Replacing kitchen mixer tap

Benny2020

Looking to replace my kitchen mixer tap as only the hot handle works and the enamel/paint is flaking off and its rusting.
So i have found what looks to be a similar mixer tap and have viewed some youtube videos of the replacement job but one thing looks different on my setup.
All the youtube videos show mixer taps coming with flexible hoses beneath but when i look underneath my tap it has solid copper piping all the way to the top (base of the tap)
is this going to cause me a problem or do i just not install the flexible piping but join the base of the new tap to the copper piping?

Bendy_House

Hi Benny.

A photo would help, but in general these are the two piping methods - copper and flexi.

The copper 'tails' are usually malleable, so can be bent easily - and by hand - to suit your plumbing. They do tend to require more precision, tho', so need cutting to the correct length, and aimed directly to the supplying copper pipes. They tend to be longer-lasting, and also can even lend a bit of rigidity to the setup, making the tap less likely to move and feeling more firm if it's in a SS sinktop.

The flexis, on the other hand, are designed to make life easy. Decent quality ones should also last well enough - as long as the tap - tho' cheap ones are known to fail, such as the rubber hose inside them twisting or collapsing. Things to watch with them is that you (a) don't twist them, and (b) don't bend them at too sharp an angle.

Both types actually screw into the base of the tap, so you can actually swap from one to the other in most cases if you want (thread diameters can vary, tho').

Anyhoo, where the current tails join the 15mm copper supply pipes, are there isolating valves fitted? If 'yes', then that's a boon as you can shut off the supply to just the sink and leave everything else running while you sort the replacement.

Have you had a good look up towards the base of your tap? There should be either a long hex nut (around 12mm flats or so) or else and LARGE flat nut around 35mm or so. The former is easier to get to, tho' you'll need a socket with an extension.

All the taps are interchangeable - they all fit through a (35mm?) hole in the sink. And then you work out how to connect the pipes - not getting them the wrong way around...

Benny2020

So will a new mixer tap just go directly onto the 2 solid copper pipes that extend all the way to the base of the current tap?
All the youtube help videos show flexible piping and since i have not removed the existing tap i don't know what it looks like yet, i just know that what i have is solid piping.

Bendy_House

Benny2020 said:

So will a new mixer tap just go directly onto the 2 solid copper pipes that extend all the way to the base of the current tap?
All the youtube help videos show flexible piping and since i have not removed the existing tap i don't know what it looks like yet, i just know that what i have is solid piping.

In theory, yes, but they'd have to have the same size screw thread - which can vary. Also, the tiny rubber O rings on these tails are likely to be well squished on the existing tap, so will likely need replacing.

What I would do is to remove the existing tap, (I hope you have isolators?) and unscrew one copper tail. Measure the screw thread diameter - it'll likely be 8, 10 or 12mm. Then buy a replacement tap which has the same size thread. Jetison the flexis that come with the new tap, but transfer their O rings to the old copper tails and use these. The new tap should now be a perfect plumbing fit. (Mind you, if these copper pipes are bent to shape, they might not end up facing the right way after you've done them up fully into the tap base, so expect to have to tweak the shape. But they should be the correct length, and have the plumbing connectors already on their ends.

Or, just buy the tap and measure the thread size afterwards - and buy a pair of copper tails (eg: https://www.amazon.co.uk/M10x15mm-Copper-Suitable-MONOBLOCK-Mixers/dp/B075KM3WJ8 ) to suit, cutting them to length matching the old ones. That seems a waste, tho'.

grumbler

Benny2020 said:

So will a new mixer tap just go directly onto the 2 solid copper pipes that extend all the way to the base of the current tap?

Is it that hard to post a link to the "new mixer tap"?

AFAIK, most modern taps don't "just go directly onto the 2 solid copper pipes", but there can be some special ones.

BUFF

also, as B_H asked a picture of the existing installation would help, too.
As he said generally "tails", either solid pipes or flexis, screw into the base of the tap & those tails then connect at the other end onto the main pipework some 6-12" away from the tap.

Benny2020

So no threaded connections and solid pipe to the base of the tap.

Benny2020

pictures as requested

grumbler

You need a plumber or you can cut the (big diameter) copper pipes and use hoses  with compression fitting (15mm x M10 or 15mm x M12 - depends on the tap)

 - cutting with this cutter can be difficult because two pipes are too close to each other. If so, you'll have to use a hacksaw or an electric 'multitool'.

FreeBear

grumbler said: You need a plumber or you can cut the (big diameter) copper pipes and use hoses  with compression fitting (15mm x M10 or 15mm x M12 - depends on the tap)

Better still, use an isolation valve on each pipe. Then you can turn the water off close to the tap should you need to replace it or the hoses.

Benny2020

So if i cut the pipes at the appropriate point for the flexible hoses to reach i then need something like this?
https://www.diy.com/departments/jg-speedfit-push-fit-coupler-dia-15mm/34396_BQ.prd to attach the flexible hose to the cut off pipes?