Gate valves

[secret squirrel]

Here goes (its a bit of a moan) I have just replaced a thermostatic cartridge for a shower, I had to isolate the water supply but there were two gate valves on the hot and two on the cold. The pipe work between them was quite intricate and someone had obviously spent a fair bit of time doing this work.

I can't think of a reason why this amount of gate valves were used, any logical reason? As it worked out not one of the gate valves isolated the water that successfully.

As a secondary question, I ask this with some trepidation, I can't think why I would use a gate valve when a lever valve seems to be far superior.(Not taking into account cost and presuming there is ample space)

At the risk of some abuse, is there an easier way to remove paint from copper pipe other than working up a huge sweat stuck in an airing cupboard with wire wool and sand paper?

 

[johnmcginty]

It will have been done a long time ago as gate valves allow full bore unlike iso valves. The paint usually comes off if I use a pipe slice.

 

[danielp]

try using your grips or use painters abrasive all else fails heat it up the wire wool

 

[Mike Jackson]

There may have been a pump fitted at some time in the past and someone has removed it and bridged between the gate valves.

 

[stevetheplumber]

when it comes to getting paint of copper i usually find scraping with a stanley knifie or the back of a hacksaw blade works well particallly on gloss paint as it comes of in large chunks
for emulsion i find heat and wire wool best

 

[secret squirrel]

Thanks for all the replies, I now have more options regarding the paint.

I know that I'm an anorak but I'm doing another job for this customer on friday and called as a pretense to that job!

Whilst talking to him, I mentioned in passing about a pump, thanks Mike, there was a pump fitted at some point in the past.

My curiosity has now been settled.

 

[Bernie2]

Err!

Probably oxide paper or emery paper may be better than sand paper. There was at one time Yorkshire cleaning strips you could buy, they do it easy. But I suppose wire wool may be cheaper try the rough and the smooth wool after it.

Gate valves sometimes aren't very good at stopping water, they get dirt in the seating even though they are vertical. But they are usually full bore, so people use them to reduce frictional head resistance.

 

[dontknowitall]

Removing paint ...

I carry a can of paint stripper and kitchen towel. Coat it heavily on the pipe, leave for 2-3 minutes then wipe off. Never had a problem with joints using this method.

 

[Winston]

Always use emery paper ideal for taking paint of and you can use it easily at the back of the pipe always works a treat, dont even use steel wool anymore as it hurts your fingers.

 

[traineedrip]

grips for me then wool.

 

[Alanka]

1) Gate Valves -- they are in my view poorly designed, because they always eventually seize up, and very easily clog up as well! The reason they seize is partly because the surfaces of the moving parts are constantly exposed to the water flow and can therefore corrode (and cannot be lubricated either). They clog because the channels inside (that accommodate the 'gate') can and do harbour particles that ultimately prevent the gate closing fully.

For a little bit more cost you can get full bore lever valves with moving surfaces (the ball) that are not in contact with the water flow when fully open (their usual position), and therefore do not corrode and can retain a film of lubricant. Personally, I always fit these, never gates.

2) Cleaning pipes -- I recommend using silicon carbide abrasive strips (e.g. BES do them; see Cat #13471), and also washable carbide sponge pads. Wirewool is nasty stuff that hurts your skin and gives off clouds of iron fibres that you breathe in. The abrasive strips should be rinsed in water very often when stripping paint (to prevent clogging), and can be see-sawed round pipes to get paint off the back, even in very confined spaces. As has been said, really thick layers of paint do benefit from a preliminary quick scrape with a blade to flake off chunks.