Left Hand Threaded Tap?

[RATTER15]

What would be the point of a left handed thread on a tap.

I regularly use a tap in a clients house that you have to turn clockwise to open the tap! what would be the point of this?

It sounds a bit like a left handed pencil with a broken tip, Pointless!!

[Old_Geezer]

Those with handles rather than knobs, tend to turn in opposite directions.

[RATTER15]

"Those with handles rather than knobs, tend to turn in opposite directions."

They do?

I thought the same tap body was used with just the knob replaced with a handle as we have just done in our house.

The tap concerned is probably 30 years + old and a very basic bathroom sink tap.

[Old_Geezer]

Yes, I have them here at my home. I think it stems for the hospitals where doctors use their elbows to open and close the taps. I've no idea what studies showed this to be best but I think it seems easier.

[Chipchopper]

Not sure about the reason but I think it might be, to prevent the whole assembly from accidentally undoing itself, if you had threads all in the same direction.
The locking nut on my strimmer is a left hand thread, which tightens the opposite direction of the blades, I can see the point of that.

[Garaman]

Is it the left-hand tap of a pair?

[RATTER15]

yes Garaman, it is.

[whiskeryron]

What is required for water on the brain ?
Ans, A tap on the head.

[Khandro]

As I came downstairs there was a tap on the door - my plumber has a strange sense of humour.

[Garaman]

The reason taps close clockwise, which is the same reason screws tighten clockwise, is that those actions are considered more important than opening, or loosening, and the forearm muscle is stronger working outwards. That is of course based on a right-handed person, and is the whole basis on which the right-hand thread was designed. It makes sense, therefore, to do the opposite on a tap designed to be used predominantly by the left hand. In reality most manufacturers don’t bother, maybe because we don’t always use the right hand to open the right-hand tap and vice versa.

[RATTER15]

Garaman, ^^^ thats a possibility but i'm not totally convinced.

[Togo]

Is it a ceramic disc, perhaps quarter turn, tap Ratters. If so it may have been assembled wrongly on installation.

[Togo]

Bet your plumber wears drainpipe trousers as well Khandro. (^_*)

[RATTER15]

its one like this Togo http://c8.alamy.com/comp/B5XEHN/old-fashioned-white-enamel-sink-with-chrome-tap-dripping-water-B5XEHN.jpg

[Togo]

Would you believe it Ratters It seems that some ceramic disc tap manufacturers have hot and cold turning off in different directions so that if levers are fitted it is easy to operate them with elbows or wrists.

[Togo]

Crickey that is too old to be a ceramic disc type valve. Perhaps it was initially assembled upside down, or a crafty plumber has effected a repair that way if the threads had become damaged or worn. Haha drive us all mad with this one.

[Togo]

Just found this on line Ratters.

//In days of old .... ( pre-metrication perhaps or pre-Chinese taps) ALL tap sets were arranged so that the HOT tap (which was always on the left side) turned clockwise to increase the flow and the COLD tap (all together now - READY - 'ALWAYS ON THE RIGHT SIDE') turned anti-clockwise to increase the flow.//

Perhaps your answer is...... it is an antique tap. (^_*)

Read more: http://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/cold-water-taps-turns-backwards.94891/#ixzz4VMv7AulH

[RATTER15]

Thanks Togo, this piece made a lot of sense from your link, maybe right but maybe wrong!

"I was taught that it was arranged the old fashioned way 'so that a blind man would not scald himself'"

[Togo]

Haha, Ta Ratters. You sounded like John Lydon there in P.I.L. I could be Wrong I could be Right....... Rise.