Water supply dimensions. Flexible hoses for water supply. Flexible bellows type plumbing

Flexible water connection, you will be very useful for connecting toilets, faucets, installations for toilets and showers. Perhaps these are the most common places where it is quite difficult to do without it.

Of course, the faucet and the toilet can be connected with other pipes, for example, with the same metal-plastic, but this is less convenient and far from the fact that such a connection will be more reliable, provided that a high-quality flexible connection is used.

In this article, I will help you figure out how eyeliners differ from each other and how to choose a good eyeliner.

Video

The flexible hose consists of a rubber hose, a metal braid, fittings, captive nuts and gaskets.
To put it simply, in fact, it is just a rubber hose in a metal braid.

The photo above shows an inlet with a cut-off braid. Its type is an extension. Nut on one side, thread on the other. There is also a nut-nut for mixers.

When buying a faucet, pay attention to these eyeliners, the thread in them may not be the usual ¹⁄₂ inch, but ³/ 8 inch. Then you may need an additional adapter.

Hose

Good hoses use a hose made of some kind of special rubber that can be used in the food industry. Simply put, made of non-toxic and elastic rubber.
Cheap eyeliners use rubber of unknown origin. It is usually fragile and brittle. For example, without a braid, I bent the hose once:

Braid and fittings

The braid can be aluminum, stainless steel or nylon.
At the time of this writing, I could not find a nylon braided eyeliner for sale, so here's a photo from the Internet

Consider braids made of aluminum, stainless steel and a little touch on galvanized steel.

As practice shows, eyeliners with aluminum braid serve less than their counterparts. On average, 3-4 years and they are designed for a pressure of about 5 atm.

Such an eyeliner is afraid of becoming overgrown with condensate, as a result of which oxidation and weakening of the aluminum reinforcement are inevitable.

But there are instances and even weaker ones. This is a reinforcement made of ordinary galvanized iron wire, which can rust. The service life of such an eyeliner is very small, and it can be used purely as a temporary one.

A standard hose in a stainless braid lasts more than 8 years, but usually after such a period they change the faucets to new ones, where new hoses are included in the kit.
Liners with stainless braid are designed for pressure up to 10 atmospheres and temperatures up to 95 degrees. These figures refer to operating pressure, short term pressures and temperatures may be higher.

We look at the eyeliners, where the numbering is from top to bottom and from left to right:

1,2,5 aluminum braid.
3 and 4 stainless mesh.
The fitting on the first eyeliner is made of stainless steel, 2 are made of aluminum, 3 are made of brass, 4 and the fifth are made of nickel-plated brass

This is what the fittings look like. A little wrinkled because I did not uproot them neatly.

Aluminum - from the mixer and nickel-plated brass - from the extension.

There are also reinforced liners in nylon or stainless braid with working pressure up to 20 atmospheres and temperatures up to 110°C. Here, the service life can reach more than 15 years. The burst pressure of such liners is close to 80 atm.

Here are two cut eyeliners, a cheap one (from the shit-mixer kit) and a regular one:

Outwardly, they seem to be no different, but during operation it will greatly affect.

Before buying a hose, you need to know the working pressure and temperature in your system and, based on these parameters, choose a flexible hose.

Purchase Inspection:

1. First of all, we look at the label and find out its composition and performance
2. Eyeliner should not be suspiciously light
If the eyeliner is too light, then most likely the braid is made of aluminum, and the fittings are made of brittle metal silumin link to wikipedia
Such fittings and nuts break off and crumble over time:

Plastic fittings are generally out of the question:

3. Eyeliner should not be "oak". The inelasticity of the eyeliner may indicate a poor-quality hose, which may crack and burst during operation.
4. All fittings must be well pressed, the tubes must be fully inserted, and the compression sleeves must be stainless steel. An example of an unpressed sleeve:

As a result of installing such or poorly pressed sleeve, the eyeliner will simply disappear:

5. Union nuts should not be thin and very light. Light end parts indicate that either the union nut is made of thin unreliable metal, or the fitting is plastic.
In both cases, leaks are possible. In order to understand what the nuts are made of, from silumin or nickel-plated brass, it is enough to scratch the nut.
If a yellow color is visible under the scratch, it is brass. If the color is dark or the same, then do not take this eyeliner. She is third in the photo.


6. Eyeliner should not have a strong smell of rubber. The pungent smell of rubber is a guarantee of the presence of a hose and gaskets made of technical, toxic rubber. Such eyeliners are usually equipped with the cheapest mixers. In principle, I do not recommend either such eyeliners or cheap mixers. Here's how easily the "rubber" hoses of these eyeliners break:

Rubber seals of such eyeliners will also crack:

What can not be said about better products:

7. Pay attention to the purpose of the eyeliner. There are for hot water, for cold and universal. For this, blue or red ribbons are included in the braid.

In the case of a universal eyeliner, there are both threads on the braid.

Well, in cheap ones there are no marks:

Installation

1. The flexible connection nut does not require thread sealing! There is rubber pad. All. You don't have to put anything in there.

