FAQ
Frequently asked questions about our products and service.
Plumbing
Q : I have fitted my outside tap, which was my first attempt at plumbing. Everything went well, except when I tried to get the tap to line up straight. The tap thread is all the way into the wall back plate, but the tap is pointing sideways ?
A : You have a very common problem, in fact it's usually what happens when an outside tap is being installed (not just with our taps, all outside taps from all suppliers). Generally, it's pure luck what angle the tap ends up when it is tightened . If you think about it, the tap could be fitted with the pipe coming down a wall as well as from below, so it's impossible for the manufacturer to know what way the product will be used. The best way to install the tap is to use some extra PTFE tape and don't worry about the last part of a turn. It's the PTFE tape that makes the water tight seal, not the tightness of the joint.
Q : The thread on my plumbing fitting is 3/4 inch BSP, but it measures 1 inch with a ruler ?
A : Plumbing threads are made to a British Standard (British Standard Pipe Thread) and are measured a special way. The name of the size does not match up with what you'd measure on the scale of a ruler (for example a 3/4 inch BSP thread measures more like 1 inch with a ruler). The same measurement system is used by all plumbing manufacturers and suppliers in the UK (for over 100 years), it's not some random thing we've made up ourselves.
Q : What does PTFE stand for ?
A : PTFE stands for "Polytetrafluoroethylene", a product accidentally discovered in 1938 by Roy Plunkett, a DuPont scientist. Plumbers use it in a tape to seal threaded plumbing connections.
Q : What size spanner is used for 15mm compression fitting nuts?
A : 24mm - we have a spanner for that job.
Q : What size spanner is used for 22mm compression fitting nuts?
A : 32mm - we have a spanner for that job.
Electrical
Q : Hi I connect the blue wire to the N and the brown wire to L , it does not work, please can you advise ?
A : Much as we would like to help, you must realise that electricity is dangerous - it really is possible to kill yourself or someone else if you don't know what to do. We don't like to offer any advice on what wire goes where, if you're not sure about how to install an item, you should get a qualified electrician.
Q : My house lights have gone out and I have found this little fuse blown in my fuse-box, I have already been to the supermarket / petrol station / corner shop and bought some 5 Amp fuses but they are too big and will not fit into the holder ?
A : They have sold you a fuse for a plug top, you really need a BS1361 5A consumer unit fuse, which is a little bit smaller.
