Garden Tap

onefurlongout

I've recently brought a replacement garden tap but cant for the life of me get the tap to 'screw' on so that the tap is straight and tight to the wallplate.

When fully tightened the tap sits horizontal to the floor, I daren't tighten anymore for fear that the tap will snap. I've tried using more and less plumbing tape around the thread but this doesn't help.

Suggestions anyone?

TheCyclingProgrammer

I had this problem - I made sure I was using sufficient PTFE, I screwed it tight, then turned it back slightly so it was straight. The join was still water tight, not had a single leak.

onefurlongout

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

I had this problem - I made sure I was using sufficient PTFE, I screwed it tight, then turned it back slightly so it was straight. The join was still water tight, not had a single leak.

Glad its not just me

I cant get it past straight to turn back its about 3/4 of a revolution short maybe trying more tape will work

southcoastrgi

The ptfe tape pushes up the thread & creates a sealing washer, you need to put loads on so that the tap is in the right position when it's tight

greatgimpo

Take off the wall plate and put it back on after rotating it so the holes still line up with the screws but the thread starts in a different place.

southcoastrgi

greatgimpo wrote: »

Take off the wall plate and put it back on after rotating it so the holes still line up with the screws but the thread starts in a different place.

A bit drastic don't you think, I'm not sure the copper water pipe connected to it is gonna agree with your suggestion

Ganga

can you not put a copper washer or a fibre washer on the threads to make the tap sit at the right angle.

onefurlongout

Not a bad idea using a washer.

Just waiting for the rain to stop before heading outside again

Debbie_Savard

Untwist some string, ideally natural fibre, wrap pieces of that around the threads before tightening the tap. Add or remove to get the tap to be tight when vertical

Jackmydad

They're usually parallel threads with "shoulders", so the correct way to seal the tap to the wall plate elbow is to use a rubber or fibre washer of the right thickness.
Tape is "correct" for taper threads.
Mine's taped.

Ectophile

I had that problem replacing my mum's outside tap. The wall plate was mounted upside-down, so the tap also ended up upside-down when screwed tight.


I eventually made up a home-made plastic washer out of a tap hosepipe adaptor, hacksawing off the bits I didn't need. I then filed it down to the right thickness to end up with the tap roughly the right way up.


I used plenty of PTFE tape to stop any leaks.