the tank. Put it back together,
and check it works - it does. Glance back at isolating
valve, which is now leaking again. Again, some jiggling
with a screwdriver stops this, but I'm obviously going
to have to swap it.

At least I can now turn off the water without having to
drain the tank again.

BTW, haven't got as far as even looking at the power
shower issue yet, which is what started this all off,
and I've still got the isolating valve to replace and
and tank inlet stopcock...

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


Cheap nasty **** valves. Suitable for central heating. Perhaps.
You should use non-dezincifiable ones on cold water.
They are made of bronze not brass.
Bronze=copper/tin
Brass=copper/zinc.
You will have to go toa plumbers merchant probably to get them, not
B&Q
A gate vale IS a full bore valve.

You may have a cheap nasty pump and the impellor has gone the same way
as the valves.
Or just limescale.

On Feb 9, 6:23*pm, (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
Need to do some maintenance to the power shower (work out
why the hot flow seems to be restricting more and more,
and the flow switch on the hot side doesn't work, which
may be related).

Now, I have another shower over the bath, but it's never
worked because it is low pressure and has double-check non-
return valves fitted, which pretty much stop all forward
flow too. Want this working so I can be without the power
shower for a few days.

To fix either of these, I have to shut off the gate valves
in the feeds from the loft tank. I discover most of them
don't work at all, and the only one which does (power shower
cold supply) only turns part way off.

So I will have to drain the tank. I turn off the tank feed,
and order a set of full bore 1/4 turn valves.

Full bore valves arrive just as the tank runs out of water,
which is a bit of good timing. Replace 4 gate valves with
4 full-bore valves (two 15mm, and two 22mm). Also, remove
the non-return valves from the low pressure shower. (Looks
like someone has already replaced the originals with giant
1.25" ones, presumably in an earlier failed attempt to
improve the flow.) Refill tank a bit, check for leaks,
none! Low pressure shower now works well enough as a
backup.

Refill the tank completely. Stopcock on tank inlet starts
leaking through the shaft/stuffing box, so have to turn it
off until I can see to that, although I now have the tank full.
Check for leaks on my new plumbing, and everything is bone
dry.

Half an hour later, I'm suddenly aware of a waterfall
sound. Run up and check all the plumbing, but no sign,
and I can't hear it now. Back downstairs, and I can hear
it again. Eventually find one of the upstairs loos is
****ing out through its overflow into the front flower bed,
which is now a mud puddle. Fortunately, it has its own
isolating valve, which I turn off. At that point, the
isolating valve starts leaking through its screwdriver
slot, sigh. By jiggling it with the screwdriver, I can
stop it leaking.

Take the top off the torbeck valve in the WC, and it's
got a bit of grit in it, probably something washed through
as a result of emptying the tank. Put it back together,
and check it works - it does. Glance back at isolating
valve, which is now leaking again. Again, some jiggling
with a screwdriver stops this, but I'm obviously going
to have to swap it.

At least I can now turn off the water without having to
drain the tank again.

BTW, haven't got as far as even looking at the power
shower issue yet, which is what started this all off,
and I've still got the isolating valve to replace and
and tank inlet stopcock...

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


Check the inside of the shower rose/spray first of all for limescale.
Look for the easy things first.

On Feb 10, 8:15*am, harry wrote:
On Feb 9, 6:23*pm, (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:



Need to do some maintenance to the power shower (work out
why the hot flow seems to be restricting more and more,
and the flow switch on the hot side doesn't work, which
may be related).

Now, I have another shower over the bath, but it's never
worked because it is low pressure and has double-check non-
return valves fitted, which pretty much stop all forward
flow too. Want this working so I can be without the power
shower for a few days.

To fix either of these, I have to shut off the gate valves
in the feeds from the loft tank. I discover most of them
don't work at all, and the only one which does (power shower
cold supply) only turns part way off.

So I will have to drain the tank. I turn off the tank feed,
and order a set of full bore 1/4 turn valves.

Full bore valves arrive just as the tank runs out of water,
which is a bit of good timing. Replace 4 gate valves with
4 full-bore valves (two 15mm, and two 22mm). Also, remove
the non-return valves from the low pressure shower. (Looks
like someone has already replaced the originals with giant
1.25" ones, presumably in an earlier failed attempt to
improve the flow.) Refill tank a bit, check for leaks,
none! Low pressure shower now works well enough as a
backup.

Refill the tank completely. Stopcock on tank inlet starts
leaking through the shaft/stuffing box, so have to turn it
off until I can see to that, although I now have the tank full.
Check for leaks on my new plumbing, and everything is bone
dry.