2. In no case should the piping be mounted in an interference fit. None
If you look at the photo above, then it's not done very well. Or it was necessary to leave not water sockets, but simply finigs that would look up; or use 90° angles to direct the elbows upwards; or use eyeliner b O longer.

3. Eyeliner should not be overtightened. If you over-tighten the union nut, the rubber seal may be dented/cut. And the connection will leak.

4. It should not be bent into a kink, such as in the photo in the first paragraph. In this case, it is better to take a longer eyeliner and make an additional smooth loop. :

Application

At the beginning of the article, I listed the places where eyeliners are used most often. Additionally, they can be used to connect:

They are also called vibration hoses and are used in places of constant vibration. For example, in pumping stations:

Absolutely, such hoses cannot be replaced when connecting shower stalls, which are planned to be pushed back someday.

Eyeliners are indispensable in the presence of vibration and when connecting a booth.
But toilet bowls can be connected with other more reliable flexible tubes. For example corrugated stainless steel pipe.
Come to the store and ask that you need such a tube of such and such length. It will be made for you within 10 minutes.

They don't have a fitting.

Consists of pipe, union nuts and gaskets. The edges of the pipe are simply flared.

If it is not possible to purchase a high-quality liner, and the existing one is in doubt, then install a safety valve before the liner.
We will talk about its advantages and disadvantages another time.

That's all, thanks for your attention.

Features of flexible water supply

When planning a home water supply and gasification system, newfangled and convenient devices are increasingly being used today. For example, in order to connect a washing or dishwasher, a boiler, a toilet bowl, as well as appliances that use water, you no longer need to fasten steel pipes together with clamps, forming a whole bulky metal structure. It is enough to use flexible water connections, which will greatly simplify the entire system. At the same time, flexible pipes are easy to connect to plumbing and gas equipment, high-quality and reliable in operation.

Flexible water supply is a movable hose of various lengths, which can vary from 30 centimeters to 5 meters. At the ends on both sides of the hose there are fittings or nuts with rubber seals-gaskets.

Benefits of a flexible water supply:

1. Compactness and not bulkiness are the main advantages of flexible eyeliners. As a result, space is saved when connecting toilets, sinks, and baths to the water supply.
2. Flexibility - the hose connected to the washing machine allows you to move it to the wall or to the side.
3. No need to use welding when connecting. It is enough to tighten the nut of the flexible connection tightly, not forgetting to install a rubber or silicone seal.
4. It is quite possible to connect a flexible eyeliner yourself.
5. High practicality and external aesthetics of flexible eyeliners.
6. Water hammer resistance.
7. Reliability at work.
8. Durability - some types of flexible eyeliners can last half a century.
9. Flexible hoses are resistant to vibrations and minor damage.

In production, they are made from various materials. Water connections are made of stainless steel, as well as with an aluminum braid, gas connections are made of polymers.

Requirements for flexible water pipes:

1. The main requirement is tightness. If the flexible hose is properly attached to the plumbing, it should not let water through.
2. The sealing gasket at the ends of the hose must be made of quality materials.
3. The thread on the nut must not be damaged.
4. A rubber seal is required.

According to their classification, flexible water pipes are divided into the following types:

• bellows;
• reinforced;
• from stainless steel.

Bellows flexible water connection

Bellows flexible water connection made of stainless steel. The diameter ranges from 12 mm to 34. And the length is up to 200 centimeters. The corrugated steel sleeve is stretched to the desired length during installation. There is a gasket on a brass nut with a high melting point. It is worth noting that low-quality brass can oxidize from moisture, so it is better to buy hoses from trusted brands.

Flexible bellows water supply is resistant to high temperatures, withstands from - 50 to + 250 degrees. Due to this property, it is most often used to connect to a central heating system. Bellows flexible water supply is not cheap. Its price varies from 200 to 500 rubles. The cost also depends on its size.

Stainless steel bellows is very durable, its service life can reach 25 years or more. Corrugated bellows connections are used both for water supply and for gasification.

Advantages of bellows flexible water connection:

• made of high quality steel;
• resistant to water hammer;
• durable;
• not afraid of low ambient temperatures;
• hygienic and safe for health;
• does not burn;
• Can withstand water temperatures up to 250 degrees.

Flaws:

• high price.

Reinforced flexible water line

Reinforced water line is one of the most commonly used types of water lines. It is made of rubber wrapped in stainless steel. The maximum temperature of the working fluid that the hose passes is 90 degrees. Ideal for attaching to a boiler, toilet, washing machine, and often a flexible reinforced liner is purchased just for this purpose. A rubber hose of different lengths is wrapped in red and blue stainless steel. Nuts or fittings with threads and seals are attached to the two ends of the hose. It is not suitable for the heating system, as it will not withstand too high temperatures. The price of a flexible reinforced rubber eyeliner for water is much lower than a bellows one. But such flexible hoses wear out much faster.

The guaranteed shelf life of the reinforced water line is 2 years. But with proper maintenance, it can last longer.

Benefits of reinforced water line:

• environmental friendliness;
• speed of installation;
• ease of installation;
• made of durable materials;
• flexibility.

