Fitting hot/cold on/off valves under my bath?

paddy147

Can anyone advize me the best and easiest way to fit an on/off valve on each of these 2 pipes under my bath.

I had asked the plumber to come back to do it,and also to fit the bath taps that we had picked out (not the ones he had in the back of his van) but he seemed to forget and he never returned.

So I rekon I might have a go at it myself.I know where the stop cocks/levers are for the hot and cold in the hot press.

So can anyone please advize me whats the best and easiest way to do it?

What type of fittings would be best here,push on or the ones with the nuts and olives??

Thanks.:)

Billy Bunting

paddy147 wrote: »

I had asked the plumber to come back to do it,and also to fit the bath taps that we had picked out (not the ones he had in the back of his van) but he seemed to forget and he never returned.

He never returned because its a bitch of a job.

To fit bath taps is fine when the bath is out and you have plenty of room, no probs, replacing taps that are in, tight to a wall, no flexies, have a copper to iron fitting on the tap, serious bucking around to be done, best of luck.

paddy147

I asked the plumber to fit on/off valves in the 1st instance,I also left the bath mixer taps there in the bath,for him to fit,but he fitted ones (non mixer) out of the back of his van instead.I called him several times over,and was told he would be back.

That was ages ago,and I eventually gave up on him,as I knew he wasnt going to bother to come back and remedy the problem.:(:rolleyes:





So are a pair of braided flexi,s the way to go then?

Do they come with a penny valve/on off fitting?

Also would a small round pipe cutters do the job in that confined space for cutting the pipes?

The pipes are 3/4 inch as far as I can see.

Thanks.:)

Billy Bunting

I would consentrate on how to get your existing taps off before thinking of new ones on, not a diy job unless your prepared to buy tools.

paddy147

Billy Bunting wrote: »

I would consentrate on how to get your existing taps off before thinking of new ones on, not a diy job unless your prepared to buy tools.

Well I have a large plumbers wrench/pipe grips and also a long handled adjustable bath tap wrench too.

And I have a 3/4 inch round Kopex cutters too.

What else would I need to remove the existing taps from the pipes???

DublinDilbert

I would cut the 2 x 3/4 inch pipes below the level of the bottom of the bath and fit the shut off valves down there. You should have no problem getting the fittings tight if they are that low, as you'll have room to swing a spanner.

The order i would do it in, Water off, Mark / cut pipes for valves. Try undo plastic nuts under taps, if they won't come off, cut them with a blade. Fit new taps and drop down the two braided hoses to the shut off valves.

paddy147

DublinDilbert wrote: »

I would cut the 2 x 3/4 inch pipes below the level of the bottom of the bath and fit the shut off valves down there. You should have no problem getting the fittings tight if they are that low, as you'll have room to swing a spanner.

The order i would do it in, Water off, Mark / cut pipes for valves. Try undo plastic nuts under taps, if they won't come off, cut them with a blade. Fit new taps and drop down the two braided hoses to the shut off valves.

To take a phrase from a well known TV series....


"I love it when a plan comes together".:D

Can you recommend a good plumbers suppliers in Dublin (northside preferbly) to buy the various bits and pieces from please?

Thanks.

paddy147

Would Davies down on the Harmonstown Road,Raheny stock the valves and flexi hoses?

Also any particular brand or type to ask for?

Push on valves or nut and olive valves?

Thanks.

DublinDilbert

paddy147 wrote: »

Would Davies down on the Harmonstown Road,Raheny stock the valves and flexi hoses?

Also any particular brand or type to ask for?

Push on valves or nut and olive valves?

Thanks.

I never use push on stuff, but I guess i must be a bit old school. Lots of people use push on and my own bathroom is plumbed with it (but not by me).

If using push on, make sure you clean up the end of the pipe with a file after you cut it, so it doesn't snag on the 'o' ring.

Pretty much all wholesalers will stock what you need.

gctest50

paddy147 wrote: »

What else would I need to remove the existing taps from the pipes???

A crowsfoot with rachet from the Dept. of Awkward would be a handy yoke to have :

Spanners would be nice for fitting valves under bath

paddy147

Right,bought 2 x 400mm long 3/4 inch braided flexi fittings that have built in on/off valves in them (excel industries).

13 euro each.

Am I right in saying that I just cut the pipes at the correct height,slide on the nut,slide on the olive and then just tighten up with spanners and pipe grips?

Do I need to use any plumbers tape at all??

