So .. I bought this new kitchen sink mixer tap..

[chucka]

Don't laugh... (too much)

We have a white mixer tap (20yrs old now) it needs replacing and I bought a very similar one yesterday.. it came with the flexible hoses as you'd expect but most don't seem to like.. anyway looking at it I couldn't see how it was piped in the first place. .all soldered up but 'in place' and screwed in and tightened up.

the two copper pipes on left go right up to the threaded monobloc

I could not see how to detach this as even cutting the pipes, you would have a job unscrewing the pipes out of the tap block underneath!!!! Then I also thought I can't even fit compression joints (my preference) as the pipes are too close together anyway.... Hence I thought of coming here and asking how the magician did it. (these are the problems newbies face.. no experience)
Anyway.. laying awake most of the night thinking about this.. Am I right in thinking that it was measured up, then the pipes fitted into the monobloc unit then put through the sink top and slid into the two soldered joints (halfway up the photo) in the first photo and then the retaining bolt fitted and then soldered up?

Same way to get it out? undo the bolt and heat the joints and pull it up?

I do have a gas torch/flux/solder but nothing to stop me burning the kitchen cupboard down

Those pipes almost touch that 'thin' white backboard!

The other question.. bear with me please.. is the new fitting. If I fit it the same way with the bolt away from the wall I am actually using it backwards with the screw and label showing..

I can change the tap tops around so the hot and cold colours correct. What do you think.. if I put it the other way with the bolt at the back wall I'm guessing the pipes are going to be 5-7 mm off centre from where they fall right now (bolt currently at the front).. is there enough tolerance/movement over the pipe length to force it slightly forward.. or a bad idea?

any tips or observations are greatly appreciated.. it was going to be soooo easy...

Perhaps i could be a traffic warden and have less trouble.. Err.. No.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Pipe cutter to cut the pipes.

 

[oz-plumber]

Looking at those pics.
Plumbing has become easier.
I can remember when mixer taps first come out and they were all like this - although we had unions supplied to go from 10mm to 1/2'' copper.
And heaps of the taps were white!!!

 

[Harvest Fields]

Looking at those pics.
Plumbing has become easier.
I can remember when mixer taps first come out and they were all like this - although we had unions supplied to go from 10mm to 1/2'' copper.
And heaps of the taps were white!!!

Or they were also beige

 

[townfanjon]

With the greatest respect , that is not a job I would encourage a diyer to do , call a plumber it will be cheaper in the long run .

 

[chucka]

Pipe cutter to cut the pipes.

And joint them again?

In your opinion, wouldn't the existing joints release with some heat/protecting the back board?

 

[centralheatking]

With the greatest respect , that is not a job I would encourage a diyer to do , call a plumber it will be cheaper in the long run .

I agree get a plumber in, you might well need some special tools
the cost of which will be more than a jobbing plumber from
your local area and he might even do it properly. You will need another pair of hands to make sure tap stays fixed in place as well
centralheatking

 

[Harvest Fields]

And joint them again?

In your opinion, wouldn't the existing joints release with some heat/protecting the back board?

Can you post a pic of the flexi’s? Before I answer.

 

[Best]

Cut pipe tails with junior hacksaw or whatever and remove mixer by first taking small nut off bolt underneath tap.
You might find the pipes have some movement to enable you to use pipe slice now.
Then cut the pipes below the soldered connectors, leaving the left hand one approx 50mm longer. You can then use a brass connector on left pipe and a brass compression elbow on right hand pipe to work from. (You can then fit pipe using a soldered elbow to put pipe vertical again up to new mixer flexi)
Easy enough.
Whoever fitted that old tap was really not thinking of the poor bloke who has to replace it later

 

[Harvest Fields]

Cut pipe tails with junior hacksaw or whatever and remove mixer by first taking small nut off bolt underneath tap.
You might find the pipes have some movement to enable you to use pipe slice now.
Then cut the pipes below the soldered connectors, leaving the left hand one approx 50mm longer. You can then use a brass connector on left pipe and a brass compression elbow on right hand pipe to work from. (You can then fit pipe using a soldered elbow to put pipe vertical again up to new mixer flexi)
Easy enough.
Whoever fitted that old tap was really not thinking of the poor bloke who has to replace it later

Was trying to see if he needs any extra fittings before he cuts the pipes mate.

