Hay decided yesterday that, if I'm going to play with the van's water supply, then she would like a new tap in the sink, so I investigated the lie of the land (or lay of the land if you're American). Removed the drawers to get access to the water pipes and discovered this.
The red, plastic pipe is the hot water supply, but it has been connected with two Speedfit connectors to two sections of copper pipe, showing evidence of a bodge. Why on earth would anyone use two separate sections of copper pipe, unless either the plastic pipe or the final stretch of copper pipe to the mixer tap had been cut too short? In any case, why not use flexi-hoses?
There was also evidence of wiring for what used to be a microswitched tap. Someone had replaced what was there with a new tap at some time in the past, but badly.
Now I'm no expert on pipe sizes and connectors, but I managed to conclude that motorhome and caravan piping is 10mm - which is not the size used in houses (I knew that micromerter would come in useful one day).
Domestic, monoblock mixer taps come with flexible hoses that screw into the bottom of the tap and end in a 1/2" nut, so the exercise was to find an adaptor with a brass, 1/2" male end and a 10mm Speedfit end. Not the easiest of things to find, but I did, at the exorbitant price of £14 for a pair.
Once Hay has been on her road trip next week, I'll effect the new mixer installation at the same time as installing the in-line pressure switch to automate the pump.
The monoblock we chose has an aerator in the flexible nozzle, which gives the impression of better flow while not using more water - it just uses the water more efficiently by bulking it out with air. A clever idea and very useful in a motorhome or caravan, where water is in short supply.
No comments:
Post a Comment