Expansion vessel on a flexi - illegal?

[Ric2013]

Saw a photo a customer showed me of what seemed to be a flexi installed on an expansion vessel serving a small electric water heater by someone he found who was cheaper than me. I say 'seemed to be' because I'm not sure from the angle of the photo whether the flexi was attached to the vessel or elsewhere, possibly to the heater itself.

Can people with Level 3 or G3 registration please confirm whether flexis anywhere between a source of heat and the expansion vessel are absolutely wrong? Thank you.

 

[Pickwickpick]

Expansion vessels are normally attached with a braided hose.

 

[Riley]

Some unventeds come supplied with a 1/2”- 1/2” from hydro block to vessel

 

[Pickwickpick]

Firebird Expansion Vessel Flexi Hose, ACCCOMHOS | Buy at H.P.W.

Was it like the above?

 

[999]

There is flexible hoses available to buy used for the hotwater expansion into the vessal. Personally i like to pipe them up in copper

 

[ShaunCorbs]

they are allowed but not recommended

 

[townfanjon]

Always used to be connected by flexis but the trend now is to hard pipe them .

 

[Rob Foster]

Why would you deliberately build a weak link into a system ,
Copper is best centralheatking

 

[Ric2013]

Firebird Expansion Vessel Flexi Hose, ACCCOMHOS | Buy at H.P.W.

Was it like the above?

From the photo I saw of the install I couldn't tell the difference between a tap flexi and your one.

 

[Riley]

Maybe call manufacturer as the MIs will always win through

 

[Scott_D]

Why are they showing you if you didn’t get the job?

 

[Ric2013]

I don't know. I think he was being friendly. He likes to chat whenever he sees me, but his English isn't good, so showing me a photo aided communication.

To be honest, I wasn't happy with the last job I did for him, so don't blame him for shopping around. I put in the cheapest tap I could find that allegedly had a British Standard and was therefore legal to install in his kitchen because he didn't want to spend much (he is harder up than I am), but I didn't like it. I put it in with copper and wish, with hindsight, I'd used restrictive flexis, as the water issued violently from the tap.

 

[Welder]

Always used to be connected by flexis but the trend now is to hard pipe them .

I stopped using flexis years ago because they simply do not last. Hard pipe complete with a drain point and isolator for simple servicing😉

 

[Welder]

From the photo I saw of the install I couldn't tell the difference between a tap flexi and your one.

Because there isn't any! EPDM rubber hose the hose alone is not rated for the pressure. It's only the brading combined with the hose that gives it its rating. Beware. Hard pipe always best. There is now, I believe, a new super duper vessel hanging system too.

 

[Ric2013]

I stopped using flexis years ago because they simply do not last. Hard pipe complete with a drain point and isolator for simple servicing😉

Agreed. I meant from the point of view of attenuating flow.

Does anyone make something like this Flow Regulator Cartridges - 2.5 l/m- Isolating, Flow Control & Service | BES.co.uk | BES.co.uk that could go straight into the tap tail? Would save having to fit a specific brand of isolator just to be able to use said cartridge.

 

[Welder]

Agreed. I meant from the point of view of attenuating flow.

Does anyone make something like this Flow Regulator Cartridges - 2.5 l/m- Isolating, Flow Control & Service | BES.co.uk | BES.co.uk that could go straight into the tap tail? Would save having to fit a specific brand of isolator just to be able to use said cartridge.

None that I know of. The link you put up is always what I used.

 

[Rob Foster]

At the end of the day, whatever
Its obvious pressurised systems are just that and any weak links should be not be installed , regulations are ok but we the installers must set up the most safe systems ...thats my opinion
Rob Foster aka centrakheatking
Copper and hard plumbing is always best in this situation why
Argue otherwise

 

[Ric2013]

None that I know of. The link you put up is always what I used.

Cheers for that, although I've since had an interesting comment from BES:

We supply these for the flow regulator ball valves but I have had feed back from a customer saying they have put them directly into a tail to a shower and it worked. May be worth [a go] for the cost of them.


I'll play around with some at home, the place I usually try out experiments to see what actually works without inflicting it on customers. It may be worth seeing if these can be used in this way. Will report on findings.

 

[Welder]

Yes they do fit into a shower tail but they are much wider than a tap tail

 

[Rob Foster]

Cheers for that, although I've since had an interesting comment from BES:

We supply these for the flow regulator ball valves but I have had feed back from a customer saying they have put them directly into a tail to a shower and it worked. May be worth [a go] for the cost of them.


I'll play around with some at home, the place I usually try out experiments to see what actually works without inflicting it on customers. It may be worth seeing if these can be used in this way. Will report on findings.

Be aware Bes at Electric Avenue are discount retail,and wholesale outfit , very good but
Are not manufacturers and unable to,advise on serious matters like this