 

[Best]

Also I notice if you wished to have the original pipes a little further apart, as they really should have been installed, you could move the cold pipework to the right by say, 25mm or more by cutting the horizontal pipe where the earth clip roughly is and shortening it and also shorten the horizontal pipe where the iso valve is by same amount

Was trying to see if he needs any extra fittings before he cuts the pipes mate.

I was just leaving that problem to the OP.
He might need Male straights or adapters, plus the compression connectors and elbows I suggested.
That is the sort of job customers wonder why it takes me 2 hours to replace their tap.

 

[rpm]

First thing I would fit would be isolating valves if they aren't already fitted. Saves the missus whining the waters off.

 

[centralheatking]

First thing I would fit would be isolating valves if they aren't already fitted. Saves the missus whining the waters off.

He might use push fit connectors but on copper pipe its a good way out avoids hot works. centralheatking

 

[chucka]

First thing I would fit would be isolating valves if they aren't already fitted. Saves the missus whining the waters off.

Great idea..

Thanks for the reminder

 

[rpm]

He might use push fit connectors but on copper pipe its a good way out avoids hot works. centralheatking

He can use whatever he likes as far as I'm concerned but would still fit isolating valves.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Shouldn’t need hot works Rob.

 

[Best]

First thing I would fit would be isolating valves if they aren't already fitted. Saves the missus whining the waters off.

Probably the OP would need to shorten the cold horizontal pipes to give space first for isolating valves.

RPM, - you are probably best to replace your missus before you begin to replace your tap. Saves the whining before and after.

 

[chucka]

Can you post a pic of the flexi’s? Before I answer.

when straightened these are 370mm

 

[Harvest Fields]

You will need 2 of these also mate

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/compression-adapting-male-coupler-15mm-x/69358

 

[centralheatking]

Shouldn’t need hot works Rob.

ok I thought op or someone mentioned a burn mat etc higher up
chking

 

[chucka]

ok I thought op or someone mentioned a burn mat etc higher up
chking

I must have missed that in the replies. I dont mind getting something to protect the backing.. I'm just wondering if it will separate (after removing the bolt) with some heat. The two joints are close together, fortunately...

You all know more than me..

I have done since copper pipe solder joints previously.. Though more accessible.

 

[centralheatking]

Before you get going un soldering things, usually pipes from taps go down in my experience. How are you going to get the water out they will not come apart with a lamp until you have burnt the house down,
So I take it you will use a roller cutter below, then let the water out then put the lamp to the tails centralheatking

 

[chucka]

Before you get going un soldering things, usually pipes from taps go down in my experience. How are you going to get the water out they will not come apart with a lamp until you have burnt the house down,
So I take it you will use a roller cutter below, then let the water out then put the lamp to the tails centralheatking

Thanks for your reply..

there are drain offs on both hot and cold supplies directly under each .... (they went that far and then made the tap job, awkward!)

I agree that it would have been better to have been fitted differently in the first place but 'IF' the water is clear of these two pipes.. in your opinion do you think they will separate quickly enough (not burn the house down with the heat) at the first butt joints, 9 inches down from the tap bloc?.

Did the tap assemble that way in the first place, do you think?

it would be a quick job if It was

 

[Best]

Why would you try to solder or unsolder any fittings below the sink????
No need to. Just cut the pipe tails to the tap, remove tap, cut pipes below sink to suitable heights and/or cut a piece out of horizontal pipes to get vertical pipes further apart.
Use compression valves or fittings onto pipes that are within cupboard. (You can bench solder any pipes to be added if you wish).
Nothing wrong with compression joints below sink if easier to use.
The person that installed the tap using soldered connectors directly to the copper tails has actually done a worse job than compression would have been

 

[centralheatking]

Thanks for your reply..

there are drain offs on both hot and cold supplies directly under each .. (they went that far and then made the tap job, awkward!)

