4 Unrelated Questions

[WaterTight]

1. Is a leak likely to be worse when water is cold or hot? I thought cold, takes up more space - therefore more pressure...? Or some such uneducated guessing nonsense. But customer the other day said rad valve leak was worse when heating on.

2. Washers that have a central circular ridge on them, such as on washers for wastes. What is this for and does it matter (I suspect not a lot) whether the ridge is against the back-nut or the appliance underside?

3. Why is dontknowitall listed amongst site subcategories when you google ukplumbersforum? Is he a category?

4. I don't know anything about cars/vans. Only ever had two cars and neither had probs. Thinking of hire purchasing a van but scared of being ripped off. Best I can afford at moment looks to be second hand, small van, prob something with around 80,000 on clock, spread over 4, 5 years. Is this a good idea or is it likely to fall to pieces within a couple of years. Or is make/model/relaibility of dealership more important than miles on clock? And if so - what should I go for? Are combo's any good? Seem to be lots of them about.

 

[WHPES]

1, depends on pressure and fitting. High presssure means more water can get out of a small gap. Metal expands when heated so whether a leak is better or worse when hot depends on whether the gap opens or closes when hot.

2, The ridge is easier to compress than solid so conforms to an unueven surface it sits against.

3, dunno - ask him

4, Dpends on make, model and how well maintained. Ex-fleet vans are sometimes the best for reliability as they are always maintained properly.

 

[dontknowitall]

1. Probably just more noticeable when cold as when hot it often evaporates away before drippping. No idea really.
2. Not sure what you mean.
3. dunno - ask Google
4. My guess is vans are more reliable than cars because they're simpler and less things to go wrong. Cheapest way with vehicles is buy the best you can afford and never take out a loan to purchase one as most of your money goes to someone else. Also, if you put a little aside each week and saving it up till the next purchase will make that purchase less painful.

3. ... LOL LOL!!

 

[stuartmac]

HI

1. Hot water expands when hot so more volume thats why systems have vent pipes, expansion tanks, warning pipes hot water expands by 4% when hot, metal expands when hot, if you have weeping rad valves that are tight then put a wipe of jetblue compound just above the olive or ptfe at lower end of olive but not around the thread that will stop the weeping.

2. don't know

3. lucky him

4. Van engines are not like cars they are only running in at 100k as long as serviced properly and regulary they will run for ever (see white van man) others mention ex lease vans they are correct I have an ex lease van 1 owner from new serviced by main dealer every 20k in great condition would buy similar every time.

hope that helped

 

[tamz]

As far as vans go, take a trip to an auction and you will be surprised at the prices. They do lots of fleet sales all well advertised on their websites. You would have to arrange the money elsewhere before hand tho.

Picked up a combo 2 years ago, 70000 miles on it, around 6 weeks of vauxhall warranty still left, for 2180 + vat. It has been a good van except for the numpty who drives it.

 

[Dannypipe]

Picked up my combo (ex BT) from auction. £3300, 17K miles on clock.

Never put a foot wrong. Great van, bit too small though.