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water butt tap not working

I installed a wate butt (Sankey?) a year ago. I've never managed to get any water  from the tap, though the butt is full. I didn't have it placed on the  stand supplied as there wasn't room, so had a piece of hose attached to the tap instead - I can't  think how this could be a problem, and cant figure out why the tap turns  but doesn't release water.

Can anybody please suggest what could be wrong, and what I can do?

Thank you,

Naki

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Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    Is the free end of the hose higher than the tap end?  Water won't flow uphill  image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Sounds daft but was there a hole cut properly in the butt, not a potential hole that needed pushing out?



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • NakiNaki Posts: 13

    Thank you  Dovefromabove and Nutcutlet.

    The free end is about 2" lower than the tap so Iassume that's ok - as for the blocked hole, that's a good point, and I wish I knew the answer!! A handyman set it up for me, so who knows? I guess I must nowempty the butt with a jug and inspect and check that the piece has indeed been pushed out.

    Thank you both for your help - and if anybody else has any further suggestions, please keep 'em coming !!

  • NakiNaki Posts: 13

    Thanks Everybody!

    The good kicking might indeed work and will certainly cheer me up !!

    I'll take Edd's advice too, and in the next few days, weather permitting, I'll unscrew the tap (I hadn't realised I could simply do this - not very technical/practical. you see!). But, heeding the warning in capitals, I'll try to get most of the water out with a jug first!

    I'll report back once I've had a go (and a kick).

    Wish me luck, and thank you all.

     

  • NakiNaki Posts: 13

    Thanks Everybody!

    The good kicking might indeed work and will certainly cheer me up !!

    I'll take Edd's advice too, and in the next few days, weather permitting, I'll unscrew the tap (I hadn't realised I could simply do this - not very technical/practical. you see!). But, heeding the warning in capitals, I'll try to get most of the water out with a jug first!

    I'll report back once I've had a go (and a kick).

    Wish me luck, and thank you all.

    PS. Just noticed Runnybeak's reply. No rice in the vicinity, glad to say, but our guttering above collects copious amounts of pine needles - I wonder if they could collect at the bottom and block things up?

    Anyway, the above 'screw that tap' and 'kick-and-tell' procedures should solve it one way or another

     

  • Alan4711Alan4711 Posts: 1,657

    Naki,if you remove the tap make sure you get the retaining plastic collar nut from inside the but ,you need this to tighten the tap again when putting it back, also you may need 2 people to do this as the buts are usually to deep for one person to hold the tap outside the but and tighten the collar on the inside unless of course your 7 feet tall, also move the rain pipie from the but and tie a stocking round the end  to collect the pine needles, suspenders not needed,  good luck. snowing erein Norfolkimageimage

  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,352

    Some lovely images being conjured up here - people kicking water butts, people getting drenched in the Tsunami after removing tap from said water butt, stockings with and without suspenders and people walking round with water butts wedged on their heads - all topped off with people emptying saucepans of rice down the sink (that would have made me soooo mad RB!).

    I love this forum image

    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    I take it you feel at home here Topbird image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Attach a short length of hose pipe to the tap and blow.

  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,352

    I think that message comes across RB ... image

    Makes me mad too!

    I don't know where some people think food goes to when they tip it down the sink. Had many a 'discussion' in the early years with my OH about not disposing of fat down the plughole - till I made him watch a documentary about the London sewers.

    The images of mini 'icebergs' of cooking fat blocking the sewers with all the unmentionables clinging to it made him change his ways!!

    PS - I feel very at home here Dove - we're all bonkers! image

    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
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