Tap washers

I am aware that this is not a model engineering question but, many years ago one could purchase washers specifically for hot water taps. They were red and made of a fibre type material. All I seem to be able to get the days are black ones made of some plastic like neoprene. They don't last. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Roy

Plenty on ebay.

Just type - fibre tap washers - into the search box.

BB

You must be looking at a different e-bay to me none of those look like the tap washers that go onto the jumper and sit down onto the seating.

Not seen the old ones for a long time.

Jason

No need for silly remarks.

If you google as I said you will find them.

That is what the original poster asked for.

He makes no mention of this jumper type thing what ever that is as not a plumber.

110Pc FIBRE WASHER SET Small-Large Seal Buffers Plumbing Packer Tap Bath Ring

Edited By Billy Bean on 06/03/2018 20:34:02

And in fairness to Jason, if you ask an expert you'll get an expert answer.

The sets of fibre sealing washers on ebay just now are not tap washers, they are sealing washers to seal the thread at the back of the tap where it screws into it's mating pipe. That ebay brings them to the screen when the search string contains the words tap and washer is down to the shortcomings of eBay's search engine, not Jason's expertise.

A tap washer, on the other hand, lives inside a tap and is screwed down onto the tap seat by the operating handle and thereby block the flow of water through the tap. It sits on a jumper which guides it onto its seat and stops it distorting under the forces exerted on it by the water pressure.

One hopes that the OP meant what he said when he asked for a tap washer.  His description of same corroborates the terminology he has used.

And you are absolutely right, there is no need for silly remarks.

Edited By Simon Williams 3 on 06/03/2018 20:42:25

Mr Bean,

This is a tap washer, https://www.screwfix.com/p/arctic-products-pegler-tap-washers-5-pack/2070J?tc=DB2&ds_kid=92700020953273697&ds_rl=1249799&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249481&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp4yrp8bY2QIVwbftCh11EQCcEAQYAiABEgIzkvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CLOjhLfG2NkCFcau7Qod5cALrw

Martin P

Old style red fibre tap washers on the right, my last few and the softer black ones on the left

Jason those are exactly the ones I remember, I wish I could find some now

Roy

Hi, and for those that don't know, here's an inside view of a stop cock where such washers will fit. The washer is the black bit which seals off the flow of water and the jumper is what it's attached too, which has a spigot that slides up and down in the end of the threaded bit, that can just be seen.

A tap has the same configuration, but has an open spout on the output side.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 06/03/2018 22:23:54

Roy

A quick trawl round the net seems to confirm your comments re availability or not as is the case. However I did find some candidates that might be worth a look the first can be found here and comes as a 3/4 in. diameter but center hole not specified. The other possible option might be one of these which they sell in 1/2" and 3/4" sizes and may just require a quick fettle and a hole drilled to size in the middle. Other than that it's like looking for the proverbial 'Rocking Horse Droppings'. .

Cheers

Martin W

Center ball tap washer 1/2"

Or you could see ith there's a branch of Grahams Plumbers near you

Bill

Or: **LINK**

and the purpose of the jumper is to prevent back flow

Edited By FMES on 07/03/2018 06:21:35

How do you create a link ?

Martin P

.

Use this icon and follow your nose

MichaelG.

Michael,

Thanks for that, my first lesson learned for the day

Martin P

Gentlefolk may I put in a word for the Full Stop tap washer kit, available from B&Q & of course all the usual suspects on the internet, take top off tap, remove the upper piece that the old style washers are fitted to, place plastic shouldered bush in outlet hole & press down with special tool (thumb), place plastic upper stem & washer in head of tap, replace, then gently screw down capstan of tap to press all in place. When you have tried one you will not imagine why you didn't invent it yourself, personally I have never had one let me down & at £1.78 got to be worth a try. Three quarter inch ones seem more difficult to acquire but after you have seen one I'm sure it wouldn't be rocket science to make ones own.

Cheers Bob.

Thank you to JasonB and Nick Farr ( For the sectioned tap ) We were shown how to change tap washers at senior school and I tend to think that everyone else had a similar education. But that was 70 years ago

Roy

The Full Stop Kit is designed primarily to deal with damaged valve seats. Tap washer failure (both H & C) as far as I am concerned seems to be more to do with excessive tightening down by my visitors!!

Blimey.

Where've I been?

I never saw or heard of red tap washers till I read this thread.

I must've replaced a dozen or so since the 1970s, and the only one I can remember having trouble with was when I should've refaced the washer seating with one o'them titchy little grinding discs first.

Well, maybe I was just lucky and all the failed washers were on cold taps?