Concentric Mixer Taps

[Chris]

Hello,

I've a mixer taps with two concentric holes on the spout and I'm trying to get a definitive answer as to which way around the hot and cold should be. In all my experience of such taps, the hot has emerged through the central hole, and the cold through the outer, although I can find nothing that definitively states that this should be the case.

The property we've just moved into has the hot and the cold the other way round, but also had the red and blue caps on the wrong sides, so I'm inclined to believe that the tap has just been fitted backwards! The developer doesn't seem to believe this however, and just wants to swap the caps round, so it would be nice to have something written to convince them.

If anyone can confirm exactly how such taps should be connected, it would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Chris

[David Hansen]

On 24 Apr 2007 06:03:53 -0700 someone who may be Chris wrote this:-

There is probably nothing "official" to state this. I hope officials have better things to do with their time than draw up silly rules.

However, the reason for having the cold on the outside is so the spout remains cool to the touch. If the "developer" won't fix this snag then deduct some money from their payment to cover having it put right.

[Andy Hall]

So would I, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

The other test would be that if the handle operating the hot is on the right, the tap is connected wrongly. Convention is hot on the left.

[Bob Eager]

Ours is a single lever thing so can't be fitted back to front. And it does hot down the middle!

[Tony Bryer]

I may be wrong, but I'm sure my previous sink mixer ran the cold up the middle. If you had the traditional mains cold and LP hot it would be sensible to run the cold through the smaller area. I don't think your argument really holds given that most mixer spouts are just divided. And if I'm appearing as witness for the other side I'd point out that hot down the outside stops the spout getting covered in condensation

[mike]

The hot water should be in the outer annulus and the cold water should be in the inner bore. The hot water then acts as a blanket during the cold weather and stops the cold creeping up the pipe and in to the bathroom.

[stevelup]

Hi

I believe the cold should be on the outside so as to prevent scalding by coming directly into contact with the unmixed hot water.

Steve