Sioux Chief Mini Rester AA Size Installation - Stop pipes from banging aka water hammer

The Sioux Chief is a simple plumbing device which takes a few minutes to install with the right tools etc, if you have banging pipes which is known as water hammer that can lead to pipework damage etc this device is fitted before appliances to add protection and stop noises.
You can also buy these for direct appliance attachment, we may do a video about them as well as they are a bit easier to fit.

[@MarkHopewell]

Thank you for this insight, it's very helpful despite all the plumber pedant comments :o) So, here is an anti-pedant retort.... A GasSafe engineer came to our house around 7 years ago from an allegedly reputable local company. To cut a long story short, we called the company in to repair a boiler which wouldn't heat tap water - CH was fine. The engineer arrived and over the course of a hour he twiddled with all the valves, stop cocks and whatever else accessible from the boiler before taking off the water diverter valve to examine it. After still not finding the fault, he put the diverter valve back in and then left saying "see how it goes". On drawing water later in the evening, my wife called out that a large puddle of water was forming on the hall carpet near the boiler room door. Trying to keep this saga short, I found myself taking a self-taught crash course in hydraulics, to find the fault the so-called qualified person couldn't. Although I traced the fault to the heater exchanger plate eventually, I found out the reason for his handy work in the process. He'd left off an O ring from the water diverter valve, thus facilitating the leak. Anyway, after I fitted the new heat plate exchanger, with a new diverter valve installed (just in case) and the whole hydraulics replaced throughout, the boiler gave us another 3 years good service before the gas valve eventually failed. Of course, I wouldn't touch the gas valve, so at that point we decided to have a new boiler fitted instead. Oh and before the plumber pedants cry out, "Foul!", frankly a domestic boiler compared to the house-sized heat exchangers I worked on with broadcast transmitters, let alone all the vast thermionic intercooling inside the transmitters themselves - I felt the Worcester Bosch boiler was a doddle.

[@cmal90]

PTFE on the thread serves NO purpose at all, put it around the olive and where it seals against the tee fitting body if you have to.

[@davethompson9011]

Hi Cmal90. Why does PTFE serve no purpose on the thread?

[@ryancarter6696]

@@davethompson9011 The Olive (the brass ring) is what compresses the copper pipe in order to create a seal. If you use PTFE or Loctite on the thread it may compromise the amount at which you can tighten the nut, thus meaning that there is not adequate tension/tightness on the nut compressing the Olive. Also you should paste the Olive on the side that it is going into the joint with a jointing compound such as Boss universal or jet blue.

[@robinbanks183]

It is Completely pointless putting ptfe tape on the threads of a compression fitting it serves no purpose whatsoever it is the olive that makes the seal not the threads.

[@areyouundoingthatorwhat9181]

@@ryancarter6696 I'm in the automotive trade and while the applications may be different the principles of threads are the same.The use of any lubricant on a thread ,PTFE tape acting as the lubricant in this case,will determine the torque required to achieve a certain setting,by reducing the friction created by the treads as they pass you can achieve a higher loading using less force. some automotive stuff is specified as dry only meaning no lubricant at all,so a completely dry and oil free thread is required to achieve the specified torque correctly,a real pain on blind holes sometimes! but even water on a thread can affect a final torque,softer metals like brass when naked naturally tend to bind and start noticeable surface transfer at a relatively low friction level compared to steel for instance,adding PTFE tape which then acts as a bearing will offer no physical resistance unless you apply an impractical amount and will actually give a false low ' torque feel' and this can easily result in an overtightened thread,.not good on the thread it's self plus my understanding of compression fittings is that there is a certain amount of elastic deformation required to maintain sealing under varying expansion and retraction situations due to temperature and pressure differences, i.e. don't hang of the spanner😗,if the fitting is overtightened and the olive is squashed beyond that then surely it's going to leak or at least weep at some point. I hate the bloody stuff anyway,it looks terrible all hanging out of fittings like string,it wouldn't be so bad if people cut the surplus off after.

[@rich8037]

PTFE tape has no function anywhere around a compression fitting! On the thread it can in theory assist with lubrication, but much better to use a tiny smear of grease if that concerns you. On the olive it won't help either - the olive is intended to deform to fill the space between pipe and fitting exactly, and if it's done right (which isn't hard) the joint will be good for decades.

[@hardworker8030]

Would you know what size is needed for the washing machine. I've seen some people fit them to the washing valve so which is correct

[@nobrizzle]

FYI- my water hammer arrestor didn't work until I put it in a vertical orientation.

[@DanielJohnHowTo]

Thanks for the tip.

[@daveminchin8114]

you don't need PTFE on the cones fitting and fix the pipe clip as well

[@DaddyBear3000]

You ONLY need PTFE on the olive. On the threads does nothing, the water shouldn’t be anywhere near the thread. Only on a male threaded accessory, like a shower bar valve or external tap, would you use thread-locker or PTFE on the threads.

[@Ramblequist]

You mentioned putting arrestor on cold water side. So Hot and Cold are also backwards in the UK?

[@DanielJohnHowTo]

hot is on the left and cold is on the right here.

[@hugogonzalez7844]

Great help on the plumbing. Please protect the tile floor, it looks messy I'm sure your customer is not happy.

[@DanielJohnHowTo]

Thanks for the tip

[@jimmymorris8032]

can i angle this rester so it fits under my worktop?? cheers 👍

[@707SonomaComa]

What if I installed it on a riser, would it work better then? Maybe a little air gap for more cushion?

[@chriswood1149]

I am getting a Water Hammer sound after my toilet upstairs has finished flushing. If was to get an Arrester fitted, can this be fitted anywhere on the cold water feed? I.e. behind my sink downstairs or behind my washing machine? Or does it need to be fitted near the toilet?

[@RadManStu]

Needs to be within 6ft of where the water hammer is coming from.

[@chriswood1149]

Thanks. As I can’t get to the pipe work under my toilet due to boxing. Would it be best to install under the sink in the bathroom? As this is within 6 feet. Otherwise I’d need to install it downstairs which is further away.

[@Gartferry]

Using ptfe tape on compression fittings is unnecessary and often leads to leaks: compression fittings rely on the olive being compressed to seal the joint, not tape. If you must use it, you should run it clockwise round the thread, not the way you have done. You were correct about one thing though: you are not plumbers!

[@DanielJohnHowTo]

Thanks for the advice!

[@sevesham]

To avoid banging in pipes use non-return valve before equipment. Simple.

[@DanielJohnHowTo]

thanks for the advice!

[@dominictsang7665]

Why a non-returm valve and not a hammer arrestor?

[@basilkearsley2657]

Can you buy a whole house hammer arrestor???

[@DanielJohnHowTo]

not to my knowledge but a single one can make quite some difference.

[@user-kq5qp6dh8l]

Don’t over compress your nut

[@DanielJohnHowTo]

you neither.

[@christopherdrozdz6128]

So many things wrong with this...

[@DanielJohnHowTo]

feel free to share.

[@larrytheplumber9851]

U for one 🤣

[@ednaturnbull8564]

if you are a DIY do your research first, if you are a plumber you are a disgrace, copper pipe must be deburred after cutting on the inside to prevent turbulence, noise and pressure buildup and outside from destroying the O-ring in press fittings.

[@DanielJohnHowTo]

Thanks for your expert advice.