Mixer hose

Mixer Connection: Features of Selection and Installation

When connecting faucets and other plumbing equipment, you need to adhere to certain principles to make their use comfortable in the future. At the moment there are several options for liner connections.

Features

Faucets and eyeliner for kitchens and bathrooms differ among themselves according to the technique of water supply, the mechanism of its switching, the place of installation in relation to the bathroom, the sink and the sink, and the materials from which they are made. Each product has its advantages and disadvantages.

Kinds

Connection of the mixer to the central water supply can be carried out using different types of connections:

• tough;
• flexible;
• bellows.

Rigid construction is the most reliable way to connect. Such an eyeliner is connected at one end to the pipe thread, and the other end - also through the thread to the mixer.

The advantage of this connection over flexible prototypes is:

• long service life: about 20 years;
• corrosion resistance;
• relatively convenient mount.

The rigid supply system can be connected to the water supply system in two ways: without auxiliary adapters or through fittings and specialized corner valves.

The rigid liner to the mixers can be observed in places with high sanitary and hygienic requirements, where there is a significant passability of people.

These include:

• medical institutions;
• sanatoriums;
• boarding houses;
• schools;
• kindergartens;
• health and sports centers;
• air terminals;
• railway and bus stations;
• stadiums.

Flexible eyeliner is the easiest and cheapest way to connect. It is a hose made of rubber coated (braid) of metal. This connection is mainly practiced in the private residential sector, apartments, and is also used when connecting household appliances that require water supply.

Mixer hose is a relatively complex element made with the latest technology from high quality materials. Subject to compliance with the technology of manufacture, it can for a long time (about 10 years) to maintain performance. Nevertheless, elevated temperatures, severe twisting or clamping during installation can disable it.

The bellows is a kind of flexible liner, and it is presented as a corrugated metal sleeve made of stainless steel, the end tips of which are realized in the form of brass nuts.

Bellows version is a new joining solution with good performance properties:

• long-term and reliable operation in conditions of elevated temperatures (up to 2500 degrees);
• high wear resistance;
• good resistance to oxygen diffusion;
• resistance to compressions and kinks during installation;
• corrosion resistance;
• resistance to temperature fluctuations;
• resistance to aggressive environments;
• simple connection process.

Materials

Hard liner is usually made of copper, brass or steel tube. The material of such an eyeliner withstands increased temperature loads, mechanochemical effects.

The service life and reliability of the flexible version directly depends on the material of the hose manufacturing and its protective coating. Steel braid serves for external and internal protection of the hose from mechanical damage and from undesirable effects of water hammer generated in the water supply system. The eyeliner must carry a pressure of 10 atm. and is made of thin steel, aluminum, galvanized, nylon threads. Also flexible eyeliner includes fittings or cap nuts (American) made of brass.

In the manufacture of hoses practiced two types of materials:

• specialized non-toxic rubber;
• high quality rubber.

In contrast to their rubber prototypes, bellows products are created using progressive technology, which includes three stages:

• twisting stainless steel tape;
• welding seams argon arc welding or laser welding;
• creation of bumps.

Dimensions

The rigid-type eyeliner is manufactured in typical lengths: from 20 to 50 cm. Variations of the thread for connection can be realized in two ways: from one end an American with 1/2 inch internal thread and fitting, from the other - a normal thread for a mixer (M10) or an American threaded inside 1/2 inch.

When installing a flexible liner, it is important to find out the length and diameter. Available in hoses of various sizes: 1, 3/4 and 3/8 inches.

Independently determine the required parameter, starting from water consumption by sanitary equipment:

• the smallest diameter of the toilet hose is 8 mm;
• shower cubicle, sink, sink and sink are connected by hoses with the smallest diameter of 10 mm;
• to connect the bath, you need an eyeliner with a diameter of 15 mm.

The length of the flexible eyeliner for water is specified by the distance between the plumbing equipment and the tap of the water pipe.

Bellows pipe is of two types:

• with a given length;
• folding.

The fixed version does not stretch and has specific dimensions: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 cm. For folding variations, the scale of the smallest and limiting values ​​is indicated, for example, 140-250, 200-355 mm. Particularly zealous with stretching is not worth it, because it affects the duration of the product.

Accessories

To perform work on the installation or rotation of the mixer should immediately prepare the appropriate components: extension, faucets, gaskets for connections through the thread. They will be useful when mounted on the water pipe adapter, couplings, packing thread fittings for metal.

Trust tape FUM is not necessary - it is better to use simple linen tow and paste-sealant - such a connection will reliably protect against leakage.

Manufacturers Overview

In order not to delay the choice of the desired product It is necessary to get acquainted with the most trusted and sought-after companies in advance, which are included in this list.

• Grohe (Germany). The company produces high quality liner that attracts customers with reliability, ergonomics and durability.
• ProFactor is a German brand with 50 years of experience in this field. During this period, products have shown themselves in the world market from the best side and today is the indisputable favorite. Any sample from the ProFactor range is an example of high quality.

• Remer is a brand originally from Italy, which creates a solid competition for the products presented above companies. This product is well known to the domestic consumer. The company carries out the entire production cycle, which allows it to control each stage.
• On the products of the Russian company Santrade consumer opinion is ambiguous. In some cases, they are satisfied with the work of the supply lines and have no complaints about the manufacturer, while in others, users have negative evaluations. Santrade manufactures products of various price categories. Inexpensive range is not high quality. As a result, differences of opinion occur.

