Trouble with water pressure!

[bro2171]

I have recently fitted a new kitchen sink and a Franke mixer traditional style tap (baroque style - with the 90 degree right angle almost). The cold tap works fine but the hot tap isn't flowing as fast as before. The tap we had in before was quite a high up style tap so thought this design would be ok? It doesn't say anything about a water pressure needed on the box except for being suitable for standard uk pressure.Is there anything we could try to raise the pressure on the hot tap?

 

[corgiman]

do you have a big tank in the loft

chances are that you are a gravity system and those lovely new framke taps are designed to deliver mains pressure.

They will be ceramic disc taps and the apertures on them are small and thats why the cold water is fine (its off the mains) and the hot water is crap (its from the tank) due to the restriction

sorry mate but the taps aint design for a gravity system and there is nothing that can be done to improve the hot water other than pump the system

 

[bro2171]

Thanks for your response. I've had a look and the taps are compression valve mixer taps rather than the ceramic disc type (see link).

http://www.franke.co.uk/pdfs/retro.pdf

The only thing different between now and before is that I've put an isolator/quarter turn valve (compression fit) on the hot water tap connection and the taps come with flexible hoses rather than the copper pipe fittings that were previously fitted.
Could any of these be the problem?

 

[Softus]

...I've put an isolator/quarter turn valve (compression fit) on the hot water tap connection and the taps come with flexible hoses rather than the copper pipe fittings that were previously fitted.
Could any of these be the problem?

Both the flexible hose and the ball-o-fix valve will restrict the flow.

A lever type ball-o-fix valve will be less restrictive, because this type is full bore.

Also, most flexible hoses are really quite restrictive, but you might not have any choice with this component.

 

[corgiman]

As softus says the hoses are very restrcitive

also, and I could be wrong, but those compression valves on the taps still have very small apertures.

Basically the thing was designed for a direct system, and you will never get full bore hot through it

 

[bro2171]

Thanks for your advice, I will try taking the compression valve off the hot connection and see if that makes any difference.

 

[Softus]

Thanks for your advice, I will try taking the compression valve off the hot connection and see if that makes any difference.

Eh? The compression valve is part of the tap!

 

[bro2171]

Sorry, I meant the 1/4 turn isolator valve which is compression fit. I am hoping that will make a bit of a difference. Fingers crossed!

 

[Softus]

In my experience you have to remove the biggest restriction in order to make a noticeable difference. If that's the tap then you'll to change the tap.

I did this very thing recently on a cheapo kitchen tap that a customer had bought. It was intended for mains pressure use, and didn't cut the mustard with tank fed hot.

 

[Beans-on-Toast]

I have recently had this same problem with some lovely looking ornate bath taps.

You have already been given the answer You cannot use taps that are designed for mains pressure on a system that utilises gravity fed pressure, it just aint cricket....! Sorry you can use them but the flow will be awful.

It's not your fault, we all see these lovely items for sale and buy them on impulse and find that the manufacturers are not duty bound to tell us that these taps are only good for.......etc etc These taps are also being imported by the ship load from Europe and China where they simply laugh at British Standards. Its called INCOMPATABILITY...!

I personally think that at the point of sale there should be some type of information that allows Joe Public to make informed choices in regard to these taps. (which don't work on gravity fed systems)

I solved the problem quite simply, I complained to the supplier that no-one informed me of the differing flow rates for different taps, took the taps off, took them back in an asda carrier bag (as I'd chucked the box away) and swapped them over. If they wont do this write to the MD.

 

[bro2171]

I've more or less ruled out the taps being the main problem. seeing as we didn't have a problem with the old taps, I've put the old taps on using the new fittings and the problem is still there.
I've replaced the flexi-hose and removed the isolator valve and I've still no joy.
I think the next step is for me to return to the original setup with copper tails to the taps and ditch the flexi-hoses. Unfortunately for me that means getting in the professionals, which costs money!
Many thanks for all you great advice.

 

[kevplumb]

if the hot is tank fed you might have an airlock

 

[bro2171]

Thanks Kevplumb for suggesting something else.
Having read other posts on this forum about airlocks I have just had a go at trying to fix this problem.
I connected the cold water supply to the hot water supply, first turned on the hot and then turned the cold on. I left it this way until the overflow in the cylinder began to run.
This seems to have improved things but only ever so slightly. What I'd like to know is, if I keep repeating these steps is it likely to keep improving or should carrying out these steps just the once have solved the problem?

 

[Gasguru]

Sometimes no amount of back filling will clear an airlock.

You could try dragging a hose up to the cold tank and blasting mains pressure water through the cold fill tank connector to the cylinder.

Don't go mad with the pressure - but works for me.

Get an assistant to clear one tap at a time starting upstairs.

 

[Nige F]

Franke..............rhymes with Anchor ........is a Quality fitting and should "do what it says on the box"