Flexible connectors

[PoP]

I popped into B&Q in Reading yesterday afternoon and passed by the plumbing section. I came across some long flexible connectors which were 2-3 feet in length.

These look like just the job for connecting bath taps and other plumbing jobs where access is limited. It begs the question about whether these flexible connectors are worth considering?

Seems to me that they must be okay because our shower pump is connected via flexies - and there's never been a sign of a leak in the

8 years we've been here.

Anyone got any good/bad experience with flexies?

PoP

[BigWallop]

I like the concertina style copper for jobs where they're hidden behind panels or partitions, maybe just feels more secure, but the webbing covered neoprene tube is OK in sites were it can be got at easily, like under sinks, wash basins and things. I've very seldom heard of anyone having problems with them mind you.

[Fishter]

I've just used two of these to effect repairs to some dodgy jointing on my plumbing. One was a 22mm to Tap connector and hasn't yet leaked (6 weeks). And on Tuesday I fitted a short 15mm/15mm flexi to replace two 90 degree bends at the back of a kitchen cupboard, under the sink.

Dead easy to fit, just make sure the pipes are clean etc....

[Witchy]

Only good, but then again I've only used 2 on the taps in the kitchen. Nearly fitted them when replacing a kitchen sink recently but one tap was too far away to use the shorter one and the longer one was too long :o)

The flexible waste pipes they do have come in handy too.

-- cheers,

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[Christian McArdle]

They are usually fine, but I did have a problem with one once, which required me to replace it with fixed pipework.

The system was on mains pressure and something about the geometry of it caused it to sometimes hum VERY loudly for 5 minutes after any tap in the house was closed. A shock arrestor might have fixed it, but all the plumbing merchants were too neanderthal to know what one was and I couldn't wait for it to be delivered via the Internet.

Christian.

[fred]

In article , PoP writes

I used them to plumb in the rads on my central heating. I was refurbing at the time & thought it would let me take the rads off the walls to repair/decorate etc. I was going to replace them with copper later but have decided the stainless steel braid pretty funky and have kept them. Even if you don't like the look, you can cover them with those white plastic pipe covers & still have them removable for servicing.

No problems so far.

B&Q not at all the cheapest tho, got mine from BES for less than 2quid a piece.

[David Hearn]

Actually, that seems a very good idea. If you've got ones with the service valve in them, you can just turn off the service valve, turn off the radiator valves, and remove radiator (with valves connected) to drain/flush outside. Do (or little) change of black sludge draining out.

And as you said - just put covers over them to hide the braid.

D

[Ben Edgington]

Only two downsides I can think of: - Often the bore is quite small, especially on 22mm-3/4" flexi tap connectors, which will restrict the flow a bit. - They do not help combat spinny-tap syndrome (one of my hates) as rigid piping would. So you need other means to do that.

I've used them for all the taps and for the wc inlet fitting. You can get them with built-in stop-valve for added convenience. I've even bought a couple from B&Q in Reading 8^)

[Michael Murray]

I love them. (flexi-braided ones). I have a serious aversion to measuring, which frequently affects my choice of tools, and these are brilliant. Even I can't mis-judge the gap badly enough for them to not fit. I have used them in my bathroom, girlfriends kitchen, and a friends bathroom. No problems with any. Piece of cake, just make sure the 'tap' end washers haven't fallen out.

Michael.

M.

[Dave Plowman]

But are the concertina style ones flexible or merely bendable?