Flexible water line - where and how it can be used

Flexible water supply is a means of connecting plumbing to water communications if it is difficult to install rigid pipes. There are two types of flexible water connections: rubber hoses in a metal braid and bellows hoses. Connection using flexible hoses has become widespread. Installation does not require special devices or a lot of time, the installed equipment serves reliably.

Flexible water hoses allow you to reliably connect your plumbing fixture to the water supply network in confined spaces

Some advantages of flexible pipe

The use of flexible connections makes the water distribution system simple and uncluttered. Simple connection does not exclude long-term operation. The flexible pipe can be from 20 cm to 5 m in length, its internal diameter is from ½ inch to 1½ inch. The use of a flexible hose for water supply allows you to:

• obtain a tight connection;
• save interior space in your home by installing plumbing fixtures or household appliances;
• if necessary, move installed equipment, for example, a washing machine;
• do not use a welding machine when connecting household appliances or plumbing fixtures;
• do not be afraid of vibrations and minor damage;
• do not be afraid of water hammer;
• install the necessary equipment or technology on your own, without resorting to the services of an outside specialist;

By using a flexible pipe, you don’t have to worry that it will soon have to be replaced. When properly installed and used, it is reliable, looks attractive and will last a long time.

pros

The positive aspects that flexible eyeliner has include:

• Safety during operation;
• Reliable service of the product with its high quality;
• The flexible system is convenient to use and is much more practical than its rigid counterpart;
• Lasts quite a long time;
• Easy to install and remove from the mixer. Essentially, it only requires a couple of tools;
• Actually, the product is flexible, and therefore allows you to carry out various manipulations with it - move it on different sides of the mixer without fear of damage;
• Flexible hoses are easy to hide when installing built-in faucets. By placing them in a special box inside the wall. This allows you to make the interior more organic and hide unnecessary elements.

Materials for the manufacture of flexible eyeliner

The liner is an elastic hose. It is protected by a metal braid. Fasteners are installed at the ends of the hose. A simple design puts forward certain requirements for the parts that make it up. The hose for a quality product is selected from soft, elastic, highly flexible rubber.

The hoses are equipped with fasteners, the installation of which is easy

It is important to know! Technical rubber has a rather pungent odor, bends poorly and quickly fails. Such products should not be used.

To make braiding the following can be used:

• aluminum;
• nylon;
• stainless steel.

The aluminum-reinforced braid will allow the hose to be operated under pressure of up to five atmospheres at a temperature of 80º C. Use is guaranteed for two to three years. In conditions of high humidity, aluminum quickly deteriorates and ceases to protect the hose.

Stainless steel braid is the most common. It is capable of ensuring the operation of the product for ten years at pressures up to 10 atmospheres and temperatures up to 95º C. Nylon braiding extends the life of the pipe to 15 years at temperatures up to 110º C and pressures rising to 20 atmospheres. Fittings and union nuts are made of stainless steel and nickel-plated brass.

Security measures

Remember that after installation the liner will constantly experience a certain load

. A working area of ​​the pipeline is allocated for it. Against this background, there is a threat of system failure. If you are away from home for a long time, then at some point the water pressure may increase, and then the product, unable to cope with such a critical load, will simply burst.

This will lead to flooding of both your apartment and your neighbors' apartment. Eliminating its consequences is an extremely unpleasant matter, since it will require a lot of time and effort on your part, as well as significant financial costs.

If you want to avoid a similar situation in the future, then always turn off the water supply valve

. This will help avoid stress on the system, and then you can be calm about the condition of your pipes, and upon arrival back you will not be faced with an unpleasant surprise in the form of flooding.

What to look for when purchasing a product

You need to purchase a hose for eyeliner based on its intended purpose and conditions of use. You should know the water temperature and operating pressure in the system.

The purpose of the product can be easily determined by the color of the threads in the braid; if both blue and red colors are present, such a hose is considered universal

Colored tapes woven into the braid are used for marking:

• red – for flexible hot water supply;
• blue – for cold;
• red and blue - universal purpose.

As usual, there are no markings on eyeliners of poor quality.

The flexible water line label contains technical specifications. The weight of the hose should be felt in your hand; excessive lightness indicates poor quality materials. A product with aluminum braiding can quickly become overgrown with condensation. The reinforcement will oxidize and collapse, requiring replacement of the connection.

The fittings deserve special attention. Plastic ones won't last long. The fitting must be well pressed with a braid grip, with a stainless steel sleeve and a tube inserted all the way. Otherwise, the structure may simply fall off. High-quality union nuts cannot be too light and thin, so that the rubber seals do not crack and leakage occurs.

