Plumbing help?

[markfiend]

The cold tap on the bathroom sink is leaking. The water's coming out underneath the sink; there's a nut there screwed onto the underside of the tap, and the copper pipe from the rest of the water supply goes into that nut; it's this joint that is leaking. (I think this is called a compression joint?)

I've turned the mains water off, tried tightening the joint but no joy. I suspect that a washer in the joint has gone; but it's really hard to see the joint to work out what kind of washer or whatever I need. Any ideas?

The first person who suggests "call a plumber" will be shot I am a man and I do the DIY.

I managed to fit a new ball-cock on the hot water tank, so this should be no problem for me as long as I know what parts I need to buy today.

[Planet Dave]

Only thing to do is take the whole shebang apart to see which washer has perished. The fun of course lies in trying to fit it all back together. Let us know how many bits you've got left over at the end. And good luck. Wet business, is plumbing.

[markfiend]

It's a bit hard to see, what with it being under the sink...

Yeah, I got very wet.

Me: "Turn the stopcock back on and see if I've fixed it"

Kerry turns on the stopcock. A jet of water sprays into my eyes...

[hallucienate]

turn off the water mains
turn off the geyser supply to stop back flow from the the geyser.
turn off the electricity to the geyser, just in-case.
run the the taps dry.
unscrew your joint and check what's wrong and pop off to the hardware store for a replacement.

[streamline]

The cold tap on the bathroom sink is leaking. The water's coming out underneath the sink; there's a nut there screwed onto the underside of the tap, and the copper pipe from the rest of the water supply goes into that nut; it's this joint that is leaking. (I think this is called a compression joint?)

I've turned the mains water off, tried tightening the joint but no joy. I suspect that a washer in the joint has gone; but it's really hard to see the joint to work out what kind of washer or whatever I need. Any ideas?

Not a washer in a compression joint - an olive which cost pence from anywhere. Piece of p*ss to change - might be tricky to remove the old (leaking) olive. I recommend hacksawing 90% through and doing the rest by twisting a screwdriver so you don't damage the copper pipe. Access can be a bitch though (depending on your sink). Also you may have fun popping the new olive onto the pipe as the copper pipe goes into the tap. As long as you can turn off the water to the tap you are fine. First rule of plumbing is "you control the water, don't let it control you".

Enjoy!

You don't need a plumber for this. You are a MAN!

Good luck!

[christophe]

I would say, "wait a sec, I'll come over for a look" but.. No

it could be as simple as putting it all tighter again, but then again I suggest you call that plumber

[paint it black]

The cold tap on the bathroom sink is leaking. The water's coming out underneath the sink; there's a nut there screwed onto the underside of the tap, and the copper pipe from the rest of the water supply goes into that nut; it's this joint that is leaking. (I think this is called a compression joint?)

I've turned the mains water off, tried tightening the joint but no joy. I suspect that a washer in the joint has gone; but it's really hard to see the joint to work out what kind of washer or whatever I need. Any ideas?

Not a washer in a compression joint - an olive which cost pence from anywhere. Piece of p*ss to change - might be tricky to remove the old (leaking) olive. I recommend hacksawing 90% through and doing the rest by twisting a screwdriver so you don't damage the copper pipe. Access can be a bitch though (depending on your sink). Also you may have fun popping the new olive onto the pipe as the copper pipe goes into the tap. As long as you can turn off the water to the tap you are fine. First rule of plumbing is "you control the water, don't let it control you".

Enjoy!

You don't need a plumber for this. You are a MAN!

Good luck!

possibly if it's a real bitch to get to, saw through the original copper pipe and replace at or near floor level with some plastic flexi-pipe. that's what i used for replacing the old bath and sink units

[doc P]

sorry not my biz, but anyways good luck

[markfiend]

turn off the water mains
turn off the geyser supply to stop back flow from the the geyser.
turn off the electricity to the geyser, just in-case.
run the the taps dry.
unscrew your joint and check what's wrong and pop off to the hardware store for a replacement.

