Dishwasher taps/under-sink plumbing issues

Dec 18, 2007 7 Replies

Diagram here:

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an inlet valve on a dishwasher decide to let go slightly, allowing water in when the power was off. Luckily nothing else seems wrong with it and that part will be replaced when I get chance. The related problem to this is that the B&Q appliance tap (swapped last year as the old one dripped slightly) in our under-sink cupboard decided that it wouldn't close when the plastic lever was "closed". I tried a small adjustable spanner on the flats with the plastic part removed and it went to the "off" position. Water still came out into my bucket when I turned the main supply stopcock back on. I had to leave the water supply off and head to Screwfix counter the next morning to buy a 15mm Cuprofit end cap as a stop-gap measure. Given that the compression T-piece and the copper pipe above it to the sink's cold tap weeps slightly (about 10ml max per day into an old icecream tub underneath), I feel it's time to replace those as well. Questions:



  1. What do I say to B&Q. I have a duff tap on a short length of 15mm copper pipe that I cut off to fit the Cuprofit end cap. Unfortunately I don't still have the receipt as it was one of those things I didn't expect to be duff, and only to be a permanent fixture. Should I expect goodwill if I say I won't be suing them this time and it's lucky it happened to someone who knows what they're doing.
  2. Are there any good quality (work when you need 'em) 15mm to 3/4" appliance taps out there? Screwfix do a

Is it really worth your petrol and time stood in the refund queue for

65p worth of tap?

Are you serious?

Go to a plumbers merchants and buy the best quality taps that they have. The £1.50 ones are not good quality.

For you, compression.

Use compression fittings (good quality ones like Conex) and you won't have these issues.

Yes.

A good reason to have good quality ones, when you have the emergency they /will/ work. Cheapo ones the handle may break off, or the seal fail just when you don't want it to happen.

Only annoyed that it didn't work when I needed it to :-( I detest queues so I will put it down to experience.

OK. But how do I know they aren't selling the B&Q/Screwfix cheap ones with a different markup? I don't mind paying a few pounds more if it buys peace of mind "next time".

Fair enough.

OK. The sort of info I needed. A flexi-pipe between the T-piece and the sink tap would remove the alignment issue.

Thanks.

Our water is hard - I don't know if that has anything to do with the 'ball' part getting stuck half way (as good as being fully open). I didn't use it regularly enough it would seem, but our washing machine's tap is much older and still smooth. Hence wanting another like it!

But mine /do/ work. No broken handles, no failed seals, just working taps...

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