Important! It is not permissible to connect gas connections to the water supply. They contain toxic substances that are dangerous to the human body.

Installation

Having understood the types of flexible hoses and determined their strengths and weaknesses, you can begin installation.

To do this, follow the step-by-step instructions.

It is absolutely not necessary to involve specialists. The job is simple and can be completed in minutes.

• Shut off the water supply. And make sure that you turn off both hot and cold water.
• Remove the flexible connection that was previously used. It is enough to simply remove the union nut or fitting, depending on the mixer model.
• The purchased flexible hoses are checked for quality and installed in place of the removed ones. A seal for the nut on the inlet is not required, since there is a special rubber gasket there.
• Do not overtighten the eyeliner; make sure that it is long enough so that there is no tension during operation.
• Throw on the nut and tighten, but do not over-tighten. Excessive load may cause damage.
• Turn on the water and check the new faucet element in operation.

Metal braided rubber hoses

The most common flexible water connection is a rubber hose with a metal braid. It is extremely easy to produce. This is one of the reasons for the relatively low cost of the product. Modern manufacturers use EPDM rubber as the material for the hose. It does not have a strong chemical odor, is non-toxic, and is suitable for drinking water.

Flexible connections are used to connect mixers where there is no possibility of supplying a stationary pipe

Flexible water connections are most often used when connecting faucets. It is usually impossible to connect a stationary pipe to it. The flexible water supply hose can be easily connected to other household devices: toilet (urinal, bidet), washing machine, dishwasher, water heater. It is applicable wherever there is hot and/or cold water supply. The rubber hose for connection is very convenient, simple and practical.

The anti-vibration liner is of improved quality. The hoses of this product have an increased diameter compared to standard ones. They are used when connecting devices equipped with household pumps. The use of a special rubber anti-vibration structure can significantly reduce the level of noise and vibration in the water distribution network.

Good to know! It is not recommended to use rubber hoses longer than one and a half to two meters.

Advantages and disadvantages of flexible water line in reinforced braid

A rubber hose braided with stainless steel is usually connected to a water heater, washing machine or dishwasher, or toilet. It is designed for use for two to three years, provided that the water temperature does not exceed 90º C. Practice shows that flexible pipes last a much longer period. Connecting a braided rubber hose to the heating system is irrational.

A flexible hose option is a reinforced hose

The undoubted advantages of reinforced hoses for water supply include:

• flexibility (can be used even if there is a clear lack of free space for installation);
• significant strength of materials used in manufacturing;
• environmental friendliness, compliance with sanitary standards;
• quick assembly using simple equipment;
• ease of installation, requiring little effort
• comparatively cheap.

The disadvantages of flexible eyeliners are inextricably linked with their advantages. Rubber, which provides flexibility, interacts with water and quickly becomes unusable. Frequent kinking of the elastic metal braid accelerates its wear.

Installation instructions

If you doubt your plumbing abilities, it is better to invite a specialist who will connect your pipe to the faucet within a few minutes.

You can also try to do everything yourself. To do this, please read the instructions below. This information will be really useful for you.

1. First, shut off the water supply to the apartment.
2. Dismantle the strict connection. Carefully unscrew all the elements, as they may burst and then additional problems will arise.
3. It is advisable to change the gasket in the liner after purchase. Now you can mount. To do this, you need to correctly connect the hose to the fastenings (water supply pipes and mixer). First you need to lightly tighten all the nuts. This will help determine the correct length of the eyeliner.
4. Gradually tighten the fittings and nuts. A correctly twisted element will not cause cracks or additional breakages.
5. Connect the water supply system. Now you can check for strength and whether the fasteners fit tightly enough. Shouldn't dig up. If necessary, you can tighten it further. Until water stops dripping at the joint.
6. The supply hose must not be stretched. It should hang down a little. Otherwise, the device will soon fail.

A thoughtful and clear approach to business is half the success! Follow the recommendations and you will succeed.

Flexible connection for mixer

corrugated
is
a natural stage in the evolutionary development of its predecessor, a product that has performance characteristics of a higher order than the familiar
faucet connection
made from a rubber tube in a metal braid. Metal-spiral eyeliner, along with copper, has long been widely used in developed countries. Of course, in countries with developed economies, with intense competition in their markets, the struggle for consumers and product abundance, buyers, much earlier than we did in our domestic market, became more aware of the consumer properties of a particular product and more selective in choosing the right product . In addition, in general, buyers from “civilized” countries have long clearly understood the difference between price and value. The latter concept is broader, as it includes not only the cost of acquisition, but also the service life of the product, reliability, risks of use, impact on the human body, inconvenience caused by the need for replacement, etc.

