don't have a bung man!

[kay-jay]

customer wants taps changing and she don't want the boiler turning off or the hot water cylinder draining down cos its only just been sorted after loads of problems

......and as usual the gatevalve on the cylinder feed is seized, i'm thinking best option is to bung the feed from cistern in loft.

problem is i don't have a bung. which product do you guys use?

would this be suitable?
Toolstation > Hand Tools > Plumbers Tools > Radiator Valve Change Kit
i assume these are used to plug the feed and open vent on a f+e tank and would be ok

any better options greatly appreciated

regards

KJ

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

yes, I do this all the time, even soldered fittings on bunged system

 

[ocentric]

Are these basin/ sink taps? You could just switch the cold off at the mains and then drain the CWSC via the hot tap...?

 

[WaterTight]

Are both taps tank fed? If bung doesn't work you could always put loads of towels down and ninja-fast cut and whack on pushfit coupler with iso pre-fabbed on the top (cheaper than push-fit iso) then do a backflip out of the room to seal the deal. Nothing like the rush of trying to finish the last few turns with your pipe-slice while piercing jets of water shoot out in every direction.

 

[WaterTight]

Infact I think that should be on a plumbing course as a fun task. Could do it outside. Fit isolation on a live pipe.

 

[Paulplumb]

Are both taps tank fed? If bung doesn't work you could always put loads of towels down and ninja-fast cut and whack on pushfit coupler with iso pre-fabbed on the top (cheaper than push-fit iso) then do a backflip out of the room to seal the deal. Nothing like the rush of trying to finish the last few b*****d turns with your pipe-slice while piercing jets of water shoot out in every direction.

Lol. Ninja back flip out of the room to seal the deal. I hope you charge extra for that.

 

[Dannypipe]

Could do a pipe freeze, but I would think a bung will work. i've done it before when the gate valve won't shut, it doesn't have any isolation. Never had a problem.

Like I say, you could put a freeze on it for £20's worth of spray if you don't feel comfortable with a bung.

 

[BLOD]

I use a freezemaster and have had no problems, although just for changing taps I'd probably bung it and wack in some isolation valves then have tea.

good luck
blod

 

[Avatar]

You may find that bunging the vent and feed will work - not on the F&E tank though.

It will have to be that tank that supplies the cylinder.

Usually there is a way to airlock it without drain down.

And as for capping a live pipe, well we all have had to do it sometime . . .

Personally I would cut the pipe with a quick slice of my katana first though!!

 

[kay-jay]

thanks guys

basically she won't let me drain the system cos her husband was a plumber til he died and she doesn't want to be paying me to get rid of airlocks on re-fill.(apparently he told her numerous times that it can be a pain in the bum)

avatar - i'm well aware that its not the f+e tank that needs plugging, my op was simply asking whether the plugs in the link from toolstation were the kind used to block the vent and feed on a f+e and therefore be suitable for my purpose albeit in the cwsc.

freezing isn't really an option, the only pipe that could be frozen (access issues) is the cold feed from cistern where the siezed gate valve is and i thought that freezing would prevent the feed flowing from above the cut but then the cylinder water would back up from the cylinder itself and flow from below the pipe cut if ya get my meaning.

i would much rather use the bung (i just want to know are the ones in the link suitable??) keeping a combi flex connector and iso as a last resort.


KJ

 

[Bernie2]

In the old days we often used "corks" usually out of old wine bottles. The official way to use them was to wrap them in fine linen or silk before "bunging" them in the tank cws outlet.

But unlike today Plumbers never wore dresses made of silk so we did not usually have any, and just took a chance the cork would not break up when we tried to pull it out. They did sometimes of course and we where required to use the sharp tang end of a file to pick the bits out.

Another trick was to use a 3/4" cap on the internal threads if the tank connector was an old male iron type with a back nut and protruding threads.

Incidentally we usually favoured using bungs instead of using the valves, you seem to get a more positive turn off as some valves can by pass.

Good fortune.

 

[darrenangel]

I've used a carrot in the past as a bung. Works fine, just be carefull when you pull it out that it doesn't snap.

 

[Gray0689]

You may find that bunging the vent and feed will work - not on the F&E tank though.

It will have to be that tank that supplies the cylinder.

Usually there is a way to airlock it without drain down.

And as for capping a live pipe, well we all have had to do it sometime . . .

Personally I would cut the pipe with a quick slice of my katana first though!!

You dont bung vent on domestics you could collapse cylinder.
you only bung vent and feed on heating side to bottle it up.
Just bung the feeds from cold water tank

 

[kay-jay]

thanks for that gray! i was only gonna bung the feed anyway cos thats all the gate valve would do if it was working.

i wouldn't have thought that cylinder collapse could occur with water in the cylinder tho. i thought that was the result of syphoning a cylinder while both feed and vent were bunged??

KJ

 

[Twinhawk]

are your serious, tur the water off and drain the tank, it will not drain the cylinder and you can force water back up from the kitchen usually with the mixer by the main, or else start sucking

 

[Phil]

Just get a set of expandable bungs from BES or screwfix, I don't know what the big deal is!

I use them all the time, once they are in they won't come out, it saves a lot of water and messing about.

 

[TerryH]

I must admit the Curse of the Siezed Cold Feed applies to me; usually there's enough of a seepage to prevent soldering joints and just make the job an arse! I use

Just get a set of expandable bungs from BES or screwfix

wrapped in a bit of a cloth sheath to stop me losing bits down the pipe. It's reliable, if a little slower.... once you have figured out which of the eight feeds is for the hwc
TerryH

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

You dont bung vent on domestics you could collapse cylinder.
you only bung vent and feed on heating side to bottle it up.
Just bung the feeds from cold water tank

agree,heard of it happening and flooding a house

 

[Livvid]

Any of the bung kits have been great helping me to be honest.

 

[shorticus]

hope you lot wash your hands before you go sticking them in peoples tooth-brushing water, eeeyuk lol

 

[gasper]

I have used these from Screwfix pricy but they work fine.
Monument Tools® 6 Nylon Drain Plugs - NoLinkingToThis, Where the Trade Buys

Good luck
g