Do all mono base kitchen mixers have a standard base size?

[bpowell555]

Heh, the current mixer is leaking and I'm thinking to replace with a high quality - ha ha - unit from fleabay like:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BEST-KMP303-P...rden_Kitchen_SinksTaps_GL&hash=item3efb049f37

(This is instead of fixing the leak). Seems a better option than this for the money:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/76769...irl-Divine-Dual-Lever-Mono-Mixer-Kitchen-Tap#

Was wondering do these all have a standard size base? Mine is on a wooden worksurface so obviously don't want to be doing too much redrilling or filling.

Cheers!

 

[bpowell555]

<nerding>

Just wondering, as the existing tap is quite old - 10 yrs or so - is it likely its not got a ceramic cartridge? Is a ceramic cartridge unit a good upgrade?

</nerding>

 

[muggles]

Base sizes do vary but there's a minimum size due to the need to get tails into the tap. If yours is drilled through a thick wooden worktop or similar beware, not all taps can accommodate this as the fixing bolts aren't always long enough.

Also note that the cheap eBay one requires a minimum supply pressure of 1 bar, this includes the hot and as such it is only suitable if you're running off a combi boiler or unvented cylinder, a standard hot water cylinder will not work with it. The Swirl one from Screwfix seems to be suitable for all supply pressures, although they don't actually have any in stock.

 

[bpowell555]

Cheers mate. The hot water is in a cylinder on the ground floor but the cold tank is in the loft so there is reasonable pressure, but maybe not 1 bar?

Does this mean none of the diffuser taps is likely to be suitable?

 

[bpowell555]

Just checking this thread ...

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20685

The current tap has a smaller inner tube in the spout for the hot water - the cold runs round the outside of this...

Edit: the current water supply setup runs an unpumped shower on the ground floor through a 7cm rose perfectly - never get a better shower anywhere - so it should be able to drive a kitchen tap?

 

[bpowell555]

Do I need to get one of these bad boys to check the hot water pressure? (Any excuse for a drive )

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;j...tton.x=0&searchbutton.y=0&searchbutton=submit

... though looking at the height of the shower head / cold tank / house - HW pressure is probably no more than 0.5 bar

 

[muggles]

Your hot water pressure can be calculated, it's the vertical distance between the bottom of your cold water storage tank and the outlet of the tap, the position of the hot water cylinder is irrelevant. Ten metres in height is one bar in pressure.

As for whether any taps with spray outlets like this are suitable, it's a case of shopping around

 

[bpowell555]

What a load of sh1t - there are 2000 mixer taps on ebay but if you put in "low pressure" I get 2.

 

[muggles]

Indeed, doesn't really surprise me especially on eBay. Check out the Franke range of taps, AFAIK they're OK for low pressure hot. The Olympus Side Spray may be of interest to you if you want a spray function, the Prof. Rotaflow is a good compromise and cheaper, or there are various others with pull-out nozzles that are the single-control lever mixer type.

http://www.franke.com/kitchensystems/uk/en/home/products/bymodelrange/taps.html

And yes, they're more expensive than what you've looked at so far, but what you pay for is what you get

 

[bpowell555]

Cheers mate but lol I just checked the pull out tap and its £463

I don't think so

I searched fleabay including description and got a few more options, about 200 with 0.2 bar minimum.

Looking at this one atm:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CROSS-HANDLE-...rden_Kitchen_SinksTaps_GL&hash=item20b638be05

All the pull out ones are 0.5 bar plus so I don't reckon they'd work too well

 

[muggles]

The Olympus Side Spray with the separate spray function can be had for around £195, the Rotaflow which has a movable nozzle on the end for about £70. I don't know which one is £463, I'd say the ones with a pull-out nozzle are generally around half that, for example http://www.sinks-taps.com/default.a...&r=froogle&k=Franke+ARIA+Pull-Out+Kitchen+Tap

That one you've linked to almost certainly won't attach through your worktop, the thread on the bottom will be too short I think.

 

[bpowell555]

Why would the thread be too short? The worktop is 4cm thick.

This one is higher quality but doesn't show the stem depth again:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOTIF-Single-...rden_Kitchen_SinksTaps_GL&hash=item1e5fd86727

 

[muggles]

Indeed, the worktop is 4cm thick, and the thread on that doesn't look 4cm long, I may be wrong but I wouldn't want to risk it, same goes for the new one you've posted if it comes with the fixing kit in the top picture as opposed to the one further down, which may fit. Would be worth asking the quesiton, the second one looks better although it has very small-bore flexible pipes which you may find give poor flow, especially on the hot.

 

[bpowell555]

Yea, cheers have asked both sellers the 4cm question

 

[bpowell555]

The vendor on the Motif unit confirmed it fits worktops up to 5cm. The only thing I'm unsure of is the dimension of the existing hole, and the size required. If they're not the same how do you a) reduce a hole or b) cut a x cm hole - holesaw I guess?

Cheers!