American kitchen taps...

[Scott M]

Afternoon all,

When we holidayed in the US last year we stayed with a friend who had a rather nifty kitchen tap. It looked like an ordinary mixer job but, when tugged, the head would pull out of the body to act like a shower head. We were both taken with this and would like to fit one in the future.

So the question is: what size pipework & connectors the Americans use? I know they go for imperial measurements for this sort of thing so are they likely to be the the same as the old 1/2" size with compatible pitch threads?

Cheers,

[Roger Wareham]

I'm not sure about American taps, but this type of tap is available rather closer to home in Calais, Boulogne or Dunkerque (Leroy Merlin). French taps are supplied with flexible tails terminating in (I think)

3/8" BSP connectors. These fit the thread on a 15 mm to 10 mm compression coupling.

Roger.

[Christian McArdle]

Saw one in B&Q a few years ago. I can't think why you'd want to have a shower in the kitchen, though. Maybe washing the dog?

Christian.

[Tim Mitchell]

In article , Christian McArdle writes

Rinsing stuff off plates. Most commercial kitchens have them.

[Lee Blaver]

IKEA had them last time I was there, although they aren't on the website... Theirs looked like 12mm tails out to 15mm copper, although that's a guess, I didn't actually measure it ;)

As for the use, I suppose it may be handy for rinsing dishes or veggies.

Lee

[RichardS]

My mother would find one useful. She's often to be found washing her hair in the kitchen sink.

(Don't ask... That's Yorkshire folk for you! I think it uses fractionally less water.)

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

[Christian McArdle]

Ah. I prefer dishwashers.

I could use it for cleaning the sides of the Belfast sink, I suppose, but I doubt the styling would be suitable.

Christian.

[Christian McArdle]

Washing veggies?

A bit of soil is good for your immune system! Give it something to chew on, instead of catching allergies.

Christian.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Nah. Its something to do with the size of the head and the paucity of Yorkshire basins...

[Philip Davies]

They are selling on E-Bay

[derek]

Plumbworld have them. £59 +vat

[Christian McArdle]

With minimum 1 bar, that is a mains (or pump) pressure only tap, so I'd check that the hot water system is compatible first.

Christian.

[John H]

Franke also do a couple of versions which have heads that full out

Parents have one, fab for washing larger items

John

[mike ring]

"Christian McArdle" wrote in news:3fc39191$0$13346$ [e-mail]:

I got one from homebase, but it was no good, it had 10mm tails, which combined with my 10-12 ft head - I raised the header tank but it did no good - meant no shower at all.

If it had worked it would have been wonderful

mike r

[IMM]

They are available here.

[IMM]

I had one similar 23 years ago. I hardly ever used the hose as I have a dishwasher. A waste of time.

[Gin Smith]

got mine in John Lewis about 18 months ago......really useful for washing large things - or filling very tall (that are too big to fit under the tap in the sink) containers with.....

[IMM]

The problem with these is that the removable nozzle can scratch more than the rest of the tap spout, making it look grotty after a time.

[Scott M]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Didn't realise they'd be so reasonably priced this side of the pond.

I'm surprised that there are problems if the water pressure isn't great enough. What am I missing?

[Christian McArdle]

Showers need good pressure anyway, to squeeze the water through the little holes. Add a compact design that requires narrow waterways, and you'll only get a dribble from a low pressure gravity fed system. Also, it won't handle differential pressure well. A standard kitchen tap can handle pressure differential because the water is mixed mid air. The spout actually has separate channels for hot and cold which don't interfere. If the water was mixed within the tap, the high pressure water would physically prevent the low pressure from entering the mixing chamber and might even flow back up the low pressure supply pipe.

Christian.