Aye, done all that (apart from the hardware store bit) but I can't see the end of the pipe under the sink

Not a washer in a compression joint - an olive which cost pence from anywhere. Piece of p*ss to change - might be tricky to remove the old (leaking) olive. I recommend hacksawing 90% through and doing the rest by twisting a screwdriver so you don't damage the copper pipe. Access can be a bitch though (depending on your sink). Also you may have fun popping the new olive onto the pipe as the copper pipe goes into the tap. As long as you can turn off the water to the tap you are fine. First rule of plumbing is "you control the water, don't let it control you".

Enjoy!

You don't need a plumber for this. You are a MAN!

Good luck!

I haven't found the tap to turn off the relevant section of the cold water, so the whole lot's off for now. Bit cold in the house as I've turned the heating off too; I don't want the boiler to blow up if it runs dry...

possibly if it's a real bitch to get to, saw through the original copper pipe and replace at or near floor level with some plastic flexi-pipe. that's what i used for replacing the old bath and sink units

Yeah, I have a sinking feeling (pun not intended) that I'm going to end up replacing the tap.

(Edited; half my post hadn't appeared. I think it's a wetware failure though so nothing for QB to worry about)

[steamhammerdave]

an olive

sorry

[EvilBastard]

If it's the joint between the water pipe and the tap that's leaking, nip down to B&Q and get a roll of teflon tape. TURN THE WATER OFF (can't stress that enough - I turned my bathroom into an indoor paddling pool once, and the cat has never forgiven me), run the tap dry, unscrew the cold water pipe from the tap. Take a bit of rag and dry the threads on the tap fitting. Take the teflon tape and wrap it around the the threads 4 or 5 times, tightly, so that the tape forms over the threads. Then screw the cold water pipe back onto the fitting.

Alternatively, avoid B&Q like the pox upon god's clean green beautiful earth that it is, and pop down to your local hardware store. This should be run by a 50-year old named Bob, slightly paunchy, probably wearing an apron of some description who had been in the business long enough to remember selling nails to some roman legionaires who wanted to "nail up some hippy bloke for pissing us off". He cuts keys for old ladies and refuses payment for doing so, and knows where everything in the shop is. Approach the counter, adopting a suitably chastened look. Make it apparent to Bob that you have a problem, that you are unclear on its solution, and you are a novitiate open to learning the ways of the Covert and Arcane Order Of People Who Understand Plumbing. Bob, in keeping with tradition, will take a brown paper bag from under the counter, and draw a diagram on it, showing what the problem is, and explaining how to fix it. He'll then put the necessary fixtures in a bag for you, charge you about 5 quid for the parts and education, and tell you to pop by again if you have any trouble.
This way you will have learned a valuable new skill, cemented the bond of brotherhood that exist between all men who have ever had to undertake DIY, and proved yourself a man in the eys of your family. Taking advice on such things is ok, although you are correct in thinking that you should never ever ever call a plumber unless the wife's out and no-one will ever find out about it.

This portion of Goffic Plumbing has been brought to you by 2 Dogs Absinthe Slammers, the makers of 'Luce, the hallucinagenic alcopop for the under-10s.

[Planet Dave]

Alternatively, avoid B&Q like the pox upon god's clean green beautiful earth that it is, and pop down to your local hardware store.

Damn right. Though that big one in Cas does have everything yer local DIY store doesn't.

[Dark]

Get Kerry to do it and go to the pub?

[aims]

I think that defeats the object of the emphasis on man

[Debaser]

I'm VERY impressed at the hitherto unknown talents of the HLanders.

Right, I've got a double dimmer switch in the front room that does the upstairs light too....except it doesn't (do the upstairsy one). If we switch the upstairsy one on from upstairs, then the downstairsy one doesn't work. Infact, the upstairsy one just doesn't work at all.

I would like a bullet pointed list, step by step.

Remember, this is going to be an explanation text, so diagrams, time connectives, imperative verbs and a separate glossary would get you better marks.

[Obviousman]

I'm VERY impressed at the hitherto unknown talents of the HLanders.

Right, I've got a double dimmer switch in the front room that does the upstairs light too....except it doesn't (do the upstairsy one). If we switch the upstairsy one on from upstairs, then the downstairsy one doesn't work. Infact, the upstairsy one just doesn't work at all.

I would like a bullet pointed list, step by step.

Remember, this is going to be an explanation text, so diagrams, time connectives, imperative verbs and a separate glossary would get you better marks.

Did it ever work before?

