Plumbing question

rjsterry

masjer said:

The 14mm nut isn't used for operating the valve. Just turn the central threaded part 90 degrees and it should shut off. Is there a flat section on the threaded part? If so, a small spanner (or worse a small adjustable) or even pliers should do.

Mole grips are good for this but maybe wrap a bit of old inner tube around it so that you don't mangle the threads.

TheBigBean

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I need to search for to find a handle? A 6mm wrench fits perfectly.

Wheelspinner

TheBigBean said:

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I need to search for to find a handle? A 6mm wrench fits perfectly.

Yep, someone with a (good) 3D printer.

pblakeney

TheBigBean said:

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I need to search for to find a handle? A 6mm wrench fits perfectly.

Pretty much any valve with the same thread will have an appropriate lever.
If you want to check simply undo the nut and measure. Shops might not be happy if caught though due to invalid warranty. Buy it, check it, return if inappropriate.
What they don't see the heart doesn't grieve over. 😉

TheBigBean

I think the solution is a £2 6mm spanner and a bit of string to tie it the pipe so it is always there. Not very elegant.

briantrumpet

.

mully79

The solution is to loosen the securing nut on the other handle so you can use it on either valve quickly without needing tools.

TheBigBean

oxoman said:

TBB PM me and I'll send you one in the post. Will send a nut with it as well if needed.

Thanks. That's a really kind offer. I will save you the hassle though and stick with the 6mm spanner as it seems to do the job adequately - now I know what I'm turning!

pinno

TheBigBean said:

Thanks both, you are right and that works. I was being an idiot and didn't think the flat bit would be on the threads. (Not much of a defence, but the viewing angle isn't great).

The upshot of all that is I can turn it off, but finding a 6mm lever with nut would be even better.

The valve isn't expensive. You could buy the complete valve just for the lever - ask the seller the question if it's a 6mm fitting.
You could replace the whole thing if you can shut off the mains supply to the house. Up here Scottish water did this for me as I had the T bar but the mains valve wouldn't turn. They were very helpful.
I had to do this once because the round tap had worn the square mounting hole out and it wasn't a 90 degree shut off.
You could always mount a pair of vice grips on it on a permanent basis

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303474694728?hash=item46a8805a48:g:g5IAAOSwWelfT7va

A pair of Vernier callipers is a very handy thing.

TheBigBean

I never thought I would have two plumbing valve questions, so I might need to rename the thread. Is anyone able to help me with this radiator valve? I need to remove the whole radiator.

I'm guessing to turn off the water, I need to turn the copper one with the arrow shown in the photo. Clockwise? Or is there something I'm missing about the hole bit?

To remove the radiator, I'm assuming I should turn the stainless steel one with the arrow in the photo. Is that anti-clockwise as I look down? Top of photo is up.

I would normally just pay someone, but it is for a warranty claim and they are insisting I return the leaking radiator, so in my mind, I can't spend money on that.

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photonic69

Weird valves! Is there a hex socket head in the center of the brass bit? If so then turning it clockwise should shut it off. Your bike multitool would probably do the job.
Yes, silver one looking down on it undo it anticlockwise to unscrew from the valve body. Suggest lots and lots of towels and a few washing up bowls and buckets/empty ice-cream containers to collect the water. There doesn't appear to be drain off point there. Just go slowly.

TheBigBean

photonic69 said:

Weird valves! Is there a hex socket head in the center of the brass bit? If so then turning it clockwise should shut it off. Your bike multitool would probably do the job.
Yes, silver one looking down on it undo it anticlockwise to unscrew from the valve body. Suggest lots and lots of towels and a few washing up bowls and buckets/empty ice-cream containers to collect the water. There doesn't appear to be drain off point there. Just go slowly.

Thanks. Yes I think there might be a hex socket which is probably a better place to start.

I can get a washing up bowl underneath and it's in the bathroom so I'm less worried about spillage provided I can isolate it.

rjsterry

Have you removed something from the right hand valve? Looks like there should be another part - a thermostat? - screwed onto that.

TheBigBean

rjsterry said:

Have you removed something from the right hand valve? Looks like there should be another part - a thermostat? - screwed onto that.

