Changing mixer tap - do I need to renew the fittings too?

Working_in_pyjamas

I’m going to have a go at changing a kitchen mixer tap, the cold tap has a very old plastic fitting linked to the bottom of the threaded tap. 

Please could someone tell me if I need to change this as a matter of course? If yes then how will the plastic thing come off? 

The other side has a flexi hose with a metal nut which looks in much better condition so I’m guessing it’s OK to re-use 

Cold  

Hot

NSG666

I'd be tempted to buy another flexible hose because if the tap tails are slightly different lengths it might be difficult to reuse the JG Speedfit tap connector. The existing flexi looks reasonably new so should be ok but sometimes the rubber washer can deteriorate when you undo them. You could pick up a couple of flexis from say Screwfix then take one back if not required - better than having to nip out for another mid-way through the job.

Make sure the hose is WRAS approved and suitable for drinking water as many are not.

Hose 15mm x ½" x 300mm | Compression Hoses | Screwfix.com

Working_in_pyjamas

NSG666 said:

I'd be tempted to buy another flexible hose because if the tap tails are slightly different lengths it might be difficult to reuse the JG Speedfit tap connector. The existing flexi looks reasonably new so should be ok but sometimes the rubber washer can deteriorate when you undo them. You could pick up a couple of flexis from say Screwfix then take one back if not required - better than having to nip out for another mid-way through the job.

Make sure the hose is WRAS approved and suitable for drinking water as many are not.

Hose 15mm x ½" x 300mm | Compression Hoses | Screwfix.com

Thanks, will buy a couple as I’m picking up the basin wrench and spanner from there anyway!

If I use a new flexi hose on the cold tap will it be OK given that the top of the pipe is very close to where the tap comes down so it will have to loop out to the side rather than going down as there is no room for it to go down. 

Not explained that very well but the hot tap pipe must have been cut down as it’s about 20cm from the tap thread to the top of the pipe whereas the cold tap thread meets the plastic connector immediately so the blue line on my pic will be the flexi hose

Bendy_House

Best if you post a photo to show us.

Do the existing pipes have isolators on them so you can shut off the water to just the tap in future? If you fit these, you'll be able to turn the water back on for the rest of the house and that might take the pressure off you to complete the job in a hurry.

Working_in_pyjamas

Bendy_House said:

Best if you post a photo to show us.

Do the existing pipes have isolators on them so you can shut off the water to just the tap in future? If you fit these, you'll be able to turn the water back on for the rest of the house and that might take the pressure off you to complete the job in a hurry.

Thanks, my post above should have the pic to explain what I mean…

The existing pipes don’t have isolators on them but the internal stopcock underneath the sink is brand new as when I thought the tap was dripping due to a washer (didn’t realise they had ceramic discs) I tried to turn the water off and the stopcock was seized so Homeserve came out and replaced it but they don’t cover taps and my DIY skills are defo level one at best! 

neilmcl

Working_in_pyjamas said:

NSG666 said:

I'd be tempted to buy another flexible hose because if the tap tails are slightly different lengths it might be difficult to reuse the JG Speedfit tap connector. The existing flexi looks reasonably new so should be ok but sometimes the rubber washer can deteriorate when you undo them. You could pick up a couple of flexis from say Screwfix then take one back if not required - better than having to nip out for another mid-way through the job.

Make sure the hose is WRAS approved and suitable for drinking water as many are not.

Hose 15mm x ½" x 300mm | Compression Hoses | Screwfix.com

Thanks, will buy a couple as I’m picking up the basin wrench and spanner from there anyway!

If I use a new flexi hose on the cold tap will it be OK given that the top of the pipe is very close to where the tap comes down so it will have to loop out to the side rather than going down as there is no room for it to go down. 

Not explained that very well but the hot tap pipe must have been cut down as it’s about 20cm from the tap thread to the top of the pipe whereas the cold tap thread meets the plastic connector immediately so the blue line on my pic will be the flexi hose

That's a little close to put a flexi tail on, I'd either re-use the exiting speedfit connector, if the seal is still OK, or replace it with like for like, otherwise you're going to have to cut your cold pipe a bit further along. I can see that the hot trap already uses a push-fit flexi tail.

Working_in_pyjamas

neilmcl said:

Working_in_pyjamas said:

NSG666 said:

I'd be tempted to buy another flexible hose because if the tap tails are slightly different lengths it might be difficult to reuse the JG Speedfit tap connector. The existing flexi looks reasonably new so should be ok but sometimes the rubber washer can deteriorate when you undo them. You could pick up a couple of flexis from say Screwfix then take one back if not required - better than having to nip out for another mid-way through the job.

Make sure the hose is WRAS approved and suitable for drinking water as many are not.

Hose 15mm x ½" x 300mm | Compression Hoses | Screwfix.com

Thanks, will buy a couple as I’m picking up the basin wrench and spanner from there anyway!

If I use a new flexi hose on the cold tap will it be OK given that the top of the pipe is very close to where the tap comes down so it will have to loop out to the side rather than going down as there is no room for it to go down. 

