Boy's Plumbing Woes: Ancient Roman Plumbing Was Better Than Mine

  • Thread starter wolram
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In summary, the water hammer sounds like a huge fog horn and comes unexpectedly. It can be enough to make you jump out of your pants, and when you take a bath the hot water dries up to the kitchen sink. The Romans had better plumbing than mine. They make easy to install hammer arresters that you can buy at a hardware store.
  • #1
wolram
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Boy do i have water hammer, it sounds like some huge fog horn and is enough to make one jump out of ones pants, it comes unexpectedly, and when i have a bath the hot water dries up to the kitchen sink, the Romans had better plumbing than mine.
 
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  • #4
wolram said:
enough to make one jump out of ones pants
That sounds pretty handy. You should take it to the pub with you the next time you're horny.
 
  • #5
You could just have a water-logged arrester as well.
 
  • #6
If you don't have the cash to buy an arrestor try installing an empty 2 liter soda bottle inline. p.s. I totally made this up and have no idea if it would actually do anything at all.
 
  • #7
A water hammer is actually an energy source. The action in the pipes gives off a lot of heat. i believe it is caused by some sort of cavitation. They do generate a lot of energy, however They are not a workable power source yet.

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-7127158/Put-wasted-power-from-water.html [Broken]
 
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  • #8
My kids call it "the pipe singer" and they all get real excited when it makes its noise. Tonight it went on for about 30 seconds.

Deja vu. Have I already told this one before?
 
  • #9
Speaking of Deja vu, has there ever been a thread about that occurence?
 
  • #10
glondor wrote: they are not a workable power source yet.

probably not in house pipes, but controlled water hammer is what 'drives' hydraulic ram water pumps.
 
  • #11
glondor said:
A water hammer is actually an energy source. The action in the pipes gives off a lot of heat. i believe it is caused by some sort of cavitation. They do generate a lot of energy, however They are not a workable power source yet.

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-7127158/Put-wasted-power-from-water.html [Broken]

Certainly a mechanism for the delver of energy, but not a "source."
 
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  • #12
Water hammer (or, more generally, fluid hammer) is a pressure surge or wave resulting when a fluid in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly.
from Wikipedia - but it's reasonably accurate.

Cavitation may be an initiating factor, by virtue of the cavity (vapor phase) collapse and the rapid development of a wave along a pipe.

If there is a banging in hot water pipes, that could be a check valve abruptly closing or a steam bubble collapsing.

I've experience a rather large water hammer in 1.5 m pipe header at water production facility. A rather large check valve closed abruptly when the water pumps tripped off. The was a rather large bang and building shook and vibrated.
 
  • #13
Astronuc said:
from Wikipedia - but it's reasonably accurate.

Cavitation may be an initiating factor, by virtue of the cavity (vapor phase) collapse and the rapid development of a wave along a pipe.

If there is a banging in hot water pipes, that could be a check valve abruptly closing or a steam bubble collapsing.

I've experience a rather large water hammer in 1.5 m pipe header at water production facility. A rather large check valve closed abruptly when the water pumps tripped off. The was a rather large bang and building shook and vibrated.

I bet that made you jump, the boiler at work is good at making such noises, if it cuts out and has cooled the restart is quite scary, the first time i had to restart it i ran for cover.
 

1. How did ancient Roman plumbing differ from modern plumbing?

Ancient Roman plumbing was a complex system of aqueducts, pipes, and sewers that carried both fresh water and waste through cities. This system was built primarily using gravity, as the Romans did not have access to modern pumps and technology. In contrast, modern plumbing systems use pumps and pressure to move water and waste through pipes.

2. Why was ancient Roman plumbing considered better than modern plumbing?

The ancient Roman plumbing system was considered better because it was incredibly advanced for its time and allowed for the efficient distribution of clean water and removal of waste. The use of gravity also meant that the system required less maintenance and was less prone to malfunctions compared to modern plumbing systems.

3. How did ancient Roman plumbing impact daily life?

The advanced plumbing system in ancient Rome had a significant impact on daily life. It provided citizens with access to clean water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. It also allowed for the efficient removal of waste, which helped prevent diseases and maintained overall cleanliness in cities.

4. What materials were used in ancient Roman plumbing?

Ancient Roman plumbing systems were constructed using a variety of materials, including lead, clay, and stone. Lead was commonly used for pipes and fittings, while clay was used for sewer pipes. Stone was used for aqueducts and reservoirs.

5. Are there any similarities between ancient Roman plumbing and modern plumbing?

Despite the significant differences, there are some similarities between ancient Roman plumbing and modern plumbing. Both systems use pipes and gravity to move water and waste. Additionally, both systems require regular maintenance to ensure proper functioning.

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