Smelly drinking water after self cutting tap installed

[manorey]

Hi All,

I recently purchased a dishwasher and for the water supply, I screwed a self-cutting tap into a 15mm copper pipe that is branched out from the same pipe that goes to the sink tap.

The problem is when the self-cutting tap is ON, water on the sink tap is smelly which I assume is because the water on the dishwasher hose flows back and mixes up with it.

In order to stop water flowing back, I tried MANY different parts but none seem to fit "ON THE TAP", I find all check valves are designed to go "ON THE PIPE".

My question is:

1. Does the smell go away if the whole system works long enough (few days/weeks) and if it does, is there any health related concern around leaving it like this?

2. Do you know any non-return valve part that I can purchase and screw ON the TAP?

3. If answer to 1 and 2 are negative, what do you recommend?

NOTES:

- all current pipes are soldered together so, extending them wouldn't fall into my DYI skills.

- This is how my self-cutting tap looks like:

- And this is how my washing machine (the other appliance) was originally installed.

Questions about this would be:

W1. Is that a check-valve before the hose connection?
W2. Is is possible for me to add a T-like part to the top of this and get both appliances connected?

 

[Aquaheat]

I'd be looking at sorting all of the leaks out first!

I'd suggest that an hour of a plumbers time would be well worth the hassle and aggravation that you'll be causing yourself.

It's possible to do everything in compression and add bits here and there but a proper job will work better (self cutters restrict flow) look better and won't be showing drips everywhere.

 

[mfarrow]

You could try screwing a BSP check valve and brass tapered nipple to where your hose screws in but agreed these taps are only ever useful as a stop-gap.

The alternative is a Y splitter from the washing machine, and these are plentifully available.