Taps?

[dextrous]

bout time the plumbers had a ruck, this has got 5 pages in it at least

ColJack is an electrician, and not a very good one at that

 

[ColJack]

However, my problem is that if I do all that, the tap flexi pipes won't reach the water supply pipes. I need some sort of 'extension'. Or a really long flexi pipe. But I can't seem to find one longer than 300mm anywhere. Any ideas?

we're offering diffferent ideas here..

what you are suggesting is that she replaces the copper stub on the end of the old flexis with a longer one, and olive / nut it straight into the tap connection.
I was originally suggesting that she extend the copper on the wall and change the flexi's to one that is designed to fit onto taps ( I was assuming that 3/4 connector on a tap would be a 3/4 tap connector and not a male thread part of a compression fitting that has not been supplied with the olives or nuts to go on the end of them.. )

my later Idea was to still use the flexi with the 3/4 tap connector on it ( still on the same assumption as above ) and just use the compression ( or pushfit ) join to connect to the stub of copper that's already on the end of the existing flexi.

and the following statement is STILL correct..

the old flexi's won't screw onto the tap connectors as they are 3/4 threaded and the old ones are compression fit to copper..

the old flexis will NOT thread onto the new tap ends..
even if you take the copper stub out, it's still a compresstion fitting and threaded male to take the nut.. male to male do not screw..one needs to be female or a coupler used..

 

[ColJack]

your way is not cheaper either..

yours:

1 pair straight coupler = 1.42
1 3m length of copper = 3.51 ( based on 35.14 for pack of 10 )

total = 4.93 ( I've discounted the junior hacksaw in case she has one. )

mine: ( new way using existing flexi's )

2 x new flexi ( no valve ) @ 1.65ea = 3.30

total = 3.30..



I'll allow it MAY be cheaper if she can get a shorter length of copper from a DIY store ( do they sell it in 1m lengths..? they sell 2m I'm sure i've seen it.. )

 

[dextrous]

we're offering diffferent ideas here..

obviously

what you are suggesting is that she replaces the copper stub on the end of the old flexis with a longer one, and olive / nut it straight into the tap connection.

correct

I was originally suggesting that she extend the copper on the wall and change the flexi's to one that is designed to fit onto taps ( I was assuming that 3/4 connector on a tap would be a 3/4 tap connector and not a male thread part of a compression fitting that has not been supplied with the olives or nuts to go on the end of them.. )

The trouble with saying 3/4 is that this will make her buy bath tap flexi connectors for a kitchen tap, which is the wrong size, curiously, as my photo of that double check valve shows.

my later Idea was to still use the flexi with the 3/4 tap connector on it ( still on the same assumption as above ) and just use the compression ( or pushfit ) join to connect to the stub of copper that's already on the end of the existing flexi.

Similar problem as above, plus the chamfer may cut through the rubber washer within the flexi, quite apart from the flexis apparently not being long enough, which is why I assume ( ) the old flexis had an extention piece of copper on them to connect to the old tap's tails with that hep pushfit

and the following statement is STILL correct..

the old flexi's won't screw onto the tap connectors as they are 3/4 threaded and the old ones are compression fit to copper..

the old flexis will NOT thread onto the new tap ends.

Never said they would - they will take the copper extention bit with the olives and nuts.

even if you take the copper stub out, it's still a compression fitting and threaded male to take the nut.. male to male do not screw..one needs to be female or a coupler used..

The 15mm copper pipes with the nuts and olives on them become the female for those male threads.

Anyway, who cares any more? Basically it's fairly straightforward whether she does it your way or mine (although mine is clearly superior ), and we await the next questions which will no doubt include:

1/. how does she attach the tap to the sink cos she can't get a spanner up there (answer - small box spanner)

2/. how does she stop the taps from moving, since the steel sink keeps bending under the weight of the tap when she turns it on and off and moves the arm around? (answer - with difficulty, but using copper tails and pipes instead of flexis will help )

 

[ColJack]

so you wouldn't recomend a steel sink then?
or is it monoblock taps that you don't like?

I will be doing the kitchen sink soon so need to think about it..
black worktop so silver sink would look better than the black or dark grey composite sinks and the ceramic ones I've seen are mostly light colours...

all the sinks seem to be reversible too and I don't like that.. the blank off for the tap hole you don't use looks rough...

 

[dextrous]

so you wouldn't recomend a steel sink then?
or is it monoblock taps that you don't like?

I will be doing the kitchen sink soon so need to think about it..
black worktop so silver sink would look better than the black or dark grey composite sinks and the ceramic ones I've seen are mostly light colours...

all the sinks seem to be reversible too and I don't like that.. the blank off for the tap hole you don't use looks rough...

I've no objection to either. It's just that some taps on (cheaper?!?) steel sinks can tend to wobble if they've been connected using flexis - depends how fussed you are. The only way I've managed to overcome this is by using copper connections (mose taps come with flexis, and it can be a bit of a pest getting hold of the copper equivalents) which it clipped to the wall or unit underneath - this at least gives it some support. The other way is to get a tap which has a bolt that connects it to the wall.

Have just ordered a black composite for my own kitchen from BQ with black tap. 4-6 week lead time as the sink is made in india and the tap comes from italy. We've a black worktop and my wife decided it will look good. It's the one shown under composite sinks on this page http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j...h_refview=summary&fh_refpath=facet_159016185.

As for not having a reversible sink - the op here got one from somewhere (maybe IKEA? 'cos she brought the subject up a month or so ago) and had to cut the hole out. I can't get the ikea site to open properly, otherwise I'd post some links.

 

[g20]

If you put some large washers to "pad out" where the bolt tightens against the monoblock you can get them alooot tighter and no wobble on thin sink tops

Kind of hard to explain so dont know if you got it, alot easier than using ridgid copper connectors though

 

[ColJack]

I have access to a place that punches metal and bends it, so I might call in a favour and get a bracket made in 3mm galv...

 

[dextrous]

If you put some large washers to "pad out" where the bolt tightens against the monoblock you can get them alooot tighter and no wobble on thin sink tops

Kind of hard to explain so dont know if you got it, alot easier than using ridgid copper connectors though

Must admit, looking at a metal horseshoe washer, doesn't look like much room to play with to me. I'll take your word for it