Seeking stop-end tap connectors

[Lobster]

In my plumbing kit I have a couple of 0.5" blanking plugs/stop ends , whatever they are called, which fit in place of a standard 0.5" tap when you remove it; very useful during bathroom-fitting IME. I'd like a couple of 0.75" equivalents for bath taps, however, I have never been able to find anywhere - plumber's merchants, B&Q, Screwfix.... do they actually exist?

In fact, I was just looking at Screwfix for a couple more of the 0.5" versions, but can't seem to find those either now.

(These fittings are different from 15mm or 22mm compression-fitting stop ends BTW, like

ThanksDavid

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You can often botch one by using the nut off a compression fitting, a suitable coin and a rubber washer or some sealant.

[Autolycus]

What about fitting service valves instead (or isolating valves)? 22mm £1.40 each from toolstation, and saves a lot of faffing about next time you want to change a washer.

[Lobster]

Oh I always do so, I quite agree. But especially during the intermediate stages of ripping out an old bathroom (which doesn't have any isolation valves) I still find it useful to have a pocketfull of blanking plugs and stop ends to avoid having to keep main stopcock turned off.

Reckon I'll have to try Mr Plowman's coin trick (thanks Dave!)

David

[Pete C]

BES have these, part #6608

You may also want some washers for sealing too.

cheers, Pete.

[Lobster]

Thanks for the pointer - actually it's not the part number you state, which has a female thread, however, lower down the page are items 6594 and 99767.... hence my follow up question, what's the difference between a "flanged plug with an undercut" and one "without"?!

Thanks David

[Pete C]

I see, you want the male bit...

I'd expect it's mainly because the one with the undercut allows a retaining washer to be used, making the washer less likely to be lost.

Also because the washer has a smaller internal dia it would be less likely to get squashed out when the plug is tightened.

If using some goop to seal instead of a washer, the undercut one would allow a nice O ring of goop under the plug, which is probably better than a thin layer.

FInally the 'non' undercut one must be less standard as it's about 60p more.

However if you're blocking off flexibles I'd be a little concerned whether there's enough thread on the plug to screw down onto the sealing washer inside the end of the flexible.

Maybe a couple of washing machine tapes for 30p more, eg part #8136:

They can also be opened for testing, or possibly left open inadvertantly. If there's little ones around it might be best to take the handles off!

If you want to use plugs with flexibles then ordering some extra washers might be a good idea, eg part #11475 on the above page.

cheers, Pete.

[Ed Sirett]

I find that the non-back-nut-and-olive part of a compression stop end works. The seal is to the fibre washer in the tap connector.

_Some_ brass 1/2" BSP plugs work provided they have a hollow part and make their seal on the end at the start of the threads.

The difference between the undercut and none is that the it allows somewhere for debris to go as the plug is tightened to seal on the _flange_. If you were needing to make a seal on the threads using resin/tape/compound then the under cut would be irrelevant.