Fernox TF1 Omega This one -
https://fernox.com/product/tf1-omega-filter/

At the bottom is removable cap, which also serves as the spanner to
open the valve just above it. It fits on the rectangular bit which can
be seen protruding slightly from the drain valve, in the above photo.

Problem - the 'spanner' is rather too easy to drop, once the valve has
been opened. That leaves me scrambling about to find the dropped
cap/spanner, whilst the water floods out, so I'm looking for a more
easily gripped spanner to fit the rectangular tap. Is there a ready
made item, to avoid me having to make one please?

Yes, I know I could swap out the valve for one fitted with a knob, but
I am trying to avoid the need to drain down to fit one.

Should be easy enough to make one from a strip of steel, drill a couple of holes same or slightly wider then width of the rectangle. With a needle file remove the metal between the holes to produce a slot to fit the rectangular protrusion. Put a slight bend in the handle of your tool so you are not banging your knuckles on the filter body.

Richard

On 31/12/2018 11:22, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Fernox TF1 Omega This one - https://fernox.com/product/tf1-omega-filter/

At the bottom is removable cap, which also serves as the spanner to open
the valve just above it. It fits on the rectangular bit which can be
seen protruding slightly from the drain valve, in the above photo.

Problem - the 'spanner' is rather too easy to drop, once the valve has
been opened. That leaves me scrambling about to find the dropped
cap/spanner, whilst the water floods out, so I'm looking for a more
easily gripped spanner to fit the rectangular tap. Is there a ready made
item, to avoid me having to make one please?

Yes, I know I could swap out the valve for one fitted with a knob, but I
am trying to avoid the need to drain down to fit one.

Has yours not got butterfly valves fitted either side of the TF1? If so
you isolate those before opening the bottom tap, and then the entire
(limited) content of the TF1 drains along with any trapped sludge etc.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

After serious thinking John Rumm wrote :
Has yours not got butterfly valves fitted either side of the TF1? If so you
isolate those before opening the bottom tap, and then the entire (limited)
content of the TF1 drains along with any trapped sludge etc.

Mine did not include that optional extra valves, hence my concern about
opening the valve and accidently dropping the cap/ key. It is a above
the boiler, above kitchen units and I have to stand on the worktop to
clean it out. If I drop it, it could roll almost anywhere in the
kitchen area and be flooding until I found it.

On 31/12/2018 15:24, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
After serious thinking John Rumm wrote :
Has yours not got butterfly valves fitted either side of the TF1? If
so you isolate those before opening the bottom tap, and then the
entire (limited) content of the TF1 drains along with any trapped
sludge etc.

Mine did not include that optional extra valves, hence my concern about
opening the valve and accidently dropping the cap/ key. It is a above
the boiler, above kitchen units and I have to stand on the worktop to
clean it out. If I drop it, it could roll almost anywhere in the kitchen
area and be flooding until I found it.

ok lack of valves makes it a bit more interesting ;-)

You could stick a washing machine hose on the bottom of the valve before
opening it. That way at least the flow can be directed somewhere non
damaging.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Mon, 31 Dec 2018 11:22:42 GMT, Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Problem - the 'spanner' is rather too easy to drop, once the valve has
been opened. That leaves me scrambling about to find the dropped
cap/spanner, whilst the water floods out, so I'm looking for a more
easily gripped spanner to fit the rectangular tap.

Put a bit of fine string through the hole in one of the lugs and tie
it off. Tie other end of string to pipe work above the filter.

Steal a handle from a washing machine valve. A random red (hot) one
doesn't quite go onto the valve on my TF1. Are blue (cold) ones a bit
larger? I can't find a blue one (if I have one at all)?

Steal handle from a lever ball valve. Random one of those I have
kicking about fits nicely.

--
Cheers
Dave.

John Rumm expressed precisely :
You could stick a washing machine hose on the bottom of the valve before
opening it. That way at least the flow can be directed somewhere non
damaging.

Or, I wonder if I might be able to add a second valve below that one?

I have emailed Fernox, to ask them, but I think the answer will be no,
so I'm also considering trying to make a spanner from that two part
epoxy putty. Its not a tight valve to turn, just made awkward by the
cap/ spanner.

Dave Liquorice expressed precisely :
Put a bit of fine string through the hole in one of the lugs and tie
it off. Tie other end of string to pipe work above the filter.

It already has a plastic retainer, keeping it attached to the valve,
but it just makes it more awkward to try to use.

Steal handle from a lever ball valve. Random one of those I have
kicking about fits nicely.

I have some stashed in the garage, I will take a look - good idea
thanks!

On Mon, 31 Dec 2018 18:30:12 GMT, Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Put a bit of fine string through the hole in one of the lugs and
tie
it off. Tie other end of string to pipe work above the filter.

It already has a plastic retainer, keeping it attached to the valve,
but it just makes it more awkward to try to use.

Mine doesn't have any forma retention when used as a handle. The
"legs" just act as rotation stops. It's only a 1/4 turn valve so a
bit of string isn't that much of an issue. I agree it is a bit fiddly
and it does fall off quite easyly. String would stop it becoming a
werdigo when it drops off.

Steal handle from a lever ball valve. Random one of those I have
kicking about fits nicely.

I have some stashed in the garage, I will take a look - good idea
thanks!

Or the handle from a washing machine valve. That has the advantage
that it can be fixed to the valve with a machine screw into the
threaded hole in the end of the valve shaft. An ex-lever ball valve
handle doesn't fall off so easy as the supplied handle.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Dave Liquorice explained on 31/12/2018 :
Steal handle from a lever ball valve. Random one of those I have
kicking about fits nicely.

I have some stashed in the garage, I will take a look - good idea
thanks!

Or the handle from a washing machine valve. That has the advantage
that it can be fixed to the valve with a machine screw into the
threaded hole in the end of the valve shaft. An ex-lever ball valve
handle doesn't fall off so easy as the supplied handle.

I dug out a few from the garage and either the filter valve spindle is
smaller, or the washing machine valve in my case is bigger - either
way, they don't fit.

No urgency to solve it, I flushed what little dirt was in the filter
out yesterday - which is what set me thinking to find a solution to the
horrible drain tap issue before next filter clean.

There is no concentric hole down the spindle centre to fix an handle,
but I was thinking a blob of Araldite might be all that is needed.