• Industrials Mateu, a Spanish manufacturer, consistently engages in research and development and has tight control over its own products. This concept of work gives her the opportunity to produce a demanded product that meets international standards.
• Rispa is a company about which little is known. According to some data, this is a manufacturer from Turkey, and from other sources it becomes clear that it was created in the PRC. Products are inexpensive, which gives it the opportunity to stay on the Russian market. In addition, product quality is far from the worst. A faucet liner can last a decent amount of time even with very frequent use, so with a small budget you can stop the choice on these products.

How to choose?

When choosing an eyeliner, users usually pay attention to appearance. But it is necessary to remember that the supply of water to the mixer is a very serious process, and the choice of component materials should be treated appropriately.

When acquiring liner you need to proceed from some criteria.

• The material of manufacture. To skimp on the materials should not be - depends on the smooth operation of plumbing. Whatever type of eyeliner is purchased, it is better to purchase a quality product. Of course, visually, this is not easy to do, especially since the market is full of low-quality cheap products. There should be a certificate of quality for genuine material, and it is better to learn about the manufacturer in advance.
• The cost of service and possible repair. You do not need to buy too expensive elite items, because in the event of an unforeseen accident, problems may begin with finding spare parts and replacing components, and even if spare parts are found, the cost may be unreasonably high.

• The appearance of the material and their own preferences. When choosing, you also need to look at the appearance, if the eyeliner is of a hard type and will be visible. In such a situation, the appearance of the materials should be combined with the interior design of the bathroom and meet the overall style of other attributes.
• If the room temperature is below zero, then you should not use a rigid and flexible eyeliner. Bellows eyeliner involves the use of at low temperatures, but it is better to clarify the information in the passport for the goods.

You will learn more about what to look for when choosing a flexible liner by watching the following video.

Instructions for use

Even if a good eyeliner was purchased that meets the necessary requirements and is suitable for the operating conditions, it still needs to be properly connected. Any product with an illiterate installation is unable to demonstrate high-quality and long-lasting work - very soon the device will have to be removed and replaced with a new one.

Before proceeding with the installation of the hose, you need to inspect the liner. Attention must be paid to the defects of sleeves and threads. If there are doubts about the condition of these elements, it is better to replace the worn-out components or repair them.

Flexible eyeliner is not the best way to withstand bends, so the installation must be careful. The possible fracture radius should not be 6 times higher than the diameter of the hose, otherwise the extension cord will be damaged and begin to flow. Just a few minor cracks favor rapid leakage.

If the fittings are tightly screwed, the sealing can be broken or the fitting can be damaged. Of course, it is necessary to delay, but the main thing is not to overdo it. Even if the fittings already have gaskets, it is still necessary to produce a reel of linen tow.

Screwing fittings performed in the holes of the mixer. The hoses should be threaded through the holes of single washbasins. Fittings are used to fix the tap at the bottom of the sink. Connecting the liner to the water pipes is realized by American women.

Upon completion of the installation work, the system is tested for water resistance.

Within 20 minutes you need to test connections for leaks. If nothing is revealed, the mixer for cold and hot water will function reliably. If a leakage is detected, it will be necessary to unscrew the connectors, inspect the gaskets, re-wind and install the system in place.

The liner system can be hidden, open, bottom, corner. The hidden method is often performed for a bath. It is desirable to carry out it at the stage of repair, since it is necessary to make a box of drywall or make walls.

Hidden eyeliner need to arrange a high quality, apply proven and expensive materials, since it will be difficult to unscrew this or that part and make repairs. For an open liner, it is enough to screw in the fasteners into the wall and install them according to the previously formed plan.

Useful tips

To make a competent choice of liner for the mixer will help some expert advice.

• Each hose should be labeled with the characteristics and technical parameters. This information makes it possible to choose the right eyeliner for the diameter and method of fixation.
• By weight, you can learn the material of manufacture: aluminum - light, steel - much heavier. Light hoses generally turn out to be of poor quality and fail, not having worked for six months.
• Plastic fitting - a sign of questionable quality hose. With a similar mount, the liner will not be able to withstand workloads.

• Hoses must be flexible - insufficient plasticity speaks of poor quality, which leads to the formation of deformations and cracks over time.
• Press sleeves are made of stainless steel. They must sit tight on the product, which is achieved only by high-quality crimping.
• Cap nuts (American) should not be light and thin - a similar product during operation will cause many complications.
• The supply for the mixer should not have a strong smell of rubber. This means a poor quality of the raw materials used to manufacture the internal component of the liner. This product should not be used in everyday life, as over time it will begin to flow, and you will need a quick replacement.

• For hot water only hoses with red markings are used. The blue mark corresponds to the cold water supply. Produced and universal eyeliner with red and blue markings. It can be used for water of any temperature within the recommended range. The length of the liner is chosen with a certain margin so that the hose slightly sags or does not have a strong tension.
• Some plumbers are building up hoses. As a result, an additional connection appears, which reduces the reliability of the system. In this case, it is better to change the liner to the product of a suitable size.