Bath tap gland

[Ambergreen45]

Hi,

I need to replace one of my bath's tap gland as it takes too many turns just to open and close the tap, and sometimes it can make the pipe vibrate. My problem is, I can find plenty of 3/4" rubber washers on the market but no suitable tap glands. The external diameter of a so called 3/4" rubber washer is in fact 19mm. I bought a conversion kit from Screwfix but it didn't fit as the washer was too big.

Would anyone know where I could find a tap gland for a bath with a 19mm rubber washer?

Many thanks for your help.

 

[Deleted member 267285]

Are you sure it’s 19mm, could be 1/2”. Any photos?

 

[Ambergreen45]

Thanks for your reply. I am referring to the external diameters of rubber washers advertised on the pack as 1/2" and 3/4"

I have measured a so called 1/2" rubber washer, the external diameter is 16mm. There are plenty of these tap glands with those rubber washers on the market (usually for basins).

I have also measured the ones slightly bigger, so called 3/4" and the external diameter is 19 mm. I am struggling to find this type of tap gland which are for a bath tap. I will try and post a pic of the tap gland.

 

[Ambergreen45]

This is the picture of the gland I removed from my bath tap, which will fit a so called 3/4" rubber washer, but I find it difficult to find a similar gland to replace my old one.

 

[Ambergreen45]

A better close up...

 

[oldbuffer]

1. Old fashioned tap washers are sized in accordance with the size of pipe which would have fed the appliance in Imperial times!. Basins are fed from 1/2 " pipe, and hence have 1/2" washers, although these are are just under 3/4" in diameter. Bath taps use 3/4" washer which have an outside diameter of about an inch.
2. You do need a 3/4" tap washer.
3. If all else fails, look at "tap revivers" and replace the whole works and handles.

 

[Ambergreen45]

Thank you for that information. I bought a 3/4" tap reviver kit, I believe to BS5412 and BS1010 but the thread of the adapter they provide is 24mm, while the thread I need is 22mm wide. I will continue looking.

 

[oldbuffer]

It is highly unlikely that any of the threads within the tap are metric. They are all likely to be imperial.

 

[Ambergreen45]

I went to a local plumber and showed him the tap gland, which he inspected by taking the plunger out and put it back again. He said these were the best taps that were ever made and to my surprise he could not see anything wrong with it.

But would anyone know why, when I turn the tap off which stops the water flow at that point, I still have to turn a further 2 or 3 times clockwise before it is fully closed? When I turn ii back on, I have to turn again 2 or 3 times before the water comes out and it can make the copper pipe underneath vibrate with a noise. There is a new washer and I have grinded the seat. Is there something I can do to rectify the problem in the gland itself?

 

[Deleted member 267285]

The spindle might just need regreasing.

 

[JimCrow]

I went to a local plumber and showed him the tap gland, which he inspected by taking the plunger out and put it back again. He said these were the best taps that were ever made and to my surprise he could not see anything wrong with it.

But would anyone know why, when I turn the tap off which stops the water flow at that point, I still have to turn a further 2 or 3 times clockwise before it is fully closed? When I turn ii back on, I have to turn again 2 or 3 times before the water comes out and it can make the copper pipe underneath vibrate with a noise. There is a new washer and I have grinded the seat. Is there something I can do to rectify the problem in the gland itself?

There's usually a retaining clip on the spindle just below the spline, yours seems to be missing, the spindle needs to be pushed back up
and the clip fitted.

 

[Ambergreen45]

There's usually a retaining clip on the spindle just below the spline, yours seems to be missing, the spindle needs to be pushed back up
and the clip fitted.

Well spotted. That must be why the tap feels slightly loose when I turn it. I'm going to take a retaining clip from another gland and fit it on this one. I don't know if it ever came like this or whether the clip came out. Many thanks.

 

[JohnD]

I unsuccessfully tried to find some of those copper circlips recently.

Surely somebody must sell them?