WC Flexible Pan Connectors

[Cursitor Doom]

Hi all,

I find myself in a situation where I may have to resort to using a flexible pan connector to hook up my new loo. Trouble is, I've always regarded "flexible solutions" as 'not proper plumbing' and really only suitable for wankers. A prime example being push-fit pipework. I've always used the solvent weld system in the past, but it's not going to feasible in the situation I'm faced with. What's the score with flexible pan connectors, then? Are they to be taken seriously? Would a professional plumber lower himself to use one if the situation called for it? Your view invited.... cd.

[GMM]

I'd go with your initial assessment but I had cause to be a wanker in this context myself when our bog broke and the new fit was an awkward bugger into a lead pipe, so used one 'temporarily' until I re-do all the plumbing and soil in that area. Looks crap (so would benefit greatly from boxing in or another form of camouflage) but has done the job without a whimper for the past couple of years. The biggest problem I had with it was getting it to bend to the shape required and stay there without popping out of the socket, as it was a bit too long. I found that not being too delicate with it (it's easy to think they are a bit fragile) and swearing quite a lot helped.

[DerbyBorn]

Would a bit of gentle heat help (A soak in a hot bucket of water)?

[The Medway Handyman]

They have been around for ages and are often used.

This, from the McAlpine site'

Standard; There is no British Standard for Flexible WC Connectors but McAlpine Connectors comply to German Standard DIN 1389:2000-05 for Flexible WC Connectors.

Additional Info; Tested by German Testing House LGA, Certificate Number

0120208-02 and other Testing Houses. Tests prove conclusively that there is no build-up of sediment and the product is perfectly fit for purpose.

[John Rumm]

Sometimes they are the only solution unless you are prepared to massively increase the scope of a job by digging up floors, re core drilling walls etc and messing about with soil stack connections.

So yes professional plumbers will use them.

Downsides - if they are on show, they don't look as pretty. Also beware in soil runs where rats can crawl up as far as the water trap - they can gnaw through a flexi. (one solution for situations like that, is once fitted one can shutter up the flexible bit and fill with mortar).

You can also get some rigid kind of flexible connections with multiple rotatable joints at different angles - these will cope with odd exit angles and small offsets.

[Cursitor Doom]

That's the problem here: a smallish offset of a couple of inches. I'll tell you what would be ideal: a 110mm offset coupling at the wall would give me the space I need, but incredibly there doesn't seem to be such a beast! They make offset pan connectors, but I can't use one of those as this loo's soil exit is entirely shrouded by porcelain as part of the 'easy clean' design and there isn't enough clearance. :(

[dave]

I used one of these becuase the usual bendy flexible ones couldn't span the height difference in the space available. This did the job perfectly and no wankery-like ripples in the way either. hth.

[Cursitor Doom]

Not if one wants the best-looking result.

[Cursitor Doom]

Looks just the job at first sight, but unless the height of the vertical section can somehow be adjusted to accommodate the desired drop, I fail to see how it would fit unless one were extraordinarily lucky!