kitchen sink problem: want single-flow crosstop deck sink mixer... but height clearance limited

[james]

hi

my kitchen sink is up for replacement (someone previous tenant obviously stood on it and dented it so it doesn't drain properly, ie it's always collecting little puddles of dregs)

while changing over the sink, i want to take the opportunity to change the taps to cross-top. also, with the current dual-flow spout, nobody here likes the way you get a stream of water coming out that is ice cold on one side and scalding on the other, so i'd like to install a single-flow mixer (with the appropriate plumbing modifications underneath)

unfortunately it seems like most of the standard stuff seems only to be made in dual-flow...

the extra problem is that i only have about 180mm of clearance above the sink, otherwise the spout will get in the way of opening the window.

the Bristan crosstop deck sink mixer chrome (i think model id is: X DSM C) would be good enough for me (vertical height c.150mm), but it's dual-flow. i contacted Bristan but it seems they don't have anything similar in single-flow. and the end of the spout is squarish profile, and there's no screw thread, so no opportunity to fit some kind of mixing gizmo on the front end.

likewise i contacted Pegler too, but they don't seem to have anything suitable

so... does anyone know where i can get a suitable (spout height

[Christian McArdle]

That is for 2 reasons.

Firstly, it allows mixed pressure supplies, which are very common in the UK with cold mains water and gravity fed hot water.

Secondly, as the main drinking water tap, it prevents contamination from the hot water (which may have been sitting around in a tank filled with dead rats and sparrows).

Christian.

[james]

yes, but i thought that these concerns could be dealt with by suitable modifications under the sink, so allowing a single-flow to be fitted...?

james

[Christian McArdle]

Well, part 1 can be dealt with by a pressure balancing valve. However, this will reduce the cold pressure to the poor lowest common denominator, the gravity hot.

Part 2 can't be dealt with, although it can be mitigated by taking a long run of cold before using the water. If you've got skanky gravity fed hot, it is going to contaminate the cold supply in the internal mixing chamber. Obviously, you probably won't get ill, unless you really do have a dead rat, or leggionaires disease in the tank

Basically, unless I had mains pressured and fed hot water in the kitchen (which as it happens I do), I wouldn't attempt to find a internal chambered mixer tap. My selecting a good design, you'll find external mixers arent so bad. It is the cheap horrible ones which have two streams which don't actually mix mid air.

Christian.

[james]

hmmm, i think you just persuaded me not to bother with that plan!

so back to the question of which model to choose - and how to find out if it is a good design from the mixing point of view - any recommendations...? (bearing in mind that only 180mm vertical clearance, and cross-top taps preferred)

thanks, james