Bristan easy fit taps

[stevetheplumber]

i asked the bristan rep and he said the failiures were always down to fitting wrong but then he would

 

[gassafe]

How can the insurers or bristan say the Tao was not seated correctly... Sounds like a pony excuse to avoid paying!

If a customer asks me to fit any it would be on the understanding it's there risk after reading this thread!!!

 

[JACKY]

I fitted a set 6 months ago and they blew off yesterday, both grub screws had loosened.
There is a real problem with these and i would not recommend them.

 

[JACKY]

I spoke to Bristan today and they admitted problems with easy fit.

 

[DXCross]

Fitted probably 10 or so of these.. No problems just yet. Although definitely going to make a conscious point of checking the grub screws though!

 

[WaterTight]

I've fitted two or three previously that I remember. None for at least 4 months with no problems so far.

But I did fit one this morning but I don't think it was Bristan. But exactly same set up except it had one of those horrible fixing kits that are like a sharp ended pivoting bar instead of the horse-shoe-shaped plate and rubber washer. Customer supplied it. No idea what it was. I will contact them and warn them, can even link them to this thread.

I won't fit another.

 

[Phil]

I spoke at length to Bristan technical today, they said if the base plate is 180 degrees out then the grub screws don't land in the grooves but it still fits together and will hold for a time.

Later versions appartantly make it idiot proof by having grooves on the other side but I need to see this for myself.

 

[hamish]

I have fitted 21 Easyfit taps since June 2015 of which 4 have blown off so far, one after 8 months, another after 11 months and another after 13 months. Out of 6 Monzas 3 have failed, and out of 8 Echos 1 has failed. I have also spoken to an installer who has had lots of Manhattans blow off. I have just posted a video to explain the problem to all 21 of my customers and have emailed them my concerns. I thought it was 3 that had blown off, but one of them emailed me right back saying his kitchen was flooded 6 months ago and his insurance plumber had replaced the tap. I was surprised he hadn't called me. Anyway, here's the video. I hope it's helpful:
https://youtu.be/chTGvh-Rsas

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Don't see what the problem is tbh just use some loctite thread lock on the grub screws like I do haven't had one pop off

I know you shouldn't have to but it's the days where manufacturers don't think ahead / take responsibility

 

[ed209]

I was of the same thinking as you Hamish that by supplying my customers with Bristan taps I was fitting a quality product but unfortunately this has not proved to be the case.
My first issues was the ceramic cartridge dripping (not the easy fit range) after about a year, they did send replacement free but said this was a one off, of course I couldn't charge my customer for my time to replace them, then the same problem occurred approximately a year later with the replacement cartridges, my customer requested a different brand which they were willing to pay for but I agreed to fit FOC as I had recommended and supplied the Bristan taps.
In between the previous episodes I fitted some easy fit kitchen mono block taps , which to be honest was anything but easy fit, about three months after that got a phone call from someone that had just had a Easy fit kitchen tap go in to orbit and totally flood her house obviously she and I assumed the plumber that fitted them had not done so properly, but I soon saw the reason why, the grub screws had loosened, so refitted and put a bit of thread lock on but was still worried it could happen again and explained my concern, No charge.
I then contacted my customer where I fitted the easyfit tap to check it remove grub screws and thread lock them, no charge obviously.
Then came on this forum and discovered others had the issues

 

[ed209]

Its all very well manufacturers sending out replacement parts but why do we always have to swallow the labour costs the least they could do is supply us with a substantial discount voucher on future purchases, not that I would be likely to use Bristan again. Or better still just a voucher to buy something for yourself

 

[hamish]

It's true that loctite thread lock might be an effective solution, but thinking back to their promotional video with Roger Bisby, if Bristan's design engineers were really so smart when they came up with the Easyfit design, they might have thought about including a tube of that in the box of every Easyfit tap. And Bristan must surely have been aware of this thread since it started back in October last year. So why has nearly a year gone by and they haven't thought to send out one of their engineers to check each registered product and apply a touch of thread lock for safety's sake? Or even to contact the installers and ask them to do so. What amazes me is that Bristan are still sailing full steam ahead with the Good Ship Easyfit, while it is sinking beneath them. The Easyfit concept is flawed for several reasons. Firstly, the initial install of an Easyfit tap is not really any easier than installing a normal tap with horse-shoe and backnut. It is only on the subsequent replacement of the Easyfit tap, 5 to 10 years down the line, that the Easyfit design is a real timesaver. Secondly, the benefit is a 10 minute replacement in several years' time install of a 1 hour job. A 50 minute saving every 5 to 10 years is an almost negligible benefit. Thirdly, the Easyfit concept adds an additional element of risk that wasn't there before, and the risk of a blow off is so serious that it isn't worth the added risk, however much they try to tinker with their design. Fourthly, if you replace the tap in 5 years' time but retain the existing base, the base may by then have deteriorated in various ways, such as the rubber o-rings perishing, the isolating valves dripping if you turn them, or the flexible pipe tails may have rusted due to condensation and eventually burst if they get too old and rusty. It would be better to have a new base at the same time as the new tap. But in that case, the Easyfit concept is redundant because you then need to access under the sink to change the flexis and isolators.

As a plumber, the last thing you want is to flood a customer's house. At this point, I don't care what modifications they make to the Easyfit design - I wouldn't touch another Easyfit tap with a barge pole.

If you are concerned about Easyfit taps that you have already installed, call Bristan's customer services and discuss my YouTube video and this thread with them. Ask them to provide you with a case reference number that you can use when you write to your customers and alert them to the problem and the risk that their homes may be flooded. If your customers then call Bristan and quote your case reference number, they will be immediately identified as your customer. They can request that Bristan replace their tap under guarantee because the design is faulty. If your customers receive an unsatisfactory response, the ball is then back in your court to contact Bristan and get on their case.

Bristan have been behaving as though they can deny there is a problem and hoping that by doing so the problem will just go away. It's your job to remind them the problem won't go away as long as you have customers out there whose homes are at risk of flooding from an Easyfit tap.

It won't be long before they have no choice but to issue a product recall. But for the sake of your customers and your reputation, I don't suggest you sit back and wait for that to happen.

Unless you want to go round all your Easyfit customers with a tube of loctite...

 

[tamz]

Phfffff.
That was a bit of a read Hamish.
Me with one eye due to the other one calling it a night about half an hour ago.
1. Roger Bisby is a prik
2. Bristain are playing the numbers game

I had a 3 and 4 but rubbed it out

 

[tamz]

Its all very well manufacturers sending out replacement parts but why do we always have to swallow the labour costs

If you buy from a merchant rather than toolfix you won't/don't need to swallow the labour. It is an easy process to contra them and they will cave in.

 

[ed209]

If you buy from a merchant rather than toolfix you won't/don't need to swallow the labour. It is an easy process to contra them and they will cave in.

Are you saying that CPS, Graham, Plumbase, Plumb Centre will reimburse my labour costs if they provide me with a faulty product?