Just a cap. The one on the left is an on/off one.

monkimark

The brass bit is odd, does it allow a thermostatic valve to be fitted over it maybe?

Possibly being captain obvious here but turn off the thermostat valve as well.
Once you are draining the water, open the bleed valve at the top to speed it up.

rjsterry

Ah yes. Just looked and mine are near identical there is a 3 or 4mm hex socket in the centre which you can tighten to shut off that valve.

TheBigBean

monkimark said:

The brass bit is odd, does it allow a thermostatic valve to be fitted over it maybe?

Possibly being captain obvious here but turn off the thermostat valve as well.
Once you are draining the water, open the bleed valve at the top to speed it up.

Not sure whether it is possible to fit a thermostatic valve. It's a towel rail with a hot water feed, so is never that hot.

Nothing is too obvious when it comes to me and DIY!

Yes, plan is to turn off both, loosen one of the radiator connectors, drain water, open bleed valve, drain more water, loosen other radiator connector, unscrew from wall, lift off, drain into sink, give to manufacturer. Then hopefully the reverse with a new one.

The qualification to this is that I recently managed to reattached my IKEA Pax sliding doors. It took ages and I was very happy about managing it. I say this, because that's the level of my skills.

TheBigBean

rjsterry said:

Ah yes. Just looked and mine are near identical there is a 3 or 4mm hex socket in the centre which you can tighten to shut off that valve.

Great. I think that solves it. Reassuring to hear you have similar.

mully79

The brass one that you can shut off with an Allen key is primarily used for balancing radiators. There’s usually one on each of your radiators on the opposite side to a thermostatic valve.

It’s normal to leave at least one radiator in the house (bathroom) without a thermostatic valve so that there is always a path for water to flow if the central heating pump is running. (It’s not good to dead head a water pump)

If you are removing the radiator for a prolonged period then remove or fully open the thermostatic valve on a different radiator so that if you run the central heating there is an alternative route for water to constantly flow.

briantrumpet

Another plumbing question:

I've got a Mira balanced output shower, which is dripping when turned off, but it's ancient enough (nearly 30 years) that a plumber who came in for something else thought it very unlikely that I'd get parts for it now. In all aspects, it's still as good as new.

So....

I thought that if I could insert a tidy mini valve on the output of the shower, between the output and the shower hose, I could stop the dripping that way. So the question is, are shower output fittings standard for anything else other than shower hoses?

The other idea was to get a shower head with an 'on/off' button, but I suspect that they only work when pressurised, so won't work on drips.

I'm disinclined to replace the unit, as it was about £250 in 1993, and, as I say, still works well otherwise, and is buried in the wall under tiles.

monkimark

Standard 1/2" fitting I believe so you should be able to get the necessary bits from screwfix.

Or the Internet has a solution (I'm sure other, non evil empire suppliers are available)

I googled 1/2" shut off valve.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/IGNPION-Brass-Shower-Control-Sprayer/dp/B01767Q1VQ/ref=asc_df_B01767Q1VQ/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=272036278997&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15456797071260206098&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045829&hvtargid=pla-469864078292&psc=1

briantrumpet

monkimark said:

Standard 1/2" fitting I believe so you should be able to get the necessary bits from screwfix.

Or the Internet has a solution (I'm sure other, non evil empire suppliers are available)

I googled 1/2" shut off valve.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/IGNPION-Brass-Shower-Control-Sprayer/dp/B01767Q1VQ/ref=asc_df_B01767Q1VQ/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=272036278997&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15456797071260206098&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045829&hvtargid=pla-469864078292&psc=1

Thanks

I've done enough farm plumbing to know that if I can get fixings wrong, I will, so that's super helpful - and as I've got a temporary Prime subscription to the evil empire, part already ordered. 👍

briantrumpet

Five-minute job done, thanks @monkimark ... had to improvise for the PTFE tape (a narrow bit cut off a plastic bag), as I realised I didn't have any in the house (a grave omission, I know), but no drips anywhere now

TheBigBean

Sorry have another plumbing question. I have a radiator with a pin that keeps getting stuck. Can I give it a bit of GT85 or is that a bad idea?

monkimark

I doubt it would do any harm but probably won't help either, it's the valve inside that gets jammed, not just the sticking up (or not) bit of pin.
Have you freed it and it got stuck again? Once it's open you shouldn't need to close it again should you?

