Monoblock tap tails - onto which copper fitting?

[Tim Watts]

Kitchen fitting happening (hooray). I have to make a proper job of the tap connections, which is a monobloc mixer with tails that look like:

on the left end - 15mm nut, what looks like a rubber washer inside.

Am I correct that these can connect to any compression fitting thread, eg:

minus the olive and nut obviously at one end :)

Just wanted to make sure that it's correct to have a relatively sharp seat up against the washer and that there isn't a fitting for this type of connector.

'scuse the stupid question - I want this as right as can be...

Cheers

Tim

[Tim Watts]

Or is this better:

Much flatter wider seat. Annoyingly I seem to only have one in my parts bin...

[Tim Watts]

No - found 2...

Label says:

Endex 15x1/2 male coupling N3

Slightly different to my photo - that was an "odd 3rd". Just found 2 of these in packets.

Anyway - looks like the best thing for the job.

Anyone disagree?

[Andy Burns]

I think I'd pick that one, with the soldered-on version there's one fewer compression joint, and we know how much you love them ;-)

[Tim Watts]

Yes - yes I do love them :)

OK - that's the "silly oversight" filter applied - I agree.

It will also avoid having a compression joint behind a cupboard upright

- there's limited space between the upright and the waste pipe and that's where the monobloc tail will be connected.

Double bent bit of pipe to bring the end higher up (the existing isolation valves are 12" off the floor, tails will need to be about 18" high to have the reach).

Make this up in comfort and only 2 compression joints in a nice accessible location :)

Thank you :)

Amazing the random bits I keep in my box-o-joints!

[Tim Watts]

BTW - do the ends that connect to pipework normally have grease in them?

One I just took apart had some white/creamy gunk in it on the rubber washer.

Cannot work out if it is special grease supplied with the taps or the kitchen chappie (who popped this together temporarily and isn't here today to ask) got a bit "happy" with boss white (etc)?

[The Medway Handyman]

I fit loads of taps with these connectors, they fit straight onto a compression fitting & I've never had one even drip.

But you can buy these;

I've had some in my box for a year & never needed one.

[Tim Watts]

Fair enough - thanks for that.

I'll go with my version of what you have (I think you have a male-male and I have a male(thread)-female(solder) seeing as I have them and as Andy rightly says, it's one less compression joint in an awkward place.

But it's most useful to know that tap tails could go directly onto say an isolator valve.

[Roger Mills]

Those tails are designed to screw onto a 1/2" BSP MI [1] fitting - with the rubber washer sealing against the flat end of the fitting. They will probably seal ok on the body of a compression fitting - but it never feels quite right to me.

Have you already got the tails? If not, you can get similar tails with a push-fit fitting at the remote end - which would just push onto a 15mm copper pipe. You can also get tails with built-in isolator valves. If the tails themselves don't have isolators, make sure you fit some not far down the pipes - but in an accessible position, of course.

[1] MI literally means "Male Iron" but is often also used to refer to brass fittings with a male BSP thread.

[Tim Watts]

Yes - they appeared as part of the tap assembly. It's only been temp fitted to a bit of MDF that's standing in for the worktop until the real worktop is fitted.

Here's the finished (at 11pm) article: (working day plus doing errands for the kids, did not start until gone 8pm and an hour as usual was finding stuff :)

Yes, I allowed for the final worktop being some 20-30mm higher than the temp MDF.

Funny - no real trouble with the 15mm compression joints - one might have the tiniest of weeps but I've only gone 1/2 turn past finger tight. And I rotated the whole valve a bit as the knobs were colliding so disturbed an old joint.

Seem to have got off lightly...

Now must have a chat with Mr Kitchen Chap[1] about:

1) Needing inserts when putting an olive on speedfit;

2) Not plastering a rubber washer based joint in Boss White (I identified by smell - took me awhile to clean it all off!)

[1] But the chap's a genius carpenter (proper carpenter) and it was only a temporary last up - he knew I'd be doing it properly :)

Finally - got a kitchen coming together and the units are solid wood - no chip, no MDF...

[John Rumm]

I normally use a service valve - and fit them straight onto the end.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Ones like that I've seen are designed to mate with a tap connector rather than compression fitting.

The tap connector has a washer between two flat faces. Rather than an olive.

[Tim Watts]

This one definitely would not mate with a tap connector...

But it seems very happy on a brass 1/2" male BSP adapter.