This is my kitchen tap: http://www.littletyke.myzen.co.uk/tap1.jpg

1. And it's started to drip very slightly, so the washer(s) are going
to need replacing.

2. To do this I need to shut off the water supply. The cold is dead
easy, because the tap is under the sink.

3. In the case of the hot water, in the airing cupboard there is an
isolating valve with a red wheel-type knob on the pipe that comes from
the bottom of the hot water cylinder.

4. There is also a similar valve, also with red knob on one of the
pipes leading through into the loft.

5. I assume it's the one at the bottom of the cylinder I need to
close.

6. Back to the tap, does this type have ceramic washers? Are they
standard, or do I need to take the old washer with me to e.g. Plumb
Centre?

7. As the water will be shut off, I'm going to take the opportunity to
fit inline isolating valves to the pipes directly leading to the sink.
I've done that job before, so it shouldn't be too difficult, except
the rather cramped conditions in the cupboard under the sink.

8. I also intend to fit the braided metal flexible hoses to the tap
instead of the copper pipes currently. The problem with the copper
pipes is that when one turns the swan neck of the pipe the tap body
tends to move very slightly, which can't be good for the copper pipe
connections. I figure that the flexible pipes have got to be better in
this regard.

9. Any other tips I should be aware of? I last replaced tap washers 20
years ago on an old cast iron bath with equally old taps.

Cheers!

MM

MM wrote:
This is my kitchen tap: http://www.littletyke.myzen.co.uk/tap1.jpg

1. And it's started to drip very slightly, so the washer(s) are going
to need replacing.

2. To do this I need to shut off the water supply. The cold is dead
easy, because the tap is under the sink.

3. In the case of the hot water, in the airing cupboard there is an
isolating valve with a red wheel-type knob on the pipe that comes from
the bottom of the hot water cylinder.

4. There is also a similar valve, also with red knob on one of the
pipes leading through into the loft.

5. I assume it's the one at the bottom of the cylinder I need to
close.

6. Back to the tap, does this type have ceramic washers? Are they
standard, or do I need to take the old washer with me to e.g. Plumb
Centre?

7. As the water will be shut off, I'm going to take the opportunity to
fit inline isolating valves to the pipes directly leading to the sink.
I've done that job before, so it shouldn't be too difficult, except
the rather cramped conditions in the cupboard under the sink.

8. I also intend to fit the braided metal flexible hoses to the tap
instead of the copper pipes currently. The problem with the copper
pipes is that when one turns the swan neck of the pipe the tap body
tends to move very slightly, which can't be good for the copper pipe
connections. I figure that the flexible pipes have got to be better in
this regard.

9. Any other tips I should be aware of? I last replaced tap washers 20
years ago on an old cast iron bath with equally old taps.

Cheers!

MM


Ceramic taps don't have washers as such,they have two ceramic plates
that mate together with holes in each that line up when open but dont
when shut. usually you replace the module as a unit,so you could take it
with you as a sample but there are not always replacements available.

MM wrote:


3. In the case of the hot water, in the airing cupboard there is an
isolating valve with a red wheel-type knob on the pipe that comes from the
bottom of the hot water cylinder.

The colour of the knob might not be very significant.

Surely the valve at the bottom of the cyclinder controls whether cold water
flows into it? If that's so, closing it and stopping water going in would
stop water coming out (from the top, hot water rises in the cylinder), but
not for the reason you thought?


4. There is also a similar valve, also with red knob on one of the pipes
leading through into the loft.

So... possibly the mains CW feed to a CW tank in the loft, or a valve
cutting off flow of water from the CW tank?

It sounds to me as if you need, sometime if not now, to identify what flows
where in each pipe.



8. I also intend to fit the braided metal flexible hoses to the tap
instead of the copper pipes currently. The problem with the copper pipes
is that when one turns the swan neck of the pipe the tap body tends to
move very slightly, which can't be good for the copper pipe connections. I
figure that the flexible pipes have got to be better in this regard.

Recent discussions here suggest the braided pipes are themselves unreliable.
I don't know if that's true.

--
Jeremy C B Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

Email sent to my from-address will be deleted. Instead, please reply
to replacing "aaa" by "284".

On 23/07/2012 08:55, MM wrote:
This is my kitchen tap: http://www.littletyke.myzen.co.uk/tap1.jpg

1. And it's started to drip very slightly, so the washer(s) are going
to need replacing.

2. To do this I need to shut off the water supply. The cold is dead
easy, because the tap is under the sink.

3. In the case of the hot water, in the airing cupboard there is an
isolating valve with a red wheel-type knob on the pipe that comes from
the bottom of the hot water cylinder.


The first thing to do is to decide whether the drip is coming from the
cold or hot side. Turn the cold off under the sink, open the cold tap on
the mixer tap until it stops flowing, then close it again. See whether
the taps still drips. If it does, the drip *has* to be on the hot side -
but the chances are that the drip will stop because it was on the cold
side (at greater pressure).

If it's the cold side that's leaking, you can tackle that without
needing to turn off the hot water.

