Splitting supply to plumb washing machine in

[ninebob]

(go easy on me guys - I'm a regular in UK electrics and General chat but don't venture in here very often - too scary!)

I need to plumb in a washing machine but have found that I dont have the usual taps under the sink. However, the hot, cold, and waste to the sink are all attached with "flexi-pipe" as below:

Am I right in thinking that I can unscrew these and put in some kind of a T-junction to do what I want? If so, please can I have a list of the parts I need to buy and step by step instructions how to go about it?

Cheers,
Simon.

 

[Kes]

Hi,

The only problem here looks to be access, but what the heck, it's only skin.

Turn off the isolating valve and open the tap to release any pressure. Undo the nut on the top of the isolating valve and the bottom of the flex pipe adapter. You now have a short piece of 15mm copper pipe in your hands. You can cut this in half and insert a 15mm compression tee (check that the pipe is long enough first, you may have to use another short piece of 15mm). Take another short piece of 15mm from the centre of the tee, terminating in the washing machine isolating valve. Put a turn or two of ptfe on the pipe ends and tighten up.

You should have enough space for the flex pipe to take up the additional length of the comp tee.

This way uses two 15mm comp tees, two washing machine isolating valves, a short amount of 15mm pipe, and ptfe tape.

I'm sure there are other combinations of pipe and fittings just as brilliant as mine. Have a root around in B&Q.

Rgds.

 

[JohnD]

You can get a w/m tap which is itself a compression tee. Fewer fittings and less work.

 

[ninebob]

I was hoping that there would be no cutting involved - if there has to be then it's beyond me and I'll have to get a plumber in. If I get the second option as pictured, can I just screw it onto where the flexi-pipe for the sink is now and screw the flexi-pipe back onto that?

 

[JohnD]

You will need a 2-inch piece of copper pipe as the compression fittings are intended to be fastened onto pipe. I can sell you such a piece for £5 and you will need one for the hot and one for the cold.




p.s. this is approximately equivalent to calling in an electrician to fit a 150mm piece of earthwire between a backing box and a socket. (I also sell such 150mm pieces at £5 each).

 

[noodlz]

You could just fit a 15mm self cutting tap to the 15mm copper pipe, which is very easy to do. Still, that in itself could go wrong and there's not much more work just putting a compression t on.

Take the pic to your friendly local plumbers merchants...if their nice they'll show you how easy it is. They might even give you some small offcuts of 15mm pipe if you ask nicely - you only need small bits.

 

[JohnD]

They might even give you some small offcuts of 15mm pipe if you ask nicely - you only need small bits.

Oi! I've got to make a living!

 

[Kes]

Hi,

Well, you can get these things, but you're a bit cramped for space, and I'm not too fond of these things anyway.

Rgds.

 

[noodlz]

They might even give you some small offcuts of 15mm pipe if you ask nicely - you only need small bits.

Oi! I've got to make a living!

Oops....sorry JohnD

Glad I buy full lengths though, those short ones'd kill me

Ninebob, remember that washing machines nowadays are usually only coldfill so only need to fit from the cold supply. Good luck

 

[ninebob]

Hi,

Well, you can get these things, but you're a bit cramped for space, and I'm not too fond of these things anyway.

Rgds.

That looks the simplest to me - where's the best place to get them and approx cost? B&Q?

Next question - the waste. Looks like a simple case of uscrewing another bit of flexi-pipe, but again what exactly do I need to buy?