Bellows liner

Metal is used to make the bellows hose. Most often - stainless steel. It looks like a corrugated sleeve. The increased reliability of the bellows flexible water connection is ensured by the following technical characteristics:

• high resistance to kinks and compressions that do not lead to disruption of the shape and internal diameter;
• withstands water hammer;
• not subject to combustion;
• ability to work in an incredibly wide temperature range – from -50ºС to +250ºС;
• resistance to oxidation under the influence of oxygen;
• speed of installation in cramped, inconvenient conditions.

Bellows hoses have many advantages over conventional braided hoses.

These properties allow the bellows hose to serve uninterruptedly for at least twenty-five years. Manufacturers provide a thirty-year guarantee for the fluoroplastic nuts used, as usual, when installing bellows connections.

It is recommended to use a bellows pipe in conditions of high pressure and elevated temperature, that is, for connecting radiators, water heaters, heated towel rails and other similar devices. Another parameter that determines the choice of a bellows pipe is the lack of space for installing any other connections.

In addition to the simple bellows eyeliner, there is a more attractive, “folding” shape. It comes folded. The corrugation is not stretched, the sleeve takes up less space. And during installation you just need to stretch it to the desired length.

Common problems

Over time, the eyeliner can weaken and cause certain problems to arise. There are popular reasons why a device fails:

• Weak or poorly executed crimp in the braid;
• Low quality of connecting elements and components, such as nuts, bushings, fittings;
• Use of rubber and braided materials for low grade hose.

Similar problems, as practice shows, arise when purchasing products from dubious sellers and from unverified manufacturers. But lately such situations have become less and less common.

It's quite simple to explain. Manufacturers, trying to win the trust and favor of customers, improve the quality of their products and use the best raw materials. As a result, most hoses are now made of specially treated rubber, nuts and bushings are made of brass, and braids are made of steel, which is not susceptible to corrosion and is not afraid of water.

Modern fittings have rid the flexible line of its weak point - the seals. Now a number of products do not include seals, since the fitting completely replaces them.

Installation of water supply

Before installing flexible supply pipes, you should carefully ensure that they are not damaged. Even an expensive and high-quality product could be damaged during transportation or during storage. After this, you need to make sure that the gasket set is complete and intact. When starting work, you should remember important rules for handling a flexible hose:

• it cannot be stretched, so the required length is calculated in advance;
• the eyeliner must not be twisted; deformation will make it unusable;
• It is recommended to bend the metal flexible water line according to the values ​​​​indicated in the product data sheet. The liner cannot be bent by more than 5-6 of its outer diameters;
• give the desired configuration to the liner before attaching the nuts;
• do not bend the pipe closer than 7 cm to the union nut connected to the consumer;
• for union nuts, use only flat spacers;
• It is better to tighten the tips by hand. After this, it will be enough to turn the tip with an adjustable wrench, a maximum of one turn. Using excessive force can easily damage the gasket.

When installing the liner, do not tighten the nuts too much

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Flexible eyeliner is the best option

Every time a faucet liner is needed, many young owners begin to think about the choice. Those who are already experienced will give an unambiguous answer to the question: “Which is better?” Of course it's flexible. To make sure that those who have already undergone a “baptism of fire” in terms of replacing fittings are making the right choice, let’s look at each type and method.

How to make your own eyeliner

To make your own flexible water lines you will need:

• flexible pipe, preferably stainless, of good quality;
• pipe cutter;
• roller;
• nuts;
• gaskets

Using a pipe cutter, the pipe is cut to the required length. The resulting corrugated pipe is inserted into the rolling machine with a projection onto two rings. It will take several blows with a hammer to roll each side of the pipe. When rolling flexible hoses with a diameter of one inch or more, they should be secured with a metal retaining ring. The manufactured metal flexible water line is equipped with prepared gaskets.

It is desirable that the inner diameter of the hose matches the inner diameter of the water supply system pipes. With a smaller diameter of the liner, the available water flow will be reduced, otherwise the pressure will drop sharply.

The ability to install flexible water connections of different sizes and diameters has greatly simplified the installation and use of plumbing fixtures and household appliances. A simple and reliable means of connecting to water communications is attractive due to the speed of installation in the most inconvenient places. It gracefully fits into the surrounding environment, bringing comfort and convenience.

Specifications