Jump to content

Thoughts on DIYing plumbing


jamiehamy

Recommended Posts

Jamie, for future reference you can get crossover fittings

 

You also need to think about how you drain it down if you have to, so you might want to add some draincocks.  IMO it's also nice to be able to isolate the entire hot or cold at the quarter turn of a valve and you can get decent full bore ballcock valve for this.  But looking good :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, TerryE said:

Jamie, for future reference you can get crossover fittings

 

You also need to think about how you drain it down if you have to, so you might want to add some draincocks.  IMO it's also nice to be able to isolate the entire hot or cold at the quarter turn of a valve and you can get decent full bore ballcock valve for this.  But looking good :) 

 

Would you add a drain cock for each manifold? I.e.

 

2017-02-21_14-55-57.jpg.774ae3380f55d7af1d5c51e311deaad8.jpg

 

P.S. This is a great thread. Keep it coming!!

Edited by Barney12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, TerryE said:

Jamie, for future reference you can get crossover fittings

 

Doh! Thanks - will do that - neater and probably better for the flow. 

 

45 minutes ago, TerryE said:

 

You also need to think about how you drain it down if you have to, so you might want to add some draincocks.  IMO it's also nice to be able to isolate the entire hot or cold at the quarter turn of a valve and you can get decent full bore ballcock valve for this.  But looking good :) 

 

I did wonder about drain cocks, but my thinking was that as the outlets are all pointing down, then I can simply open an outlet per manifold to get rid of any water? For the isolation, I'll put one on the main hot and cold feed - thank you. 

 

I still can't work out how the hot doesn't flow down the cold side tho @TerryE! I had a read at your blog and can't work it out!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Better consult the Lord High Executioner.  I used 22/15/22s instead of 22elbows on the manifold loops and put the draincocks there.  This is also for the pragmatic point that I can use this 15mm spigot as a fill point for pressure testing before the whole caboodle is complete.

 

10 minutes ago, jamiehamy said:

I still can't work out how the hot doesn't flow down the cold side tho @TerryE! I had a read at your blog and can't work it out!

 

They can back siphon in pathological conditions, and you need to add some check valves on the branches to the DHW from the CW riser if you are concerned about this, but I would add that the DHW has to be potable in a modern pressurised system anyway, so there isn't any difference from the back flow risk from CW to CW tap..  Any taps or appliances where there is a risk of backflow should address this by design.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

?. That looks awful familiar ??

Patent pending me thinks lol. 

Manifold plumbing has a good few advantages. One which I found most useful is to be able to purge and set to work each individual run without having to pressurise the whole installation at once, like you have to do with series ( regular ) plumbing. Very handy indeed for those who mostly work alone for the finer jobs, like myself. 

Keep at it! Looking good so far ??

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a great thread. Plumbed 4 central heating systems previously (3 combies & 1 ventedcsystem) but def going to use manifolds on the house - when we get to that stage, perhaps after April sometime.

 

Big thanks to those who share with the rest of us.

 

9_9

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

Anyone DIYed plumbing recently? 

 

@jamiehamyhow did you get on in the end, happy enough with the end result? Any particular pitfalls to avoid? Having read this thread and looking at cutting costs I'm contemplating it.

 

My uncle is a retired plumber and can do all the design, and I *think* that given we're going ASHP through the Home Energy Scotland loan then the MCS certified installer of that can do all required certs for the Building Warrant (is that right?) so there might not be any need to engage a plumber. We've everything (kitchen (sink and dishwasher), shower room, family bathroom and 2 x ensuites (one to be plumbed in for later second fix when kids are older) on the same elevation, with the exception of our utility with sink and hot water tank so I'm thinking it should be fairly straightforward(ish). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Regards plumbing and certification the only things we have been asked for from BC in Scotland is the gas safe certificate for the supply to the gas hob, and the unvented cylinder sign off.

 

I installed the gas pipe and just got the gas safe engineer to connect and certify, and I installed theUVC and the plumber just tested and certified it.

 

It does help having trades people you work with from time to time and who know you and trust your abilities.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...