DublinDilbert

Yep that's pretty much it. Don't use ptfe tape, it's not needed. If you have some boss white just put some on the olive, pipe and a little inside the nut/fitting. It will help the joint seat together, you can usually get away without it, but better to have it.

As its a 3/4 inch fitting your going to need to apply serious pressure to compress the olive onto the pipe.

The end that goes onto the taps should have a rubber washer so doesnt need anything extra.

paddy147

DublinDilbert wrote: »

Yep that's pretty much it. Don't use ptfe tape, it's not needed. If you have some boss white just put some on the olive, pipe and a little inside the nut/fitting. It will help the joint seat together, you can usually get away without it, but better to have it.

As its a 3/4 inch fitting your going to need to apply serious pressure to compress the olive onto the pipe.

The end that goes onto the taps should have a rubber washer so doesnt need anything extra.

Yeah,tap end has a red fibre washer indeed.

When you say "serious pressure"...how much are wa talking about here?

I presume that you are refering to the amount of pressure I apply to the spanner and nut and how much I tighten the nut up against the olive??

DublinDilbert

Well maybe serious is a bit much, but you'll need something to hold the valve and a spanner to fit the nut, then some space to turn it.

paddy147

DublinDilbert wrote: »

Well maybe serious is a bit much, but you'll need something to hold the valve and a spanner to fit the nut, then some space to turn it.

Well,its back to the drawing board with this one.I just copped that this wont work out for me.

The flexi,s wont fit,as the plumber located the pipe so close to the bath waste pipe,that its not possible to get in with the copex cuter and fit the flexi at that position.Litterely 1mm of a gap between the copper pipe and the bath waste pipe.:mad:

Looks like the flexis will go back to the shop and I will have to get normal 3/4 inch on/off valves instead,and install them further up,and then using the copper pipe to the new taps.

Feck it anyway.:(

anuprising

when you cut the copper pipe you can move it slightly away from the waste pipe ,no big deal .

you can loosen the pipes from the taps and move the pipe to get the pipe slice in or just cut the pipe with a hacksaw blade , you have lots of options

paddy147

Thanks for the postive words.

Heres a pic of what I was refering to.

anuprising

plenty room there

you could also lift the board that the two copper pipes go through to give you extra leverage to bend the copper pipe away from the waste pipe .

can be done easily

paddy147

anuprising wrote: »

plenty room there

you could also lift the board that the two copper pipes go through to give you extra leverage to bend the copper pipe away from the waste pipe .

can be done easily

You can probably see what I "cant see" (as Im not a plumber).

Id have to cut a small access panel out of that sheet of WPB.


Thanks for the advice too.:)

paddy147

Can I ask for some advice please...

I cant get the round copex cutter in to cut the pipe,as the bath waste is in the way,and there is not enough movement in the copper pipe.

I can get in a small electric sabre saw and cut the pipe out.

Does the cut have to be perfectly dead straight/flush for the isolating valve to fit??

Would the isolating valve and the olive and nut still make a watertight seal,if the cut in the pipe wasnt dead straight/flush??

Thanks.:)

lezor

It will seal if its not dead straight. A file can clean it up and straightening it too

paddy147

Thanks for that.

Can I ask would this 300mm x 1/2 inch flexi isolator connection work ok on a 3/4 inch pipe.It has 3/4 inch fitings both ends,so it can be used with 3/4 inch copper pipe.

Would this cause any serious issues with the water pressure comming out of the cold bath tap????

I can use this for the cold water pipe (pipe beside the bath waste) as I can cut the pipe above the bath waste.

Thanks.:)

paddy147

Anyone??

Billy Bunting

It will work but its 1/2inch, so there will be a reduction of presure but i doubt anything very noticable.

lezor

Do you want to connect the cold with a 1/2 inch flexible hose and the hot with a 3/4 hose is it?

paddy147

lezor wrote: »

Do you want to connect the cold with a 1/2 inch flexible hose and the hot with a 3/4 hose is it?

Thats it.

3/4 inch 400mm flexi on the hot side.

1/2 inch 300mm flexi hose on the cold side,as its 100mm shorter so I can make the cut above the bath waste.

Will the short length of 1/2 inch flexi make any difference to the cold water pressure comming out of the tap?

lezor

It will make a difference, to guess how much difference depends on pressure. If you have a shower on them taps you would be better to keep them both 3/4.
Use a hack saw blade to cut the 3/4 lower.