I have released old stuck valves by taking off the thermostat and endlessly tapping the valve. Last time I thought I had a stuck valve and duly tapped away at it for ages before trying to drain the radiator and finding it was full of rusty sludge (rad at the bottom of the stairs so I guess it all settled there over the summer)

I am not a plumber so not sure how useful any of the above is.

rjsterry

I don't think so. Although if it's sticking due to some debris or scale within the valve it won't fix it.

TheBigBean

monkimark said:

I doubt it would do any harm but probably won't help either, it's the valve inside that gets jammed, not just the sticking up (or not) bit of pin.
Have you freed it and it got stuck again? Once it's open you shouldn't need to close it again should you?

I have released old stuck valves by taking off the thermostat and endlessly tapping the valve. Last time I thought I had a stuck valve and duly tapped away at it for ages before trying to drain the radiator and finding it was full of rusty sludge (rad at the bottom of the stairs so I guess it all settled there over the summer)

I am not a plumber so not sure how useful any of the above is.

It seems to get stuck up (on) which is fine for winter. I have freed it, so it is working, but I think it will get stuck again. The issue is that if it is stuck, it is the plastic bit of the TRV that takes the strain when trying to turn it off. That's now broken so I need a new one which is fine, but pointless if it's going to keep getting stuck.

Ideally, I would get a new valve as it doesn't look great, but one of the hassles of London is I imagine that would cost £300+.

It's annoying because it is less than five years old.

rjsterry

TheBigBean said:

monkimark said:

I doubt it would do any harm but probably won't help either, it's the valve inside that gets jammed, not just the sticking up (or not) bit of pin.
Have you freed it and it got stuck again? Once it's open you shouldn't need to close it again should you?

I have released old stuck valves by taking off the thermostat and endlessly tapping the valve. Last time I thought I had a stuck valve and duly tapped away at it for ages before trying to drain the radiator and finding it was full of rusty sludge (rad at the bottom of the stairs so I guess it all settled there over the summer)

I am not a plumber so not sure how useful any of the above is.

It seems to get stuck up (on) which is fine for winter. I have freed it, so it is working, but I think it will get stuck again. The issue is that if it is stuck, it is the plastic bit of the TRV that takes the strain when trying to turn it off. That's now broken so I need a new one which is fine, but pointless if it's going to keep getting stuck.

Ideally, I would get a new valve as it doesn't look great, but one of the hassles of London is I imagine that would cost £300+.

It's annoying because it is less than five years old.

How old is the radiator and pipework? If it is gunged up, it may be more cost effective to get the system flushed out as part of a full service, rather than just changing a TRV.

TheBigBean

rjsterry said:

TheBigBean said:

monkimark said:

I doubt it would do any harm but probably won't help either, it's the valve inside that gets jammed, not just the sticking up (or not) bit of pin.
Have you freed it and it got stuck again? Once it's open you shouldn't need to close it again should you?

I have released old stuck valves by taking off the thermostat and endlessly tapping the valve. Last time I thought I had a stuck valve and duly tapped away at it for ages before trying to drain the radiator and finding it was full of rusty sludge (rad at the bottom of the stairs so I guess it all settled there over the summer)

I am not a plumber so not sure how useful any of the above is.

It seems to get stuck up (on) which is fine for winter. I have freed it, so it is working, but I think it will get stuck again. The issue is that if it is stuck, it is the plastic bit of the TRV that takes the strain when trying to turn it off. That's now broken so I need a new one which is fine, but pointless if it's going to keep getting stuck.

Ideally, I would get a new valve as it doesn't look great, but one of the hassles of London is I imagine that would cost £300+.

It's annoying because it is less than five years old.

How old is the radiator and pipework? If it is gunged up, it may be more cost effective to get the system flushed out as part of a full service, rather than just changing a TRV.

My pipework is five years old, but it is part of a much old communal system. Nonetheless, it can isolated and presumably cleaned, but that doesn't sound much easier. I'll see how it goes. As it currently has no head it is easier to test the pin.

veronese68

Surely isolating it and cleaning it would be pointless as the sludge in the rest of the communal system will come straight back in use.