If it didn't, you might have to get another switch, as AFAIK you can only switch one light on and off properly with two different switches when they're special switches (now how many times can I get the word 'switch' in one sentence ). In Dutch we call them Hotel Switches IIRC and they differ from regular ones because they connect to three threads instead of the regular two. Dimmer switches come quite expensive though

I like messing around with electricity, though it's been a while

[Debaser]

Yes it did. And I DON'T like messing with elecktrickery - I'm a'feared of it.

[Obviousman]

Hmm, now you got me thinking

[EvilBastard]

Right, I've got a double dimmer switch in the front room that does the upstairs light too....except it doesn't (do the upstairsy one). If we switch the upstairsy one on from upstairs, then the downstairsy one doesn't work. Infact, the upstairsy one just doesn't work at all.

[teeth-sucking sound] (which is possibly the opening to Vision Thing. Perhaps told the sound engineer what he wanted, who then sucked his teeth, the universal sign that Something Expensive is about to happen. Hey, it's a theory! )

's gonna cost you, missus. Let me 'ave a look. Oh dear oh dear oh dear, 'oo put these switches in? Bloody cowboys, I ask yer. Right, well we can do it, but we'll ave to rip the 'ole side of yer 'ouse off, replace the roof, rewire the entire street and it will take us 6 months if yer lucky. Now, costs. Payin' in cash, are we? Cuz that will save ya 17 and an arf percent right off the bat. No chance of a cuppa tea, is there? Lovely.

Alternatively, clicky
I guess you can just wire up a separate dimmer in series to one or both of the switches so you can control the brightness from both locations.

[Obviousman]

Not fair! You just copied your homework right of the net! And there's me thinking it over all by himself

[Debaser]

Now, costs. Payin' in cash, are we? Cuz that will save ya 17 and an arf percent right off the bat. No chance of a cuppa tea, is there? Lovely.

Alternatively, clicky
I guess you can just wire up a separate dimmer in series to one or both of the switches so you can control the brightness from both locations.

When you say 'you' I presume you mean me....ahhhhhh therein lies the problem, read my previous comment on being a'feared of electrickery.....oh and out and out utter slothness. I suppose I could get a man in.......

[Obviousman]

If you switch off the fuses it's just wires, no electricity

[EvilBastard]

Not fair! You just copied your homework right of the net! And there's me thinking it over all by himself

While I don't mind having fellow HLers getting damp tootsies following my plumbing advice, the thought of D-Base lighting up like a Christmas tree as a result of electrical guidance (while funny as a mental image, let's not deny it ) is something that would weigh heavy on my conscience.

Tell you what, Debase - for the price of a round trip airfare from NYC to Where You Are, I'll do it for you

[Debaser]

While I don't mind having fellow HLers getting damp tootsies following my plumbing advice, the thought of D-Base lighting up like a Christmas tree as a result of electrical guidance (while funny as a mental image, let's not deny it ) is something that would weigh heavy on my conscience.

You must not joke....shall I tell you the tale of my last (and only foray into) electrical tinkering?

Think of one of those plug in timer things that make the washine machine burst into life at about 4 am? Well after a few years mine started to not do the required thing i.e. switch on said washine machine. So I thought pshawh, I'll have the back off and see what's the problem. So I did, fiddled about, out it back together, then plugged it back in...nada, nuffink. SO, took it to pieces again, twiddled some more, put it back together, plugged it in and STILL nowt. I did this about four times and to say it was getting tiresome unscrewing the back on and off was a slight understatement. Ach, I thought, I'll have the back off and twiddle it somemore, which I did, but I was damned if I was gonna fanny about screwing the back, back on this time.....so as I tried to put it back in the socket (Oh and I think I have neglected to mention that I always forget to flick the switch on the wall to the off position.....important fact to the story is that bit...) those two bottom prongy bits at the bottom of a 3 point plug, wouldn't go in, they were forced out by the special bits (oh I know ALL the technical terms, I do) in the wall socket that stop small children poking pencils in them...AH, I think, that's why you need the back on.... BUGGER THAT, I'll rest mi thumbs on 'em to stop them being forced out........................





I think it's perhaps best if I get a man in.

[streamline]

I think it's perhaps best if I get a man in.

Might be for the best