Essex Flange

[alexnic]

How difficult is it to fit an Essex flange to my hot water tank ...

I am fairly competant in basic plumbing skills (even if I am a Spark), I replaced the tank about 6-months ago and replumbed and fitted a new bathroom suite. I now want to run a dedicated hot water supply to the shower ...hence the essex flange. It was originally fed via the HW pipe which also went to the bath, basin etc and it was fine 'till someone ran the HW elsewhere in the house!........ instant cold shower!

Also I have been advised to have an anti gravity loop after it comes out the tank, can this be made with a few 'elbows' in the pipework to form the loop and if so how big a loop should it be ..then up and over the loft to the shower?

 

[corgiman]

You ae right to run a seperate hot feed to the shower

I would NOT touch an essex flange as they need to be cut into the cylinder itself and they are a complete a''se to do

I surrey flange goes into the top of the cylinder and provides an outlet for a shower and for the rest of the system much much easier

 

[alexnic]

Thanks for the reply corgiman...

I already have a 22mm pipe coming out of the top of the cylinder feeding the domestic HW, how would I then fit the Surrey flange?

If I removed the current pipework and fitted a surrey flange, would I then reconnect the pipework along with the new shower pipework to the flange and if so would that not contradict the idea of a dedicated feed?

What about the antigravity loop....any particular size?

 

[masona]

See this for some plumbing drawing layout.(scroll halfway down)

Can someone tell me what does the anti gravity loop do ?

 

[alexnic]

Cheers Masona ...... I had actually found that same website minutes before your post and as for the antigravity loop it appears that it is only necessary if you fit a pump. At the moment that is not my plan as with 3-teenagers in the house I would be getting up for work (after them) to be greeted with a cold shower as they would have used all the HW if a pump was fitted (when they go in they forget to come out) so I'll run with the current option

Think I'll use the Surrey flange method as mentioned by corgiman ... easier to fit as it should screw into the existing hole in the top if I remove the current fitting and just use the side entry of it for the shower feed.

 

[masona]

Wouldn't it be easier to use 22mm tee piece as nearest you can from the top of the cylinder instead of a surrey flange unless there's a reason for it ?

 

[Porker]

I thought that the flanges take the water from a short distance down the tank to avoid air bubbles that can collect in the top of the tank. Is this correct?

Also I understand air in the water can damage pumps through cavitation although some pumps work on a different principle so air is less of a concern.

 

[alexnic]

I would say you are correct on both assumptions Porker and that's the main reason I am going to fit the flange. At present it has a compression fitting screwed into the top and a t-piece right after it going to my HW and up to a small bleed valve.

That's my job for the weekend...