Not explained that very well but the hot tap pipe must have been cut down as it’s about 20cm from the tap thread to the top of the pipe whereas the cold tap thread meets the plastic connector immediately so the blue line on my pic will be the flexi hose

That's a little close to put a flexi tail on, I'd either re-use the exiting speedfit connector, if the seal is still OK, or replace it with like for like, otherwise you're going to have to cut your cold pipe a bit further along. I can see that the hot trap already uses a push-fit flexi tail.

Thanks, I’m definitely not capable of cutting pipes! If I’m replacing the white plastic connector with a similar one how do they come off? Will I just need to yank it?!

neilmcl

Working_in_pyjamas said:

neilmcl said:

Working_in_pyjamas said:

NSG666 said:

I'd be tempted to buy another flexible hose because if the tap tails are slightly different lengths it might be difficult to reuse the JG Speedfit tap connector. The existing flexi looks reasonably new so should be ok but sometimes the rubber washer can deteriorate when you undo them. You could pick up a couple of flexis from say Screwfix then take one back if not required - better than having to nip out for another mid-way through the job.

Make sure the hose is WRAS approved and suitable for drinking water as many are not.

Hose 15mm x ½" x 300mm | Compression Hoses | Screwfix.com

Thanks, will buy a couple as I’m picking up the basin wrench and spanner from there anyway!

If I use a new flexi hose on the cold tap will it be OK given that the top of the pipe is very close to where the tap comes down so it will have to loop out to the side rather than going down as there is no room for it to go down. 

Not explained that very well but the hot tap pipe must have been cut down as it’s about 20cm from the tap thread to the top of the pipe whereas the cold tap thread meets the plastic connector immediately so the blue line on my pic will be the flexi hose

That's a little close to put a flexi tail on, I'd either re-use the exiting speedfit connector, if the seal is still OK, or replace it with like for like, otherwise you're going to have to cut your cold pipe a bit further along. I can see that the hot trap already uses a push-fit flexi tail.

Thanks, I’m definitely not capable of cutting pipes! If I’m replacing the white plastic connector with a similar one how do they come off? Will I just need to yank it?!

No, you definitely don't just "yank it". See the grey part at the bottom at the copper pipe, you pinch that together with the rest of the body of the connector then pull it off the pipe.

TBH, anyone's capable of cutting pipe with the correct tools - https://www.screwfix.com/p/rothenberger-pipeslice-15mm-automatic-copper-pipe-cutter/36198

NSG666

Working_in_pyjamas said:

NSG666 said:

I'd be tempted to buy another flexible hose because if the tap tails are slightly different lengths it might be difficult to reuse the JG Speedfit tap connector. The existing flexi looks reasonably new so should be ok but sometimes the rubber washer can deteriorate when you undo them. You could pick up a couple of flexis from say Screwfix then take one back if not required - better than having to nip out for another mid-way through the job.

Make sure the hose is WRAS approved and suitable for drinking water as many are not.

Hose 15mm x ½" x 300mm | Compression Hoses | Screwfix.com

Thanks, will buy a couple as I’m picking up the basin wrench and spanner from there anyway!

If I use a new flexi hose on the cold tap will it be OK given that the top of the pipe is very close to where the tap comes down so it will have to loop out to the side rather than going down as there is no room for it to go down. 

Not explained that very well but the hot tap pipe must have been cut down as it’s about 20cm from the tap thread to the top of the pipe whereas the cold tap thread meets the plastic connector immediately so the blue line on my pic will be the flexi hose

Tools wise I'd buy a couple of pairs of adjustable spanners (you only need one pair to remove/refit the tap and fit the flexi to it but you will need two to attach the flexi to the copper pipe).

Yes you will need to cut the copper pipe back so you might also need to buy a pipe slice if you don't have one.

Looking at the photo I'd recommend taking the opportunity to fit an isolator in the horizontal section of the coper pipe (the one under the grey corrugated pipe). I'd also buy a 500mm flexi as the 300 might be too short to bend to the horizontal position but you could buy one of each and check.
Fit the tap then fit the 500 flexi to it and see where it will reach to easily on the horizontal pipe, cut the pipe then fit an isolator taking note of the arrow, cut a 50mm piece off the scrap copper you cut off earlier and use this to connect to the isolator and compression end of the flexi.

Are you on a combi boiler or a system that will stop the hot water flowing when you turn off the stop tap?


Hose 15mm x ½" x 500mm | Compression Hoses | Screwfix.com

Isolating Valve 15mm 2 Pack | Isolating Valves | Screwfix.com

NSG666

Sorry After writing my last post I read your further posts and it seems like you are replacing the tap because it is dripping. If it's otherwise ok why don't you just replace the 1/4 turn valves?
Do you know the make of the tap (as the valves are not standard)?
Are you anywhere in the country that has a James Hargreaves plumber's merchant?

Can you post a photo of the tap?

Working_in_pyjamas

No, you definitely don't just "yank it". See the grey part at the bottom at the copper pipe, you pinch that together with the rest of the body of the connector then pull it off the pipe.

TBH, anyone's capable of cutting pipe with the correct tools - https://www.screwfix.com/p/rothenberger-pipeslice-15mm-automatic-copper-pipe-cutter/36198

There isn’t a grey part, unless you mean the dirt on the rim on the lowest part?!

I really wouldn’t feel confident cutting a pipe so if that’s needed I’d have to get a plumber in