New bath taps - pressure is lousy and hot tap is noisy

[TheSalad]

We just had new quarter turn taps fitted to our bath. Cold is mains fed and hot comes from combi system, pressure is 1 bar. The water pressure of both hot and cold is now lousy, it will take 30minutes to fill the bath. Plus the hot water tap is unbelieveably noisy . . .

Anyone, any clue as to the problem and solution.

Many thanks.

 

[JohnD]

throw away the taps and buy some less stylish ones of British design with wider waterways.

Combis are generally slow to fill a bath anyway. You can run the bathtap into a bucket and see how many litres per minute you get, then do the same at the kitchen taps and see if it is different.

 

[TheSalad]

spec states 3/4" inlet/outlet and 0.2 bar LP. What does 0.2bar LP mean?

Minimum operating pressure is 0.5bar according to the leaflet.

Don't understand why we have no pressure and a noisy hot tap. Just spent a fortune on new taps so, of course, I can't afford to throw them away and buy new British taps but thanks for the advice

There must be something we can do?

 

[JohnD]

run the bathtap into a bucket and see how many litres per minute you get, then do the same at the kitchen taps and see if it is different

tell us how many litres per minute each is.

 

[TheSalad]

Hi JohnD thanks for the advice. I've done as you suggested, here are my findings :


Hot Water : New Bath Taps 4.5ltrs per minute. All other house taps 9ltrs per minute.

Cold Water : New Bath Taps 5ltrs per minute. All other house taps 11ltrs per minute.

Hope you can help, thanks.

 

[JayJay1978]

What does your plumber say about this? I take it he did the decent thing and explained the problem before he left?

 

[kitch0978]

are there isolators on each new tap pipework? if so are they fully open?

 

[JohnD]

a photo of the new taps would give us some clues. Also of the pipework feeding them from underneath (you may have to remove the bath panel) and any braided flexible hoses, possibly including a service valve. Look at the connector to the tap and see if there is a size adaptor. Photo it for us. If any other pipework changes have been made, or a stopcock/service valver or shower fitted, that may be relevant.

If they really are 3/4" taps I am surprised they are so constricting. But 1/4 turn tells me they are ceramic taps, and often these have tiny little tails the size of a pencil which are very restricting.

You might have thought I was joking about fitting ordinary British designed taps.

Lots of stylish taps are Italian and designed for much higher pressures than we get in the UK and give a very poor flow.

 

[longdogs]

are there isolators on each new tap pipework? if so are they fully open?

If the isolators are not the full bore type, this will restrict the flow also

 

[TheSalad]

Hi All - thanks for replies so far. Here are a couple of photos. Isolator valves are fully open.

View media item 18364 View media item 20576 View media item 20578 View media item 20579
Any thoughts ?

ps. Here is the tap spec
http://www.vado-uk.com/images/techspecs/ZOO-142-PR-3-4.pdf

 

[dextrous]

Couple of things spring to mind immediately - first that kinked flexi can't be doing any good. Second is the isolators aren't full bore. Worth starting with these basics, if only to "eliminate them from our enquiries"

 

[seco services]

was this who you had round ?

i thought you said new, they look like they come off another job.

 

[TheSalad]

Well spotted seco services. The photo I attached was one of the old taps but the new replacement taps are exactly the same make. We needed to replace the old taps cause they stop working, maybe grit in them or something . . . . . . its a very long story, best not to ask.

Anyway, we were told we were restricted by choice in taps cause the charlie who cut the holes in the bath cut oversized 45mm holes when all was needed was 32mm. Its been a catalogue of errors right from the beginning.

 

[TheSalad]

Folks - I'm pleased to be able to report some improvement. Kinks in the flex pipe is certainly a big part of the problem. See photo below . .
View media item 20609
Taps are a nightmare to get to as there on a back wall, no easy access at all. I've been able to crawl under the bath a manipulate the flex pipe to reduce some of the kink on the hot water tap. The dreadful noise has gone and flow has improved to over 6 litres per minute. Result !!

The Mrs is well pleased.

Thanks to all for your help and input.