Pictures for plumbers, just for fun.

[Dannypipe]

Hi all.

I came across something a bit different yesterday.

I'm working in a pretty amazing house. Its a converted train station.

Amongst other things I am installing an unvented cylinder.

I pop up into the loft to drain the tank, and I find this on the open vent. It looks like a crude AAV, but when dismantled, it had a proper O ring to seal it. So I don’t think it was knocked up by some plumber. Anyone ever seen one before?

Also the basin is pretty old. Might be from the original toilets (it’s an old station). It’s made from cast iron. The owner isn’t interested, but I couldn’t bring myself to just scrap it. Anyone think it’s worth anything? It’s pretty unusual, even if it isn’t particularly pretty!! The pedestal is definitely the original one, as it is cast iron too. Just the enamel has worn more on the basin.

Last but not least, look in the tank. I’ve found all manner of things over the years….but in this one I’ve found model railway track!! How bizarre is that.

So there’s no real point to this thread, just thought it would be of interest to some of the regulars, and I’d be interested if anyone knows more on the open vent. Doesn’t take a genius to work out why it was installed, but seems a stupid idea to me.

 

[ecowarm]

Danny you have found some unusual things there.
I have never seen a cast basin
I have never seen a contraption on the open vent like that
in 34yrs plumbing

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

some weird stuff there,i bet the aav was fitted to over come some issue very wrong way to go about it though

 

[Dannypipe]

Yeah, I thought it was odd. At first glance, I thought someone had soldered a bit of 8mm pipe to something, and cobbled it together, I have a picture of it dismantled but it won't upload says its too big. I will figure out how to do so.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Yeah, I thought it was odd. At first glance, I thought someone had soldered a bit of 8mm pipe to something, and cobbled it together, I have a picture of it dismantled but it won't upload says its too big. I will figure out how to do so.

alter its size in your settings to small screen

 

[Dannypipe]

Here you go! I'll take a photo of the original boiler if I remember. Its since been replaced with a snazzy potterton suprima!!!! .

Glad I'm not the only one who has never seen this before.

 

[Dannypipe]

In fairness though, I didn't check the pipe work size, I'd imagine it was 3/4. The boiler may have been replaced X amount of years ago with the Suprima, and possibly this was a hang over from the original install. My point is.......it's old pipe work, but not really old. I've worked on old one pipe systems and the like. Never seen one of these before.

 

[tamz]

It is a spring loaded safety valve. Probably fitted by a halfwit.

The basin may be worth a couple of quid.

 

[tamz]

You can still buy them but i've never seen one fitted for many years

Check Valves & Strainers & Drain Cocks

 

[Dannypipe]

Interesting. Cheers Tamz.

Its gone in the scrap pile now. When I cut it out, the cylinder drained a lot quicker. So it was obviously causing an obstruction. Good price on scrap at the mo by the way 3500 for braz'.

 

[Dannypipe]

Should add, I didn't find any spring.

 

[tamz]

Interesting. Cheers Tamz.

Its gone in the scrap pile now. When I cut it out, the cylinder drained a lot quicker. So it was obviously causing an obstruction. Good price on scrap at the mo by the way 3500 for braz'.

Probably altered and the spring removed when they put the bit minibore in.
The more you tightened the nut the more pressure through the spring on the disc. Locked into position with the small back nut. It was like a cheap version of a nabic. We used to stick them on a boiler where you couldn't get a direct expansion.

I better take a wee trip at the weekend when the going is good :wink:

 

[Dannypipe]

Ah right. I had a hunch you would know a thing or two about this!! Cheers mate.

 

[tamz]

I've got a head full of useless stuff :lol:

 

[PlumbBobBob]

it's only useless if you don't need when you think about it

 

[WaterTight]

Mental basin. Did you work out it was cast before you tried to move it?

 

[Dannypipe]

No, I only realised once I seperated it. I asked the client if he wants it, and he told me to lob it in the skip. I can't bring myself to do that, as it is obviously rare, even if it isn't worth anything. Its like throwing away a bit of history.

 

[tamz]

I was in a house today with an old original high level pan and cistern complete with the bum nip seat. If you flushed that when sitting on it it would draw you round the trap :lol:

They certainly don't make things like they used to.

 

[WaterTight]

I quite agree. If you could confirm it as original to the station I'm sure there'd be a museum that would be interested or any number of private collectors and enthusiasts. Or have it spruced up and sell it on. There's got to be someone somewhere who'd give it a good home. And by the sounds of the places you work in you're as well placed to meet such a person as anyone.

 

[SimonJohns]

I thought these type of prv were phased out due to them passing and custards tightening them to stop that