Half an hour later, I'm suddenly aware of a waterfall
sound. Run up and check all the plumbing, but no sign,
and I can't hear it now. Back downstairs, and I can hear
it again. Eventually find one of the upstairs loos is
****ing out through its overflow into the front flower bed,
which is now a mud puddle. Fortunately, it has its own
isolating valve, which I turn off. At that point, the
isolating valve starts leaking through its screwdriver
slot, sigh. By jiggling it with the screwdriver, I can
stop it leaking.

Take the top off the torbeck valve in the WC, and it's
got a bit of grit in it, probably something washed through
as a result of emptying the tank. Put it back together,
and check it works - it does. Glance back at isolating
valve, which is now leaking again. Again, some jiggling
with a screwdriver stops this, but I'm obviously going
to have to swap it.

At least I can now turn off the water without having to
drain the tank again.

BTW, haven't got as far as even looking at the power
shower issue yet, which is what started this all off,
and I've still got the isolating valve to replace and
and tank inlet stopcock...

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

Cheap nasty **** valves. *Suitable for central heating. Perhaps.
You should use non-dezincifiable ones on cold water.
They are made of bronze not brass.
Bronze=copper/tin
Brass=copper/zinc.
You will have to go toa plumbers merchant probably to get them, not
B&Q
A gate vale IS a full bore valve.

You may have a cheap nasty pump and the impellor has gone the same way
as the valves.
Or just limescale.


I wouldnt worry about the gate valves, a tankful of hot is only around
30p's worth at electric day rates, or 15p on E7, 10p on gas.

The main tap should be fine once waggled, just need to check it to a
day later ensure its not leaked a bit. Of course you cant rely on that
if the flooring is water sensitive.


I really dont like plumbing either. Last job was a waste unblock, a
simple job on the face of it. Due to the peculiarity of the blockage
and terrible access, all standard unblock methods failed, and the only
remedy left was to /remove/ the waste pipe in question. Which was of
course all solv weld, no access traps, awkward to get to, and designed
by someone that really didnt know much. The pipe was laid level, with
3 step changes in height, hence the repeating blockages. The entire
tortuous run needed replacing to get it to work reliably, and
rerouting it was demanding. Concrete had to be core drilled, wood
flooring with a large load on top of it had to be lifted etc. I forget
exactly, but something like 3 days of labour went into it eventually.
It got a slope, most of the step changes were gone, easy access was
added, and it flowed at least 10x as well as it had before.


NT

In article ,
harry writes:
On Feb 9, 6:23*pm, (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
Need to do some maintenance to the power shower (work out
why the hot flow seems to be restricting more and more,
and the flow switch on the hot side doesn't work, which
may be related).

Check the inside of the shower rose/spray first of all for limescale.
Look for the easy things first.

Done all that already. Had the mixer valve apart too (very simple
non-thermostatic), and that was all fine.

This morning, now that I've got a nice new set of isolating valves
in place, I took the shower pump off. That revealed a pair of inlet
filter-type washers that I didn't know where there, both quite clogged,
but not excessively so. Anyway, I popped out to local hardware store,
and bought a couple of replacements, as the rubber washers often don't
re-seal well when they've gone hard. Also found the reed switch (or
hall effect flowswitch, don't know which it is) had come partially
unclipped, and that might explain the lack of triggering by the hot
flow. Cleaned up, vacuumed/blew out the dust from the motor, refitted.
It now works fine.

It's a NewTeam 350, 21 years old.

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

En el artículo , Andrew Gabriel
escribió:

[snip long tale of plumbing woe]

You're just described what I think of as the "DIY domino effect" - if
you start a "little job", it soon turns out to be anything but.

--
(\_/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

In article ,
NT writes:
I wouldnt worry about the gate valves, a tankful of hot is only around
30p's worth at electric day rates, or 15p on E7, 10p on gas.

I didn't need to empty the hot water cylinder anyway, so no hot
water would have been wasted, but I did let it go cold so I wasn't
having to reach through hot pipes to get to the shower pump, which
is right at the back of the airing cupboard.

I was wondering how long the loft tank lasts me, and the answer is
several days (at least, with only a very feeble shower available).
Also avoiding wasting a tankful, although that's insignificant cost
wise.

The main tap should be fine once waggled, just need to check it to a
day later ensure its not leaked a bit. Of course you cant rely on that
if the flooring is water sensitive.
I really dont like plumbing either.

Actually, I quite enjoy plumbing. It was the series of consequential
things that didn't work or broke which was remarkable.

At least the end result is satisfying - I don't need a new shower
pump, which is what I was half expecting what with it being over
20 years old.

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