Anyone fitted a mixer tap?

Jon20 · 12 Apr 2013 at 17:11

I'm sure someone on here has fitted a mixer tap before. It looks as though I'm going to have to have a go at changing the mixer tap on the kitchen sink. It's constantly dripping and leaking out of the actual tap levers. I'm a plumbing newbie but the actual fitting of the tap doesn't look to hard to do. There are isolation valves on both the hot and cold. The only bit I'm not entirely sure of is the plumbing side. Hopefully on the below picture you can see that the hot water tail from the tap is soldered to the main pipe, where as the cold has a flexi pipe.

I'm assuming I'll need to cut the pipe where I have marked with a pipe cutter? Would it then be ok to use some speedfit flexi pipes to attach to the main pipes? Something like these: http://www.screwfix.com/p/jg-speedfit-monobloc-tap-connector-15mm-x-m12-pack-of-2/84084 in the correct size for the new tap. Are there any particular brands of tap to go for and do they all have the same base size to fit the sink?

Sorry for the all the questions but I'd like to get it right first time.

Jon20 · 13 Apr 2013 at 00:10

Nightglow said:
From your photo, is your present mixer for a two hole sink. looking at the pipe spacing & it's size, if so you will need a basin wrench
to get to the nuts securing the mixer, & it best to cut the pipe with pipe slice, with give you a nice clean cut, rather than the rough cut of a hacksaw.

Those Tap Connectors you linked to ,are for mixers which use one hole.
Most mono mixers will come with a pair of flexible hoses, which have compression fitting, not push fit.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/plumbing-tools-by-rothenberger-standard-basin-wrench-285mm/61719

http://www.screwfix.com/p/rothen-eco-pipeslice-15mm/98155

Two hole mixer: http://www.screwfix.com/p/swirl-contract-deck-sink-mixer-taps-chrome/11473

One hole mixer: http://www.screwfix.com/p/swirl-contract-mono-sink-tap/78570

Oops sorry, the current mixer is a monoblock mixer, similar to the one hole mixer that you have linked.

Are push fit flexi pipes a no no then? If so, is it easy enough to fit a compression fitting that would allow the use of compression fit flexi pipes?

Edit: I've just had another look and the cold side of the tap tee's off from the mains. The left hand side goes to the washing machine and an outside tap. The right hand side, where the flexi is, doesn't look as though there is any extra pipe that the flexi is fitting on to. It looks as though it is pushed directly on to the tee.

Jon20 · 13 Apr 2013 at 01:08

Mickie said:
buy a tap you like, look at what you get with it, all mono block taps come with some pipework or flexy pipe..

using push fit is fine, i thought you'd already know this as you have some under your sink..

the flaxy you already have there isnt pushed onto the T directly, a small amount of 15mm pipe will be sticking out and thats what its pushed onto..

Yes, while there is a push fit flexi already there and it hasn't leaked in the 6-7 years it's been there, I was just wondering if it was the correct way to connect to the pipe work. If it's an acceptable way to do it, then great, saves me a bit of time when I get around to doing it.

Jon20 · 14 Apr 2013 at 14:50

Thanks for all the tips guys, should make it easier when I get around to changing the tap.

Jon20 · 14 May 2013 at 11:07

Finally getting around to doing this. Have ordered the tap which I'm waiting on being delivered. Ordered the tools and some JG Speedfit monobloc flexible pipes, these: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Plumbing//Monobloc+Mixer+Tap+Connector+15mm+x+M12+300mm/d/sd/p31721, which came today. Unfortunately they aren't going to be long enough. Does anyone know of anything similar that is longer? Around 500mm. Failing that I suppose I could use the copper tails that come with the tap and then use a flexible pushfit pipe to connect to the hot and cold side, similar to what is already being used for the cold side.