When it all goes wrong!!

[3Daughters]

Looking for opinions, currently in the process of re-fitting two bathrooms in own house, can manage the tiling, just spend time working it out and no rushing - in between checking for advice on the forum.
Decided to leave to plumbing to trained person,who is doing a cracking job, very understanding and obliging in advice etc, then the newly fitted bath tap decided to add an optional extra to the house - an indoor swimming pool !! As guessed no -one at home !!
Insurance informed, duly attended, now the debate between fitter and supplier -is it product fault?
Having removed the tap it would appear the inner brass thread has sheared?
Opinions welcomed, in the mean time I`ll continue to tile the remainder of the bathrooms

[GaryS]

a plumbing question ? if it was overtightened it may be a fitter error but probably cheap taps even if they weren't cheap to buy

[user123]

Hi, As far as the tiling is concerned, with having gained and unexpected swimmingpool - are the walls/floors dry to tile on?

Perhaps this would be more suitable in the plumbing forum, but someone else may come along any minute to help you further ...

[whitebeam]

What were your walls constucted with.

[Colour Republic]

Indoor pools can add some serious value to a house, some people are never happy!


How long between the taps being fitted and them failing?

[3Daughters]

The bathroom is upstairs, walls are plasterboard,where dry due to water cascading downstairs thro ceiling, house ten years old, fitted on Saturday afternoon, gave up the will to live some time on the following Monday, less than 48 hours.
Thought it might be beneficial to give the kids home swimming lessons?

[mredd]

What sort of tap was it.?

[3Daughters]

Bath mixer showert tap if it makes any difference?

[Bathfix Bob]

Interesting.....

Speaking as a plumber/bathroom fitter, what part of the tap had failed, was it the brass threaded tail where the pipe connects??

Did you supply the tap or did your plumber?

Not the best of welcomes when you arrive home? Nightmare.

[3Daughters]

I supplied the taps?
You are correct it is the brass threaded tail where tap connects, once removed tap from bath will add some photos

[mredd]

you would struggle to strip brass threads of a 3/4 mixer tap. Either the tap connector not soldered properly (unless push fit used) or tap connector cross threaded. A photo would be good.

[3Daughters]

GEDC0783.jpgCannot add other file as tooooo big?

[mredd]

Can you take a pic of the underneath.

[3Daughters]

GEDC0804.jpgGot help from daughter and we managed to down size it

[mredd]

I would say faulty. I have not had a tap shear on me. In my nine years of plumbing.

[Bathfix Bob]

I'm glad you posted the pic as a few of us were jumping to conclusions regarding what had failed/what hadn't been tightend but that does look like a failed tap. I would ring the manufacturer and tell them its flooded your house.

[Gazebo]

I am inclined to agree with mredd and Bathfix bob, never had a tap shear off on me when fixing so looks like a faulty tap.

Which manufacturerer was the tap made by or where did you source it from.?

[3Daughters]

Having shown the fitting to several plumbers etc the view is the brass is of a poor quality cast, bought off internet from what was thought to be quality supplier, let all know what evolves ref pay out etc

[Colour Republic]

Maybe a cheap Chinese import but to be fair the market is flooded with them and even some UK manufacturers are now outsourcing to China

[fulabeer]

I've been plumbing ten years and i have never seen a tap shear off.
That part of the tap is expected to have pressure applied.
If over tightened, the first thing to go should be the back nut (brass or plastic etc). Or the tread might strip.
He could have over tightened the 3/4" tap connector, but even then he would/should have had to apply extreme pressure. (which no experienced plumber would do)
I don't like the way the larger bottom thread is screwed into the tap by a smaller thread.
The large thread should be cast or soldered/welded to the bottom of the tap

I'm almost certain that that failure is due to either a flaw in the tap, or a design fault. (or both!)

This thing is becoming very common these days. Prices are being driven down, but so is quality.
Fleabay, is full of great looking but cheaply made taps.
They use cheap castings, and none standard cartridges.
This leads to the taps rusting (and the chrome to flake off) within a few months, and no chance of getting parts once they start to drip. (which they do)

[Scott]

Maybe a cheap Chinese import but to be fair the market is flooded with them and even some UK manufacturers are now outsourcing to China

Plumbing joke?

[Scott]

Jesus how big is the guy that tightened that up? I just looked at the pic. Wheres the tap from?

[3Daughters]

The bathroom?