Problem Mains Bath Tap...

[Northernneil]

Hi all,

I’ve registered here as I’ve had 3 ‘plumbers’ who have looked at this and are all stumped.

To begin with, I had a leaky outside Tap, no problem, I shut off the stopcock and replaced it.

Now, whether by coincidence or not (I’m unsure) my cold feed on the Bath Tap (Mains fed) lost all pressure. You can see in the video that it will sometimes come back after a few turns of the tap.


I’m thinking it must be a faulty tap? I replaced that, no difference.

The 22mm pipe that feeds that tap also feeds a hand basin in the ensuite, that tap appears to have pressure which would lead to a blocked pipe where it tees off for the bath, no?

Pipe replaced, still the same. I’m really struggling now, and it’s not being made easier with a maxiflow system (unvented).

Can anyone offer any advice at all? System has been drained down and refilled a few times also!

 

[Chalked]

22mm pipe on a bath , would normally be gravity fed.
Do you have tanks in your loft?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

that is strange and i would say the taps at fault, but as you've said already replaced

i would temporary pipe the cold tap under the bath to a hose pipe and see if it still does it / does any blockage come out etc

 

[Northernneil]

No mate, there’s nothing in the loft at all!

(Ps. I’m no expert at all so I’m hoping I’ve got this right but it certainly a lot bigger than the 15mm pipe that goes to the Tap)

 

[Northernneil]

Have had the feed emptying into a bucket if that’s what you mean. Pressure is there, but it’s not what it should be if that makes sense?

It’s almost as if the 22mm(?) pipe is blocked slightly. That said, the ensuite has pressure but again I don’t know if I’m being fooled as that is micro bore to the ensuite, maybe it just seems like there more pressure than there is?

It’s doing my head in! Lol

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Have had the feed emptying into a bucket if that’s what you mean. Pressure is there, but it’s not what it should be if that makes sense?

It’s almost as if the 22mm(?) pipe is blocked slightly. That said, the ensuite has pressure but again I don’t know if I’m being fooled as that is micro bore to the ensuite, maybe it just seems like there more pressure than there is?

It’s doing my head in! Lol

yes makes sense

while the cold is dribbling / reduced pressure open the cold in the other bathroom full bore or reduced pressure then try hot same pressure as cold ish??

 

[Northernneil]

yes makes sense

while the cold is dribbling / reduced pressure open the cold in the other bathroom full bore or reduced pressure?

I’ll be honest, I haven’t tried this. I’ve been working alone and didn’t fancy trying to run between the two rooms while water was pouring (albeit at a reduced pressure! Lol) into a bucket.

Is there anyway of ramming something down the 22mm pipe to try and clear it (or confirm) without ripping up the whole floor?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I’ll be honest, I haven’t tried this. I’ve been working alone and didn’t fancy trying to run between the two rooms while water was pouring (albeit at a reduced pressure! Lol) into a bucket.

Is there anyway of ramming something down the 22mm pipe to try and clear it (or confirm) without ripping up the whole floor?

test will work if you put the tap back in (doesnt have to be back into a bucket)

also hot pressure good ? (at the same time tap is low flow?)

 

[Northernneil]

test will work if you put the tap back in (doesnt have to be back into a bucket)

also hot pressure good ? (at the same time tap is low flow?)

Hot pressure is fine mate, had it turned on at the same time no problem.

I’ll give that other a go tomorrow and report back. I guess you’re trying to see if that loses pressure also?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Hot pressure is fine mate, had it turned on at the same time no problem.

I’ll give that other a go tomorrow and report back. I guess you’re trying to see if that loses pressure also?

yea trying to figure out, you dont have any check valves on the bath taps do you

(looks like a service valve without the screw head)

 

[Northernneil]

No mate, it didn’t even have service valves on until I put them now while trying to sort this out.

Like I said, I’m no plumber but I’ve never heard of anything like this, either pressure is there or it’s not eh?

Every other tap in the house seems fine!

 

[Best]

Faulty tap, or flexi hose or debris in pipe moving about.
Did you try taking the airator out of the tap spout?

 

[Northernneil]

Faulty tap, or flexi hose or debris in pipe moving about.
Did you try taking the airator out of the tap spout?

The tap got replaced with a brand new one mate, as did the flexi. I made that into a solid fitting for testing purposes for now.

I know all plumbers hate speedfit but all of this is made from it, and I’ve replaced pipes as and when I thought they may be blocked.

I’m sure the only one left is the main feed (22mm) and that’s gonna be a floor up job I think which I’m not looking forward to at all.

Also, I’ve no idea how it fits in relation to the maxiflow or isolation valve/pipe.

Guess I’ll find out soon enough.

 

[snowhead]

Is the mains Cold to the bath tap fed from the Balanced Cold port on the Pressure regulating valve at the Maxiflow or does it tee off before that?

May have been answered by the reply above.

If the Cold bath tap is 22mm then it probably would have have originally been tank fed, so may have been linked in the loft.
Any pipework or stop valves in the loft?

 

[Northernneil]

Is the mains Cold to the bath tap fed from the Balanced Cold port on the Pressure regulating valve at the Maxiflow or does it tee off before that?

I’d love to be able to answer your question mate, but I’ve not got a clue what you mean.

Would a picture help?

 

[Northernneil]

 

[Northernneil]

Just to put a conclusion to this, I’ve fixed it. All by myself! Lol

I took the 22mm to 15mm T coupling off just to have a gander and found this bit inside. Now I don’t know if it was designed as a non return or what but it was what was causing all the problem and intermittent pressure loss at times.

It must have been moving about it there and blocking the flow at times. Anyway, all sorted. Cheers for the help lads....

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I would say it's a dust cap for when your installing it but shouldn't be left in

Glad you found the problem

 

[Northernneil]

My house must have been a Friday afternoon job Shaun

Poxy thing! Lol

 

[ShaunCorbs]

My house must have been a Friday afternoon job Shaun

Poxy thing! Lol

It's always the smallest thing that causes the biggest problem

 

[Welder]

Two things
1 - Good plumbing in your airing cupboard. Great full bore isolating valves.
2 - Nice nails ;-)
Glad you got it sorted