4. There is also a similar valve, also with red knob on one of the
pipes leading through into the loft.

5. I assume it's the one at the bottom of the cylinder I need to
close.


If you *do* need to turn off the hot, find the pipe which feeds the
bottom of the cylinder from the bottom of the header tank. If there's a
tap in that, turn it off. If there isn't, reach down inside the header
tank in the loft and stuff a cork in the outlet which feeds the cylinder.

6. Back to the tap, does this type have ceramic washers? Are they
standard, or do I need to take the old washer with me to e.g. Plumb
Centre?

I don't know for sure, but it looks like a quarter turn ceramic tap. How
much do the levers move from closed to open? If 90 degrees, it's
ceramic, if a lot more, it's a conventional tap with a rubber washer.

Assuming it's ceramic, you can't replace just the washers - you have to
replace the innards of the tap (usually referred to as a 'cartridge').
There are lots of variations - particularly in the spline details for
attaching the lever. Places like B&Q stock some of these, but they're
likely to be cheaper from on-line sources once you've identified the
right one for your particular tap.


7. As the water will be shut off, I'm going to take the opportunity to
fit inline isolating valves to the pipes directly leading to the sink.
I've done that job before, so it shouldn't be too difficult, except
the rather cramped conditions in the cupboard under the sink.


Good idea. Get full flow ones with knobs or handles. The ones with
screwdriver slots frequently fail when you try to turn them off!


8. I also intend to fit the braided metal flexible hoses to the tap
instead of the copper pipes currently. The problem with the copper
pipes is that when one turns the swan neck of the pipe the tap body
tends to move very slightly, which can't be good for the copper pipe
connections. I figure that the flexible pipes have got to be better in
this regard.


The copper pipes provide a bit of rigidity for the tap. Braided pipes
provide none - the tap body will move even more, and the top of the sink
will flex more. Also, braided pipes probably have a smaller bore than
the existing copper, so the flow rate - particularly gravity-fed hot -
may suffer. I'd keep the copper pipes! If you *do* replace them, you'll
need to unscrew one to find out the thread size before buying the new
ones, because there are several different sizes.


9. Any other tips I should be aware of? I last replaced tap washers 20
years ago on an old cast iron bath with equally old taps.


Removing the cartridges is easy. Prise off the red or blue cap on the
lever and undo the screw. Slide the lever off the spline. You will then
see the hexagon of the cartridge, which needs to be unscrewed with a
spanner. It might be quite tight after a few years - so use a correctly
fitting ring spanner, and support the body of the tap with your other
hand to avoid bending the sink.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

On Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:40:56 +0100, Roger Mills
wrote:

On 23/07/2012 08:55, MM wrote:
This is my kitchen tap: http://www.littletyke.myzen.co.uk/tap1.jpg

1. And it's started to drip very slightly, so the washer(s) are going
to need replacing.

2. To do this I need to shut off the water supply. The cold is dead
easy, because the tap is under the sink.

3. In the case of the hot water, in the airing cupboard there is an
isolating valve with a red wheel-type knob on the pipe that comes from
the bottom of the hot water cylinder.


The first thing to do is to decide whether the drip is coming from the
cold or hot side. Turn the cold off under the sink, open the cold tap on
the mixer tap until it stops flowing, then close it again. See whether
the taps still drips. If it does, the drip *has* to be on the hot side -
but the chances are that the drip will stop because it was on the cold
side (at greater pressure).

I could have done this, but I'd already switched off the hot and cold!
(I'll know next time.)


If it's the cold side that's leaking, you can tackle that without
needing to turn off the hot water.

4. There is also a similar valve, also with red knob on one of the
pipes leading through into the loft.

5. I assume it's the one at the bottom of the cylinder I need to
close.


If you *do* need to turn off the hot, find the pipe which feeds the
bottom of the cylinder from the bottom of the header tank. If there's a
tap in that, turn it off. If there isn't, reach down inside the header
tank in the loft and stuff a cork in the outlet which feeds the cylinder.

I had to turn the stop cocks off in the airing cuprboard (all three)
before the hot water stopped entirely. Even 20 minutes later there was
still an irritating trickle emanating from the hot in the kitchen
(after I'd removed the cartridge). I opened ALL the hot taps in the
house, and the trickle only finally stopped after 40 minutes. Maybe
your hint about putting a cork in it would help here!


6. Back to the tap, does this type have ceramic washers? Are they
standard, or do I need to take the old washer with me to e.g. Plumb
Centre?

I don't know for sure, but it looks like a quarter turn ceramic tap. How
much do the levers move from closed to open? If 90 degrees, it's
ceramic, if a lot more, it's a conventional tap with a rubber washer.

Yes, it's a quarter turn one. I've just been to one local supplier who
had a box of them, but none quite matching the exact one. Either the
brass thread that goes into the tap body was longer than on mine, or
the diameter was different. In a minute I'm off to Plumb Centre,
because over the phone they said the carry a few, and I'll take my
external callipers this time.

Assuming it's ceramic, you can't replace just the washers - you have to
replace the innards of the tap (usually referred to as a 'cartridge').
There are lots of variations - particularly in the spline details for
attaching the lever. Places like B&Q stock some of these, but they're
likely to be cheaper from on-line sources once you've identified the
right one for your particular tap.

