Plumbers/DIY-ers - Altering Temperature on a Mixer Tap

OzyOly · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:22

Hello,

I'm an EngD student living in University halls and I have a problem with my wash basin tap, that the University will not alter for me. It never gets hot enough...
As I am a man who uses a manly Murker razor this is not acceptable as I am butchering my face every other day!

Here are some photos of under the wash basin:

The cold water enters at the front, the (very) hot water enters at the back. The red cap is where the water mixes.

This is the what's under the red cap:

Now I'm assuming I have to turn this with a spanner right? Or am I going to get a load of hot water sprayed in my face? Which way would it be to allow more hot water?

Thanks.

Salsa · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:24

I would have thought that "tinkering" with the plumbing in your university halls would violate some clause in your contract and could land you in hot water.

/Salsa

OzyOly · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:24

Salsa said:
I would have thought that "tinkering" with the plumbing in your university halls would violate some clause in your contract and could land you in hot water.

/Salsa

Funny man.

For the £117/Week Rent they are charging me I feel the need to get some hot water in my room.

ci_newman · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:30

What about turning off / down the cold-feed supply instead? That looks easier.

Salsa · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:30

OzyOly said:
Funny man. For the £117/Week Rent they are charging me I feel the need to get some hot water in my room.

Im sure you do. However im willing to bet that your Uni's, perhaps over zealous, H&S guidelines limit the temp on the hot water to prevent anyone from calling Injury Lawyers 4 U to report the fact the skin has come off their penis
when they tried to wash it with the scalding mixer tap.

/Salsa

OzyOly · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:33

ci_newman said:
What about turning off / down the cold-feed supply instead? That looks easier.

I tried that, but the water pressure pretty much stops when I turn down the cold feed.

OzyOly · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:34

Salsa said:
Im sure you do. However im willing to bet that your Uni's, perhaps over zealous, H&S guidelines limit the temp on the hot water to prevent anyone from calling Injury Lawyers 4 U to report the fact the skin has come off their penis
when they tried to wash it with the scalding mixer tap.

/Salsa

I know it's for H&S rules, but we have hot taps in the kitchen and scolding hot showers. At 25 I'm sure I should be trusted with hot water. :rolleyes:

spookywillow · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:35

Turn the little black tap at the front on the cold pipe off till you get a suitable temperature. Probably not the correct way but it will restrict the flow of cold water in a similar way.

Edit, beaten to it.

darren73 · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:38

Thermostatic mixers are set to TMV2 or TMV3 guidlines and are designed to only let upto a certain temprature through if you mess with it it will no longer comply to those guidelines so the uni will the be liable untill they find out you messed with it, then you will be.
turning the cold down wont alter the temp it will just lower the flow as the mixer will compensate for the loss of cold.

OzyOly · 31 Jan 2013 at 14:42

darren73 said:
Thermostatic mixers are set to TMV2 or TMV3 guidlines and are designed to only let upto a certain temprature through if you mess with it it will no longer comply to those guidelines so the uni will the be liable untill they find out you messed with it, then you will be.
turning the cold down wont alter the temp it will just lower the flow as the mixer will compensate for the loss of cold.

That explains why I get no flow when I turn off the cold flow then. I can't believe lukewarm water is what they consider safe. How irritating. :mad:

tom_e · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:31

Boil kettle, pour in sink?

OzyOly · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:32

tom_e said:
Boil kettle, pour in sink?

I live on the top floor (kitchen on the ground floor), but this is looking like the best option right now. Cold water and double edged safety razor does not work.

tom_e · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:34

OzyOly said:
I live on the top floor (kitchen on the ground floor), but this is looking like the best option right now. Cold water and double edged safety razor does not work.

No it doesn't, can you not just buy a cheap kettle for your room?

OzyOly · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:38

tom_e said:
No it doesn't, can you not just buy a cheap kettle for your room?

Unfortunately, this will upset the fire officer which can cause more headaches for me than the estates services.

The water in the kitchen can melt your flesh, but my housemates have rightly said I can't shave in the kitchen like an undergrad.

tom_e · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:40

OzyOly said:
Unfortunately, this will upset the fire officer which can cause more headaches for me than the estates services.

The water in the kitchen can melt your flesh, but my housemates have rightly said I can't shave in the kitchen like an undergrad.

Just stick it under your bed when they come knocking

Screenbeat · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:45

the nut in second picture is for adjusting the temperature. you will be ok to adjust it.

bitslice · 31 Jan 2013 at 18:21

EngD is an Engineering Doctorate I think.

Why, if you are studying Engineering at this level can you not fathom the simplest of fluid dynamics problems?
If you had to design a system of mixing water at two temperatures, how do you imagine you might achieve such a marvel of Engineering?

Jesus H Christ on a flipping Bike, students are as thick as planks these days :mad:

Slade2 · 31 Jan 2013 at 19:10

I cant understand why the uni has gone to the expensive of fitting these to be honest. We have them installed at work in some areas but thats becuase those areas used to be a school and children are deemed to be `vunerable users`. I also fail to see what having a kettle in your room has to do with the fire officer to be honest or do they insist that all appliances are PAT tested as well, this I very much doubt tbh. I remember when I was at uni a friend of mine was studying at oxford brookes and he was on the top floor of the student accomodation and often used to go down to the 2nd floor for a shower becuase it was full of student nurses he would claim there was no hot water on the top floor.