I agree that it would have been better to have been fitted differently in the first place but 'IF' the water is clear of these two pipes.. in your opinion do you think they will separate quickly enough (not burn the house down with the heat) at the first butt joints, 9 inches down from the tap bloc?.

Did the tap assemble that way in the first place, do you think?

it would be a quick job if It was

look just get a roller cutter ...turn off cold main, drain hot .
open all your taps top to bottom, until they stop spluttering
then get a big old bath towel...to soak upthe water cut in and go for it.
As long as you have a couple of ballofixes fitted even if you get the rest wrong u can turn the rest on and keep your wife
centralheatking

 

[chucka]

Why would you try to solder or unsolder any fittings below the sink????
No need to. Just cut the pipe tails to the tap, remove tap, cut pipes below sink to suitable heights and/or cut a piece out of horizontal pipes to get vertical pipes further apart.
Use compression valves or fittings onto pipes that are within cupboard. (You can bench solder any pipes to be added if you wish).
Nothing wrong with compression joints below sink if easier to use.
The person that installed the tap using soldered connectors directly to the copper tails has actually done a worse job than compression would have been

I'm definitely not being bloody minded here and do not want to be disrespectful of anyone here, but, in my mind 'IF' the original assembly went in with the tap tails already fitted/screwed into the tap bloc and then the tap offered down through the sink top hole with the tails sliding into the two solder butt joints ,9" down from the top, surely with a little heat they would (after removing the threaded rod) both separate there too and let you pull the tap up out of those joints. That would not improve on the original plumbers method; I understand that, but if the new one went in the same way i'd not complain... Am i wrong in assuming it will not separate at those joints?

I'm sure it worked in the parallel universe..

 

[centralheatking]

I'm definitely not being bloody minded here and do not want to be disrespectful of anyone here, but, in my mind 'IF' the original assembly went in with the tap tails already fitted/screwed into the tap bloc and then the tap offered down through the sink top hole with the tails sliding into the two solder butt joints ,9" down from the top, surely with a little heat they would (after removing the threaded rod) both separate there too and let you pull the tap up out of those joints. That would not improve on the original plumbers method; I understand that, but if the new one went in the same way i'd not complain... Am i wrong in assuming it will not separate at those joints?

I'm sure it worked in the parallel universe..

go for it let us know how you get on v
chking

 

[Best]

I'm definitely not being bloody minded here and do not want to be disrespectful of anyone here, but, in my mind 'IF' the original assembly went in with the tap tails already fitted/screwed into the tap bloc and then the tap offered down through the sink top hole with the tails sliding into the two solder butt joints ,9" down from the top, surely with a little heat they would (after removing the threaded rod) both separate there too and let you pull the tap up out of those joints. That would not improve on the original plumbers method; I understand that, but if the new one went in the same way i'd not complain... Am i wrong in assuming it will not separate at those joints?

I'm sure it worked in the parallel universe..

What are you actually attempting?
Surely what you really want is the tap replaced as easy as possible, to a decent standard and done in a way that would enable you or whoever is the next person to replace mixer next time?
Taps generally don’t last too long anymore, so that is why you need ideally compression connections and isolating valves.
The old copper tails are scrap copper, so cut them above the soldered connectors and remove the tap.
Then you can think of unsoldering each connector individually if you really want to, but I have no idea why you feel you need to do that.
Just cut pipes finally below the soldered connectors.
To try to unsolder the 2 fittings and pull the old tap up at same time is not a wise idea trust me.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I'm definitely not being bloody minded here and do not want to be disrespectful of anyone here, but, in my mind 'IF' the original assembly went in with the tap tails already fitted/screwed into the tap bloc and then the tap offered down through the sink top hole with the tails sliding into the two solder butt joints ,9" down from the top, surely with a little heat they would (after removing the threaded rod) both separate there too and let you pull the tap up out of those joints. That would not improve on the original plumbers method; I understand that, but if the new one went in the same way i'd not complain... Am i wrong in assuming it will not separate at those joints?

I'm sure it worked in the parallel universe..

No worries mate. If that is the way you would like to do it, then that is absolutely fine. I and others have instructed you on the best way to do it. If you would like to do it a different way then that is absolutely fine.

Thread now closed as we keep going around in circles