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What is this on basin tap tail

KLF

Thought I’d have a handy DIY job on my hands to change out a pair of basin taps but upon removing the pipe I found this thing that looks like some sort of brass fitting in the middle of the tap tails but it won’t budge for hell or high water. It’s only on the cold tap.

I searched online and can’t find anything similar. Any idea what it is? I’m starting to think it was something welded in as a repair?

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hydrus21

Taps pre-60's had a longer thread.

Fitting replacement taps after this time would result in a gap to be dealt with.

On a good day, there would be some movement in the pipes for the plumber to overcome this.

No such luck with any of my jobs. Had to use these.

Not sure if the fitting was made because of an anticipated issue.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122733270#Comment_122733270

I know I did battle with one on a fill-valve which was tapered as I installed a washer which didn't sit straight and it kept leaking for around 6 months, even after using PTFE and dope and such. Only when I brought it into a plumber's providers did they point out that I had the washer loaded in a tapered connector. Told me to either go with a straight connector with washer, or a tapered connector with PTFE. 🙄

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122733218#Comment_122733218

The 1/2inch coupling on a tap is a plain BSP thread and not tapered. The traditional way to make the joint is with a fiber washer.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/15mm-Compression-Straight-Tap-Connector/dp/B075G41WMB/

10-10-20

As far as I recall, that's a tapered coupling and it's tapered so that it doesn't need a fiber washer, the threads bind using PTFE tape due to the taper in the female end. Could be wrong through.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122732463#Comment_122732463

looks like a little extension piece to me, the male and female threads appear identical.

The Continental Op

There is no 15mm screw thread in plumbing only 15mm and 1/2' pipe. The screw thread is going to be 1/2' no matter where the tap came from.

chooseusername

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcRN0fEPEXa-RoZ5GuhZOpCBB4j4P7dq9hYXbzmPzA-qKhLSAiqFvG8madHELDMRmCuPiavUYWamB-xmqeba65k2SnbUjMRXGDV4QsNk4vBbQR1Va029Yk-h4g

Someone bought a tap tap from B&Q or from the UK, so it's a 15mm (UK) to 1/2 ins(Irish)adaptor

KLF

Hi lads, sorry I was away for most of Sept. I took the route of taking the sink off the wall and brought it outside. Even upside down I couldn’t get the fitting off so I got out the angle grinder with a inox disc and cut it off.

Still idea of the intention of it, the copper pipes were the correct length, there was no difference to the other tap that didn’t have this fitting. Some photos.

carveone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122557530#Comment_122557530

Don't leave us hanging. You aren't pinned under a sink somewhere are you 😊

I was just talking to my sister about taps like this - flexis are 30 minutes (for me not for a Real Plumber). Anything else could be anything. I reason that this is why it's so hard for plumbers to give a fixed price and time without seeing it, even though customers always think it's going to be like changing a plug. And then they whistle through their teeth and go hmmmm and try to escape.

Mine (just changed) used a compression fitting straight onto the tap tail. Pipe pushed in as far as it would go before fitting so it had to be taken out and cut before the olive would seat on the new taps.

Plus plumbers mate on the bottom, on the top, around the taps, on the sink, etc etc. And then someone painted over absolutely everything. It was straightforward no matter how much I like to moan about it but it was time consuming to make it look well.

Deregos.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122557530#Comment_122557530

How'd you get on with this?

GreeBo

I'd loosen the nut on the tail, raise the tap up and cut it off from above.

Mr321

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122557530#Comment_122557530

If your near a homestore and more there's an adjustable spanner and water pump pliers at half price for less then €5 each. Both dam good Stanford ones. Buy them they get that off

KLF

Thanks guys, I did get some box spanner’s but the largest was slightly too small. I think what I will do is take the basin off the wall so I can get at it easier and give it some elbow grease.

The Continental Op

I have several pairs of really good quality water pump pliers and they grip nothing like as well as a spanner, adjustable spanner, pipe wrench or mole grips.

I bet a spanner will fit on the OP's fitting and I'd be surprised if he couldn't find a socket that would fit it. The fitting may not be a typical hexagonal bolt shape but its hexagonal by virtue of the 6 ridges on it.

Mr321

Water pump pliers is what you need. One hand holding the tap on top then turn it with the pliers. Off in 2 seconds

The Continental Op

Its a half inch bsp female to half inch compression fitting (or 15mm compression).

Can't see the problem if it won't come off just cut it off, you don't need the tap your changing it?

If necessary grip it with mole grips then put a metal tube over the end of the tap hold the grips and turn the tap.

KLF

Thanks mate, will give it a good go on the weekend.

Deregos.

When you get it good and hot give it a fraction of a tighten first, then it'll loosen easier . . seen that tip on Car SOS and it really does work.

Perseverance mate.

KLF

Haha, I told the missus this would be an easy job for me to do but now a week later I can’t even get the first tap off 😅

Deregos.

I think it's just a way of extending a half inch copper pipe that might be a bit short . . not exactly sure as I'm not a real plumber 😉

KLF

Thanks, I did give a heat gun ago but probably didn’t do it for long enough.

Any idea what the thing is or what its use is? It seems like it’s sitting in the middle of the tails and not actually doing anything. It’s not on the identical other tap of the same basin.

Deregos.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058366720/what-is-this-on-basin-tap-tail

I very much doubt it's welded. If you can wedge the actual tap to stop it spinning, heat up that fitting with a heat gun/blow torch or something similar then it should undo with a pair of vice grips.