Plumbing nightmare pics.

knightstyle

So DD has at last completed on buying a flat. I am trying to get the shower and heating working. Think I now understand what all these pipes do but whydo plumbers make things as complicated as they can?

https://i.imgur.com/Yg1TsfH.jpg            https://i.imgur.com/MHeQPJV.jpg

ariba10

Looks neat enough to me.

Jeepers_Creepers

Wow! Is it wrong to be aroused by these photos?

tacpot12

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Wow! Is it wrong to be aroused by these photos?

Yes. It's very, very wrong. You need to see your Doctor as soon as you can. Tell them you've got the Hot and Colds.

tacpot12

knightstyle said:

So DD has at last completed on buying a flat. I am trying to get the shower and heating working. Think I now understand what all these pipes do but whydo plumbers make things as complicated as they can?

https://i.imgur.com/Yg1TsfH.jpg            https://i.imgur.com/MHeQPJV.jpg

Most plumbers will try to make a neat job, but sometimes factors such as the performance of the system, the layout of the house, and the various immovable items means that the pipe routes look a bit like spaghetti! Just take your time and label the valves once you figure out their purpose. 

grumbler

Does anybody remember 3D pipes screensaver?

knightstyle

At first look I can see things that make sense but there is a pipe I do not understand. The pipe from the pump goes to the two valves, heating and hot water, but between the valves there is a T and that pipe goes up via elbows to a stop valve, then a T then down, more elbows and bends to another T then another stop valve. The pipe from the first T goes into the wall and who knows where. The pipe from the other T goes via more elbows to another T then into the wall alongside the previous pipe the other side is reduced to 15mm and goes behind the water tank somewhere.
So what are they doing?

FreeBear

The ball valve (blue tap, right hand side) - Nicely placed to discharge water all over the fused switch... Lovely bit of design (not). I hope it has a blanking plug on it so that if the tap is accidentally moved, it doesn't spray water everywhere.

knightstyle

No, no blanking plug on it and there is another one, just out of pic, below it with that fitting with a small screw in it between them. Wonder what all that is for as that pipe is the water mains coming into the flat?

Jeepers_Creepers

There's what looks like an isolating valve immediately below the blue-levered ball valve - does that have a screw in its side? 

And the one you've just referred to - is that further below again on that same pipe? And that is def the incoming cold mains? Does it have a 'proper' stopcock on it anywhere? If not, one of the things to sort out, I'd suggest, is removing both these valves and replacing it with a full-bore ball lever valve. This'll allow you to shut off your cold mains instantly if needed.

That blue-handled valve - it isn't a washing machine valve, is it? Is there room in that cupboard for a W/M? Anyhoo, as FB says, it is very badly positioned. 

fred246

When I moved into our current house I asked a British Gas Engineer to explain what everything was on our unvented cylinder. He told me a load of rubbish. I still don't know why. Did he not understand himself? Was he just having a laugh?