Flexible tap tails

[Jupiter01]

I need to replace at a tap with these fittings:

I have replaced similar taps in the past but it never quite goes to plan...
I had a few questions please:
- I always end up kinking the hose when I am tightening it onto the isolator valve. How can this be avoided?
- Should I use a water compound or any lubricant on this joint? I know it comes with a rubber washer which is the primary method of providing a seal
- How tight does this join need to be?
- Finally, where can I purchase some of these replacement rubber washers as I would like to carry a few with me. To replace all the joins I have over tightened in recent times!

Thanks in advance.

 

[winston1]

What idiot put all that PTFE tape on the bottom compression joints? Compression joints don’t need it.

Nor do you need lubricant on the upper joint. Tighten it enough to prevent leakage then you shouldn’t kink the hose.

 

[Schrayder]

- I always end up kinking the hose when I am tightening it onto the isolator valve. How can this be avoided?

By not kinking the hose, try doing the other end first.

- Should I use a water compound or any lubricant on this joint? I know it comes with a rubber washer which is the primary method of providing a seal

No lube or paste (or tape)

- How tight does this join need to be?

Finger tight then 1/4 turn MAX

- Finally, where can I purchase some of these replacement rubber washers as I would like to carry a few with me. To replace all the joins I have over tightened in recent times!

1/2 inch flat rubber washer

Rubber Washer 1/2" | Toolstation

EPDM rubber.

www.toolstation.com

Or singly off eBay

 

[CBW]

Be careful with fittings like that, they can cut into the rubber seal. Also not all flexible hoses have rubber seals, some have fibre washers.

 

[kidgreen61]

I suggest you bin the existing flexis and replace with new, for the sake of a few quid.
I always smear silicone grease on the O rings before I screw them into the tap, trhey seal on the rings, they don't have to be tight.
If the flexi twists when you tighten the bottom comp coupling, hold the bottom of the flexi whilst turning the comp nut.
As said, all that tape is nonsense, comp couplings seal on the olive, not the threads.

 

[Jupiter01]

- I always end up kinking the hose when I am tightening it onto the isolator valve. How can this be avoided?

By not kinking the hose, try doing the other end first.

Do you mean the tap end? Presumably that is done before you slot the tap through the sink hole?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Those look like the bag of 10 full bore isolators I bought for not much money on Fleabay. I've had to use Boss White on mine to get the olives to seal at sensible torque so no wonder you went mad with ptfe- looks carp but if it works.....
If you are going to fit tap tails direct to the top of that type of valve it's wise to file the valve top so the mating face is flat rather than a knife edge. It is soft metal so a flat file or even 60 grade sandpaper will do it fairly quick, once done the tails will need tiny torque to seal properly.

 

[Jupiter01]

no wonder you went mad with ptfe- looks carp but if it works.....

Genuinely not my work!

the tails will need tiny torque to seal properly

When doing this - or when I am tightening by hand - is the hose likely to kink and how can that be avoided?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Finger tight plus 1/4 turn is all you'll need- when tightening, just before the flange hits the seal (ie the last half turn of finger tightening), twist the Flexi 1/4 turn anticlockwise then do the final finger tightening (holding the Flexi to keep it twisted). When you spanner the last 1/4 turn, the Flexi will either stay 1/4 twisted (no Biggie) or will straighten out (hurrah).

 

[Jupiter01]

UPDATE: Your suggestions above were immensely helpful. No kinking or over-tightening! Thanks again
I did come up against some challenges...
The isolator for the cold water shut off okay (with screwdriver) but the hot one would not budge. I then went to the main stop cock and that wasn't budging either! I then used by grips to shift that. This then allowed me to change the tap.

Was the isolator issue due to lack of using the isolator screw and how do you prevent this? Or, is this because they aren't very good isolators?
Also, should we be using the mains stopcock every x months and finally, would WD40 help in these situations? I was reluctant to use it on the isolator as I thought it would make it harder for the screwdriver to grip.

 

[winston1]

Isolators tend to jam with lack use. Best to exercise them once a month or so.

WD 40 is a water displacement agent (version 40) not really a lubricant and I would not recommend it here.

 

[denso13]

Or, is this because they aren't very good isolators?

This, the cheap ones tend to stick or leak, just by looking at them...

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Yeah most of those isolators are cheap nasty horrible things. They're even more fun in commercial buildings when knobheads have painted over them.
Problem if you exercise them occasionally is fairly rapidly (100 operations or so) the seal on the valve shaft will probably start weeping.
In these days of mains cold water and combi boilers, the resource cost of draining the hot or cold water circuits is minimal (in a standard house).
What I would suggest you do fairly soon is find your street water stoptap, use it (to make sure it works) then either replace your main stoptap in the house or strip, clean, reassemble. Treat it jamming as a warning- you don't want it sheering when you're having a disaster and need the water off now.
I'm not sure if there's a requirement for a brass main stoptap but I'd strongly recommend a full bore ball valve (with the operating lever, wras approval etc)- they're only a fiver