Outside tap kits

[roundthebend]

Hi folks

Just wondering if these cheap kits are any good?

ScrewFix £9.78

Toolstation £9.07

B&Q £8.98

They seem to be surprisingly good value. And they appear to have everything that I need including the stop-valve and isolating tap in one unit.

My main concern is these self-cutting taps. Are they reliable? Easy to install?

My hope is that I can close off my stopcock in the kitchen, then attach the self-cutting tap just after it (that roughly where my outdoor tap will go), plumb in the outdoor tap, and then turn it all on. Simple as that?

 

[seco services]

Just wondering if these cheap kits are any good?

not bad for the price
not my prefered choice for a garden tap install

the route to a good garden tap is the size of the pipe bore.
screwfix one is 10mm bore so i imagine flow is pretty restricted compared to a 15mm copper pipe.

My main concern is these self-cutting taps. Are they reliable? Easy to install?

again easy to install but i prefer a fixed outlet rather than one that just screws onto a pipe again with restricted bore.

 

[roundthebend]

OK, I'm not majorly bothered by the flow. This will be for the very rare occasion when I wash my car or bike, and for the (hopefully) less rare occasion that I water the garden. But, we have a very small garden.

If I were to use a fixed outlet (do you mean, a T joint in the mains pipe?) is that a significantly more involved job? I like to do a proper job, so if the expense and effort isn't much more then I'm happy to have a go. Although, under the sink it might be frustrating trying to do a fiddly job.

 

[seco services]

you can use compression fittings

 

[Goldspoon]

or pushfit...

 

[kirkgas]

i would suggest you fit a 15mm t into an existing pipe, fit a double check valve inside and an isolating valve drill the hole in the wall slightly down going out and on the outside fit a bend facing down into a backplate, in winter shut isolating valve and open tap to empty pipe to ensure pipe wont burst, if bend goes through wall and up into tap you wont get all the water out

 

[roundthebend]

Any chance of a diagram of that kirkgas? I think I understand the main point that I should try to angle the pipe down from the Tee in order to help drain it in winter, but your description sounds a little more involved than that.

 

[dextrous]

Stright after the Tee fit an isolator valve to isolate (obviously) all pipework leading to the outside. After that, install a double check valve (used to prevent the possibility of contamination occuring backwards into your mains supply).

In winter, you need to close the isolator and empty this section of pipework to the tap to prevent it freezing and thus bursting.

 

[seco services]

between the iso valve and drain off fit a double check valve.

 

[kirkgas]

between the iso valve and drain off fit a double check valve.

as per secos pic, but where the right hand bend exits the wall i would turn it down and then fit the back plate and tap, this saves me draining inside into a dish etc i simply open the tap to drain outside, when you isolate the water inside and open the tap the water empties out the pipe and will not freeze, if it is fitted as per secos pic without the drain valve you can see the water will stay in the pipe and even with the water off during the winter if the tap is shut the trapped water will expand and burst, and will cause damage and hassle when turned back on again,

 

[jabuzzard]

i would suggest you fit a 15mm t into an existing pipe, fit a double check valve inside and an isolating valve drill the hole in the wall slightly down going out and on the outside fit a bend facing down into a backplate, in winter shut isolating valve and open tap to empty pipe to ensure pipe wont burst, if bend goes through wall and up into tap you wont get all the water out

Which is why it is a shame that the freeze proof outside taps that appear to be readily available in North America are not available here. Basically have the valve inside the house operated by the handle outside, and you install it at an angle so it automatically drains when the tap is turned off.

http://www.merrillmfg.com/product/10-WallFaucets/MA-MF/MF-features.htm

I guess frozen outside taps are more of an issue in North America so they have addressed the problem.

 

[glasgowgas]

I guess frozen outside taps are more of an issue in North America so they have addressed the problem.

hows it going ya fife loon

still fannying about on the net then........

 

[jabuzzard]

I guess frozen outside taps are more of an issue in North America so they have addressed the problem.

hows it going ya fife loon

still fannying about on the net then........

Still arrogant and rude then.

No I have been taking my cast iron stack down so that I could replace the section of lead pipe that went through the wall to the toilet with something else, and adding in an unequal tee to put in a cast iron branch to the wash basin. I was going to add some thoughts and tips on dealing with cast iron as it seems to crop up reasonably frequently.

But then this DIY'er does all his own plumbing and is from the if it ain't copper it ain't proper mold, and uses end feed by preference cause I is tight Like I said previously I don't need advice on how to do things plumbing wise.

Fannying about on the net as you put it for 19 years now.