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Do Check Valves Clog?


Onoff

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I've one outside tap before the PRV and that pushes water through the hose at a ridiculous 8 - 9bar off the incoming mains. (I'm frequently splitting hose pipes and popping off cheap hose fittings.

 

The reduced pressure mains (3bar) then runs up and over the top of the house to the kitchen. There's then a check valve, can't remember if it's single or double, and another outside tap. The pressure at this second outside tap is dire. Tbh the kitchen mains cold isn't that good.

 

I know I need to clean the mesh filter in the PRV some time but can check valves "clog" over time?

 

Cheers

 

 

 

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Turn the PRedV up to 3.5 or 4 bar and enjoy the benefits. Yes, shite can block the fine gauze filter in the cartridge of the PRedV but that should all be worked out by now so a clean up should see you enjoy trouble-free motoring for a good number of years.

3 bar strangles the flow to death BTW, especially if fighting that ridiculous primary pressure. 

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6 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Turn the PRedV up to 3.5 or 4 bar and enjoy the benefits. Yes, shite can block the fine gauze filter in the cartridge of the PRedV but that should all be worked out by now so a clean up should see you enjoy trouble-free motoring for a good number of years.

3 bar strangles the flow to death BTW, especially if fighting that ridiculous primary pressure. 

 

Ta. Can it really be 4 years since I did the water meter? ?

 

20161018_181259

 

I'll strip the PRV tonight and report. Dead easy tbh as I can isolate at the stopcock in the picture and there's then a 15mm ball valve on the mains up in the loft. I can drain to under the suspended floor. 

 

Only thing I recall from this is I should have put the PRV in horizontal according to the manufacturer's instructions.....which I just skimmed.....and missed that point.

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I am just re-doing this part of my plumbing.  Had muck in the system which was causing predv to 'leak' water through and pressure kept increasing so have taken everything of following the stop cock to clean and re-do it a bit better. Anyhoo, looking at your setup I cant see the double check valve that should be fitted following the stop cock; I could be wrong though as trying to learn and am certainly no expert in plumbing!

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5 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

 

Why did you have it before the PRV?  It would have looked neater the other side and no pipes crossing and no hosepipe issues.

 

Cos Nick said so!

 

I can live with the pressure as long as I use decent hose and fittings.

 

Tbh it's a boon having a big garden on a slope etc.

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4 hours ago, redtop said:

I am just re-doing this part of my plumbing.  Had muck in the system which was causing predv to 'leak' water through and pressure kept increasing so have taken everything of following the stop cock to clean and re-do it a bit better. Anyhoo, looking at your setup I cant see the double check valve that should be fitted following the stop cock; I could be wrong though as trying to learn and am certainly no expert in plumbing!

 

There's a check valve for the outside tap the other side of the wall in the picture. Single or double I couldn't say!

 

The mains then travels across the house to the kitchen where there is a double check valve. That WAS once the only mains water tap in the house. 

 

However...reading your comment made be realise that the new bathroom's cold at the basin isn't "protected" by a check valve! Thanks for that, I'll get one. 

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1 hour ago, Onoff said:

 

There's a check valve for the outside tap the other side of the wall in the picture. Single or double I couldn't say!

 

The mains then travels across the house to the kitchen where there is a double check valve. That WAS once the only mains water tap in the house. 

 

However...reading your comment made be realise that the new bathroom's cold at the basin isn't "protected" by a check valve! Thanks for that, I'll get one. 

don't take my comments as anything related to best practice lol, plumber I aint!

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26 minutes ago, redtop said:

don't take my comments as anything related to best practice lol, plumber I aint!

 

All my plumbing is done standing on the shoulders of others on here...including you now! ?

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7 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

 

Why did you have it before the PRV?  It would have looked neater the other side and no pipes crossing and no hosepipe issues.

'Cold mains priority' to the house if you do it that way ;) Never have the O/S taps off after the PRedV as it hugely affects the available dynamic flow to the dwelling.

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Can't find any of my 24mm spanners FFS!

 

With a deep impact socket managed to get the first bit of the PRV off:

 

20200813_163909.thumb.jpg.8f1b446bd7e5db0fe30e6053a4ff7509.jpg

 

Looking up inside:

 

20200813_164043.thumb.jpg.54e0a6b5b3a20e31834eab858b040f16.jpg

 

& with the endoscope cam:

 

357494169_Image_2020-08-1316_47_06_470.JPG.766908db5d308bdeaee069723f015139.JPG

 

No mesh filter that I can see. Looks like a hex socket in there. Do I carry on with an Allen key to get the next bit out? Cheers

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The 4mm Allen key fits but it just goes around and around not coming out or screwing in?

 

& I'm not sure if a) I can or b) I want to squeeze my ample frame in here to get a close up look!

 

20200813_170351.thumb.jpg.21816abc04ddd591c18f2b2059561146.jpg

Edited by Onoff
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Watching this with interest.

 

Early in the build I ran a branch from the feed to the static caravan, via a stop valve, to an outside tap  at the far side of the garden in case we want a vegetable plot over there.  All piped in burried 25mm mdpe.

 

First winter I forgot to turn the stop valve off and drain it.  Never mind, mdpe is resiliant to freezing.

 

Tried to draw some water from it that winter and all I got was a drip drip drip from the tap.  Oh it's still frozen underground I thought.  Bur even now, all I get is a slow drip drip drip.

 

One day I will investigate where the blockage is.

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Oddly enough I think those little bits of grit might have been the issue.

 

The PRV seems to adjust OK now. 

 

Might put a gauge on the furthest outside tap and see what I've got but it's certainly "better". 

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This is my prv:

 

prv

 

Monument gauge didn't move when I screwed it on the outside tap and turned it on. Seized I guess? Will try tomorrow on the pre PRV outside tap. 

 

Mind you I just unscrewed it from my still as yet unconnected bathroom towel rail loop and it had slight rust stains on the connection. Presume from the iron fitting. This was taken Feb 2016 when I tested the UFH loop.

 

SAM_3340

 

Doesn't appear I used the gauge again until Feb 2018 when I tested the towel rail loop and not since:

 

2018-06-05_10-15-34

 

I'm just guessing these gauges can stick/corrode inside?

Edited by Onoff
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