Flexible connectors

[Dave1980]

Has anyone had any trouble with flexible hose connections? I have fitted some to a bathtap as the bath was tight to a wall, and after a year the hot water connector burst. I replaced this with another (longer) flexihose in case the first hose was stretched and under pressure, now 6 months later this new hose has burst (fraying the metal sheating in two places) The rating on the hoses was 65 degrees C. and the hot water is set at 57 degrees C.

Is this a known problem on flexible hoses? or are the hoses poor quality? I won't mention the make as I do not want to give the manufacturing company a bad name they may not deserve. Lets just say they are sold in B&Q so not some cheap internet buy!.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[AWheating]

I didn't remember the bristan copper tails, that's them that don't play nice with a pipe slice.

done a few jobs with them on, you can squash the copper between your fingers. The problems i came across is some of the plumbers at my old firm would connect onto the soft copper tails with compression fittings which lead to loads of leaks and maintenance work.

 

[SimonG]

Done half a dozen armitage shanks vanestas for the local docs, the quality on the copper tails was very impressive, pipe wall must have been a full mm thick, but at 1100 a pop you would expect it.

 

[AWheating]

i always though bristan was an ok brand, but thoses cheap tails have put me right off them. Shame cus most my work (new build/local HA)seems to insist on bristan taps.

 

[Guest123]

I reckon Bristan taps to be amongst the best, but the copper tails now supplied are cack. I usually change them for better ones from my stock.
More recently all the manufacturers that supplied taps with flexies are saying to install them hand tight only. Wonder what will happen to the previous millions in service that have been horsed up tight with a spanner? LOL

Wish someone would invent a leak proof bayonet connection instead of a threaded one for water pipes, perhaps similar to a gas hose connection.

 

[SimonG]

Wish someone would invent a leak proof bayonet connection instead of a threaded one for water pipes, perhaps similar to a gas hose connection.

Shouldn't be too hard, they have them on compressed air connections. Needs to be a bit better than the hozelock garden hose connector.

 

[hammers4spanner]

i personaly will never use flexi's again after as already stated had a couple blow off,
Both on baths and push fit ones , and on both occasions it was where cust screwed me down on my labour costs so decided speed was morea key to make up on labour/time.

Both done pretty much same thing stayed on for several months then went ping resulting in custs phoning me demanding compensation etc

 

[kay-jay]

i personaly will never use flexi's again after as already stated had a couple blow off,
Both on baths and push fit ones , and on both occasions it was where cust screwed me down on my labour costs so decided speed was morea key to make up on labour/time.

Both done pretty much same thing stayed on for several months then went ping resulting in custs phoning me demanding compensation etc

ouch! did you have to pay out/make a claim on your pli?

 

[hammers4spanner]

Luckily no i didn't as i argued the amount of time they had been on there (several months ) and had no issues .
Then they argued i should guarantee work etc , but i made a point how do i know you have not done anything at a later date .

funny thing was as both were very similar circumstances where it was a tight space so i pencil marked the depth so knew they pushed fully on .Only thing i could think of was that a sudden drop then a rush in pressure caused the push fits to jump up off the pipe .i dont think they tinkered with them but used that as an excuse , either way caused me pile of grief to point of one of the custs was nigh on stalking me .

From then on never ever will i use flexi's again and thus far been all good .

 

[Dannypipe]

Scary reading.

 

[Guest123]

One to be aware of is that ceramic disc taps shut off the water much more quickly/suddenly than traditional taps. Couple this shutting off suddenly with a high pressure main or a very hot water pipe and the push fit flexies can gradually lose their grip on the pipe and then disaster. The same thing can happen with a compression flexie on plastic pipe, the compressed olive can slowly creep up the pipe and blow off. I know this because the last time I used a flexie it happened to me and a hot water supply pipe that was fine for 2 weeks blew off for no reason other than what I've just said above.

I bet I've got you all wearing brown pants now worrying about this! LOL

 

[tamz]

Btw i have boxes of flexi's lying in the garage. Maybe 500 of them that i bought as a job lot. I've used about 20 of them, mainly to make up filling loops.
If anyone is interested make me an offer. I've not got a conscience.
I should realy get rid of some of the junk i will never use.

 

[mcniven]

Tamz I have an online shop as well selling off stuff

Let me workout a margin and il send u a pm

 

[Rabski]

Thread resurection, for which I apologise. I'm a sparks, but have done most of the plumbing in my house (though wpouldn't for work). I'm generally old-fashioned and prefer to do things 'proper', but there are a number of places here where a blowtorch would be a very bad idea. I've just replaced a braided flxi, where the braid had completely corroded away in two places. Caught it in time, but it could have been a disaster. Under-sink cupboard, and SWMBO fills it with cleaning stuff that makes you dizzy when you open the door. I suspect therefore that it's corrosion as a result of this. My solution here is to use Hep20 between the copper and the tap connectors. I suspect it's less susceptible to chemical attack! Yes, I could do it in copper, but it's a tight fit inside a wood cabinet and VERY close to the wood, so heat may not be appropriate...