How to best connect to a freestanding bath tap

[oldboy12]

Hey guys,

I'm in the process of doing the first fix plumbing and my other half has bought a freestanding bath tap she'd like for our bathroom. Unfortunately, the flexi hoses female connectors at the base of the unit have very little play vertically (maybe 10-20mm). If anyone has tackled this previously and could shed some light that would be great.

I'm doing all the first fix in 15mm copper (I know baths are best done in 22mm, but my incoming mains/unvented cylinder feed is all in 15mm)

So my options seem to be:
- fit 15mm x 1/2" male compression couplers coming out the subfloor, rolling the dice that I get the male threads within the 10-20mm of the flexi hose connections tolerance, then awkwardly try to tighten the flexis
- fit flexi hoses under the floor (with limited future access), popping the flexis out of the subfloor hole, use 1/2" nipples to connect to the tap flexis and push them back into the subfloor (least preferred but easiest option)
- use some form of push fit coupler which may be easier to swap out in the future from above compared to compression couplers?

Any ideas for things I haven't thought of would be appreciated

 

[Madrab]

The flexi's coming out of the tap should be extra long so they can be connected to the couplers in the floor and then as the tap is sat onto the floor the flexi's a fed down in the space in the floor. Then the tap is secured down. All comes down to how it all joins together. I have had one where a section of the floor beside the tap was removed to allow the tap to be fixed to the floor and then the connections made.

Couple of pics of the tap and connections and where it's going may help.

 

[oldboy12]

Hey Mabrab

Here's a pic for reference. Like I said they don't pull out further but they can be pushed back to the brass/gold fixing mount about 20mm or so.

These guys encountered the same problem with this tap but rather lengthy video -

.

I was just wondering if anyone had any better ideas

Thanks

 

[Madrab]

I'd be extending the flexi's - use a couple of 1/2" male nipples and use them to connect a couple of flexi's onto those tails that are in the tap already. That'll give you loads of extra length.

 

[robinbanks]

baths are best done in 22mm

When coming from a gravity based feed to a 22mm tap maybe but you're connecting to a 9mm flexi and driving with mains pressure, so there's no point. All you'd be achieving with 22mm is a larger standing volume of cold water to get rid of before it comes hot

 

[dilalio]

All you can do is couple those up to another set of flexis as per @Madrab.

Make sure the joiners are flat faced so they don't cut into the rubber washers.

Make sure you pressure test it all before closing up and be prepared to have to get to the connections (from the ceiling below) if there's a future issue.

 

[oldboy12]

All you can do is couple those up to another set of flexis as per @Madrab.

Make sure the joiners are flat faced so they don't cut into the rubber washers.

Make sure you pressure test it all before closing up and be prepared to have to get to the connections (from the ceiling below) if there's a future issue.

Cheers guys.

I need to box some waste pipework on the ceiling below anyway. Do you think it would be worth considering running the pipe along the ceiling below, install isolation valves then extra long hoses up through the ceiling and through the subfloor? That way I could box it in and access both sides of the hoses? Hope that made sense. Bit anxious of extending the flexis with more flexis which will be joined under a tiled floor

 

[dilalio]

Cheers guys.

I need to box some waste pipework on the ceiling below anyway. Do you think it would be worth considering running the pipe along the ceiling below, install isolation valves then extra long hoses up through the ceiling and through the subfloor? That way I could box it in and access both sides of the hoses? Hope that made sense. Bit anxious of extending the flexis with more flexis which will be joined under a tiled floor

Even if you'd bought a product with longer flexis, you'd still have an inaccessible joint under a tiled floor, it's the nature of concealed fittings.

Full bore iso valves where you can get at them in a hurry is always a prudent idea.

The amount of concealed shower valves, without means of isolation, that I encounter, and have to deal with, is huge!

 

[Madrab]

It all depends on what the floor covering is too - as suggested, one I did had a wooden floor and there was an access made - that had a brass surround like a mini floor hatch - beside the tap. The tails went down through the floor and turned right to the access panel. The ISO's were in there, where the tails connected onto.

 

[dilalio]

It all depends on what the floor covering is too - as suggested, one I did had a wooden floor and there was an access made - that had a brass surround like a mini floor hatch - beside the tap. The tails went down through the floor and turned right to the access panel. The ISO's were in there, where the tails connected onto.

Bit anxious of extending the flexis with more flexis which will be joined under a tiled floor

Could be done with a siliconed tile I suppose!

 

[Madrab]

Bit anxious of extending the flexis with more flexis which will be joined under a tiled floor

The connection using a male nipple to fit another flexi onto it would be just as secure as connecting the original tap tail to any other kind of coupler/valve.

If you are anxious about extending the flexi using that method then you should be just as anxious connecting the flexi's to anything under the floor - if you see what I mean.

 

[terryplumb]

Solder to the copper pipes fittings with male thread ( 1/2 in BSP I assume to suit the flexis). Set the height to be 10mm above finished floor level .

 

[robinbanks]

Solder to the copper pipes fittings with male thread ( 1/2 in BSP I assume to suit the flexis). Set the height to be 10mm above finished floor level .

Yeah but then you have to faff around with minimal clearance, trying to get fingers or a spanner into a 20mm gap formed by leaning the tap to one side

If I was nervous about extending the hoses I'd dismantle the other end of the tap and see about fitting longer ones