The local supplier had three ~very~ similar, but not the same. I don't
know *how* exact a match they need to be. For instance, she had one
with a longer thread, but I've just felt inside the tap body and there
appears to be ample room to take the longer thread.



7. As the water will be shut off, I'm going to take the opportunity to
fit inline isolating valves to the pipes directly leading to the sink.
I've done that job before, so it shouldn't be too difficult, except
the rather cramped conditions in the cupboard under the sink.


Good idea. Get full flow ones with knobs or handles. The ones with
screwdriver slots frequently fail when you try to turn them off!

Ah! And I was going to use the screwdriver slot ones. Okay, I'll find
some better ones.



8. I also intend to fit the braided metal flexible hoses to the tap
instead of the copper pipes currently. The problem with the copper
pipes is that when one turns the swan neck of the pipe the tap body
tends to move very slightly, which can't be good for the copper pipe
connections. I figure that the flexible pipes have got to be better in
this regard.


Noted.


The copper pipes provide a bit of rigidity for the tap. Braided pipes
provide none - the tap body will move even more, and the top of the sink
will flex more. Also, braided pipes probably have a smaller bore than
the existing copper, so the flow rate - particularly gravity-fed hot -
may suffer. I'd keep the copper pipes! If you *do* replace them, you'll
need to unscrew one to find out the thread size before buying the new
ones, because there are several different sizes.

Noted.


9. Any other tips I should be aware of? I last replaced tap washers 20
years ago on an old cast iron bath with equally old taps.


Removing the cartridges is easy. Prise off the red or blue cap on the
lever and undo the screw. Slide the lever off the spline. You will then
see the hexagon of the cartridge, which needs to be unscrewed with a
spanner. It might be quite tight after a few years - so use a correctly
fitting ring spanner, and support the body of the tap with your other
hand to avoid bending the sink.

Yes, if I had the right cartridges to hand, the whole job couldn't
have taken more than half an hour.

Once last thing, when I finally get to the point of switching the
water back on, is there any "proper" way/sequence to do it to avoid
air locks?

Thanks very much for your hints.

MM

On 23/07/2012 14:24, MM wrote:


6. Back to the tap, does this type have ceramic washers? Are they
standard, or do I need to take the old washer with me to e.g. Plumb
Centre?

I don't know for sure, but it looks like a quarter turn ceramic tap. How
much do the levers move from closed to open? If 90 degrees, it's
ceramic, if a lot more, it's a conventional tap with a rubber washer.

Yes, it's a quarter turn one. I've just been to one local supplier who
had a box of them, but none quite matching the exact one. Either the
brass thread that goes into the tap body was longer than on mine, or
the diameter was different. In a minute I'm off to Plumb Centre,
because over the phone they said the carry a few, and I'll take my
external callipers this time.

Assuming it's ceramic, you can't replace just the washers - you have to
replace the innards of the tap (usually referred to as a 'cartridge').
There are lots of variations - particularly in the spline details for
attaching the lever. Places like B&Q stock some of these, but they're
likely to be cheaper from on-line sources once you've identified the
right one for your particular tap.

The local supplier had three ~very~ similar, but not the same. I don't
know *how* exact a match they need to be. For instance, she had one
with a longer thread, but I've just felt inside the tap body and there
appears to be ample room to take the longer thread.


When I have had ceramic taps dripping like this, I find often that a new
cartridge is not required and soaking the old one in de-scaler for a
while cures them.

Peter.

On Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:25:48 +0100, PJK wrote:

On 23/07/2012 14:24, MM wrote:


6. Back to the tap, does this type have ceramic washers? Are they
standard, or do I need to take the old washer with me to e.g. Plumb
Centre?

I don't know for sure, but it looks like a quarter turn ceramic tap. How
much do the levers move from closed to open? If 90 degrees, it's
ceramic, if a lot more, it's a conventional tap with a rubber washer.

Yes, it's a quarter turn one. I've just been to one local supplier who
had a box of them, but none quite matching the exact one. Either the
brass thread that goes into the tap body was longer than on mine, or
the diameter was different. In a minute I'm off to Plumb Centre,
because over the phone they said the carry a few, and I'll take my
external callipers this time.

Assuming it's ceramic, you can't replace just the washers - you have to
replace the innards of the tap (usually referred to as a 'cartridge').
There are lots of variations - particularly in the spline details for
attaching the lever. Places like B&Q stock some of these, but they're
likely to be cheaper from on-line sources once you've identified the
right one for your particular tap.

The local supplier had three ~very~ similar, but not the same. I don't
know *how* exact a match they need to be. For instance, she had one
with a longer thread, but I've just felt inside the tap body and there
appears to be ample room to take the longer thread.


When I have had ceramic taps dripping like this, I find often that a new
cartridge is not required and soaking the old one in de-scaler for a
while cures them.

Oh, well. I've put 'em in now! £10.49 from Plumb Centre the pair.

MM

MM

This supplier looks good:

http://www.shop.lunns.net/tap-spares-8-c.asp