Flexipipes - connection problem.

[homebase_hater]

Hi there - I have a problem with a flexipipe connection for a bathroom tap (tall chrome job for use with bowl-shaped basin that sits on a vanity unit). I have had two different taps from Homebase which were both installed by a professional and both then leaked a few days after fitting. I have now purchased a much more expensive brand tap but the connections for the flexipipes all seem different. The way the plumber has fitted the current pipes are for use with the Homebase ones (which screw onto a brass thread on the copper pipe), but every other flexipipe has a thread on it.

Does anyone know where sells a replacement for this type of flexipipe fitting on the internet (or national brand)? I have already tried Focus DIY, Jewson and PTS (Plumbing Trade Supplies). Please see my pictures for an explanation:

FITTING REQUIRED

[DLMURL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianhall/3814887225/in/photostream/"]Flexipipes on Flickr - Photo Sharing![/DLMURL]

COMMON FITTING (NON-HOMEBASE)
[DLMURL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianhall/3815697132/in/photostream/"]Flexipipes on Flickr - Photo Sharing![/DLMURL]

Thanks

 

[Plouasne]

What is the other end thread size 3/8" or 1/2" male ? they are normal stock fitting where I am, but that could be a bit far away, PM me if you want help if you have run out of merchants to try, in the mean time try googleing Leroy-Meriln, or Castorama, and play with their side bar tool to find the right part of their web site

 

[Puddle]

Just get a couple of 15mm compression couplings and all will be revealed
You will be able to connect up

PS do your self a favor and stay away from homebase
How they get their employees to were their bib and brass green overalls I do not know, especially the near pensioners, they should know better

 

[NickH]

From those pics i'm guessing that at the moment you have a length of 15mm copper pipework which has a compression fitting on it which ends with a male thread onto which your flexi connects. If you take off the flexi and then undo the nut on the compression fitting, the brass fitting will come off leaving the nut and olive on the pipe. Take the nut and olive off of the new flexi and it "should" connect straight onto the nut and olive on th pipework. Possibly !!

 

[migoplumber]

leroy merlin, theres a name i havnt heard of for a while.
thats the equivalent of the english b&q

shaun

 

[Plouasne]

leroy merlin, theres a name i havnt heard of for a while.
thats the equivalent of the english b&q

shaun

I beg to differ, more like a Harrods style B&Q, B&Q and Castorama are one and the same when you get to owner level, funny how the same thing can be a different price, on the other side of the channel, normally cheaper on the south side

 

[migoplumber]

ive found the staff in leroy just as helpfull in b n q !

but yep everything is cheaper that side, and you can easily get hold of the more "exotic" fittings

shaun

 

[Plouasne]

Shaun,

I think that it depends on the store, the one in St Brieuc, had a little guy who was Portuguese, and knew his plumbing, and also spoke good English, also there was an English guy working in the cutting department (glass, and wood), who was English

 

[Platinum]

If you can? simply cut below the brass fitting on each pipe! (Use a pipe slice not a hacksaw) your new flexi tails will go straight onto the copper! take the nut and olive off of the flexi tail slide onto pipe put your tail onto the pipe wipe some jointing compound around the olive (e.g. Plumb Blue / Boss White) and tighten the nut onto the flexi tail! Bingo!

N.B. Do make sure the tails are the right size for the pipe and that the tails are long enough to reach the pipe once you cut it you will also need about 1 - 2 inches of clean pipe to get the nut and olive onto!

If that is not a possibility you can...

(Depending on whether your brass fitting on top of your copper hot and cold feeds are 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch male copper to irons i.e off a 15mm copper pipe by way of nut and olive with a 1/2 inch male thread or off 22mm copper pipe with a 3/4 inch thread!)

Undo the nut removing the threaded piece leaving the nut and olive on the pipe. get 2 straight compression couplings (one for each pipe) remove the nut and olive on one end and connect it to your pipe which already has the nut and olive on it and make sure you give it a good pinch up (tighten it!) next put a short piece of pipe in the other end and tighten the nut you now have another clean piece of pipe to connect your tails to! (as above)

Hope this helps

D

 

[stevetheplumber]

If you can? simply cut below the brass fitting on each pipe! (Use a pipe slice not a hacksaw) your new flexi tails will go straight onto the copper! take the nut and olive off of the flexi tail slide onto pipe put your tail onto the pipe wipe some jointing compound around the olive (e.g. Plumb Blue / Boss White) and tighten the nut onto the flexi tail! Bingo!

N.B. Do make sure the tails are the right size for the pipe and that the tails are long enough to reach the pipe once you cut it you will also need about 1 - 2 inches of clean pipe to get the nut and olive onto!

If that is not a possibility you can...

(Depending on whether your brass fitting on top of your copper hot and cold feeds are 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch male copper to irons i.e off a 15mm copper pipe by way of nut and olive with a 1/2 inch male thread or off 22mm copper pipe with a 3/4 inch thread!)

Undo the nut removing the threaded piece leaving the nut and olive on the pipe. get 2 straight compression couplings (one for each pipe) remove the nut and olive on one end and connect it to your pipe which already has the nut and olive on it and make sure you give it a good pinch up (tighten it!) next put a short piece of pipe in the other end and tighten the nut you now have another clean piece of pipe to connect your tails to! (as above)

Hope this helps

D

be carefulll some of the flexible copper tails on taps now cant be shortened they are paper tin and only the end you connect to is strengthened by a rolled in end if you try and cut them they fold up learnt this the hard way

 

[Platinum]

we're not talking about flexi copper tails! check the original post