Flaws:

• with frequent kinks, the metal braid wears out;
• rapid wear of rubber in contact with water.

Flexible stainless steel water line

The connecting flexible hose must be made of stainless materials that are not subject to corrosion. The durability and quality of work of flexible eyeliners directly depends on this. The price of a flexible stainless steel water supply is quite acceptable. Due to this, this type of flexible hose is very common among consumers. The length of such a water supply ranges from 500 cm to 1 meter.

When choosing a flexible stainless steel water connection, it is important not to confuse it with a flexible stainless steel connection for gas equipment. Gas pipes are categorically not suitable for connecting to plumbing, as they can rust and leak. The question immediately arises, how can stainless steel hoses rust? The answer is simple: for gas equipment with stainless steel connections, the tips, that is, fittings or nuts, are made of ordinary steel. Therefore, when using gas flexible pipes for water supply, they will soon rust and begin to leak water. The shelf life is quite long, but rubber gaskets may wear out over time.

Benefits of a flexible stainless steel water connection:

• the material from which the hose is made is resistant to corrosion;
• low price;
• resistance to fire;
• not afraid of sub-zero temperatures;
• ease of fastening.

Flaws:

• with weak fastening, as well as poor-quality gasket on the thread, the flexible hot water supply may leak at the fastening point.

Before attaching a flexible hose to a faucet, toilet, washing machine, or heating system, it is important to check it for damage to the hose itself, threads, or possible manufacturing defects. The fastening radius must be no more than 0.4 Nm. During installation, it is important that the hose is not twisted. Having attached a flexible hose, it is necessary to immediately check its throughput. The hose must not leak. If drops appear at the attachment point, it must be tightened.

It is important to fix the flexible water supply in such a way that it can be easily reached for a preventive check of the fastening or if it starts to leak after the expiration date.

No one is immune from the acquisition of low-quality material. Therefore, it is necessary to make purchases with the availability of appropriate certificates, in specialized and trusted stores.

For each individual case, one or another flexible eyeliner is useful. Basically, each of the flexible hose options is suitable for mounting in a domestic water supply system. Durable flexible water pipes are made from high quality materials. Naturally, their cost depends on this.

You can buy a flexible water supply in any store or online store that sells appliances, plumbing or all sorts of little things needed in the household.

Flexible hose is a hose made of elastic material, protected by a metal braid with fasteners at the ends. It is used to connect communications in hard-to-reach places (faucets, showers, toilets), where it is difficult to do this with rigid pipes. An eyeliner or flexible hose for water or gas can be made of various materials. This results in a difference in the quality of flexible hoses and a different service life.

Product quality and cost

For example, flexible eyeliner from the STOUT brand is a great option for those who are used to choosing high quality without the need for overpayments. Products are manufactured in factories in Italy, where every stage of the production process is controlled. The same factories supply goods to eminent brands of an expensive segment. However, STOUT's pricing policy allows customers to purchase quality goods at an affordable price - there is no increase in cost due to a promoted name.

Flexible piping is available in diameters from 3/8" to 1 ¼", lengths from 400mm to 1000mm. This means that among the STOUT range you are sure to find the right product that will reliably serve for many years.

Materials from which flexible eyeliners are made

By design, a flexible eyeliner is a rubber hose, which provides proper softness and elasticity.

A high-quality flexible water supply should be made with a non-toxic rubber hose. Cheap copies are made of technical rubber.

From above, the flexible hose is covered with a braid. It can be made from aluminium, stainless steel or nylon.

• Flexible water or gas connections reinforced with aluminum are guaranteed to last up to 3 years, and then at your own risk. These devices can work properly at pressures up to 5 atmospheres and temperatures up to 80 degrees.

The main disadvantage of aluminum is that it corrodes when exposed to a high humidity environment (for example, a bath or bath) for a long time. As a result, the metal flexible hose for water is destroyed and leads to the destruction of the rubber hose and leakage.

• Stainless steel eyeliner lives much longer - up to 10 years, and withstands pressure up to 10 atmospheres at temperatures up to 95 degrees. The conditions in which this device can operate are found almost everywhere, so stainless steel is the most common flexible eyeliner.

• Reinforced flexible water leash is made with a nylon braid. Service life - up to 15 years, maximum pressure 20 atmospheres, maximum temperature - 110 degrees. Such eyeliners, although they are of better quality, are rarely used, since usually the conditions for which they are adapted are rare.
• The bellows-type liner is particularly resistant and has a long service life. If on the types listed above the outer sheath is made of a metal braid, then in this case the sheath is a one-piece corrugated hose, which is more durable, but at the same time does not lose its flexibility.

How to choose a flexible eyeliner

In order for flexible eyeliner to serve for a long time, it is necessary to choose it correctly.

• Before choosing a flexible piping, you should find out the water temperature and pressure in your system, and you should buy a product that meets these parameters;
• Regarding the same parameters, as well as the environment in which the flexible hose will work, you should choose the material from which it is made. In order not to buy an aluminum hose at the price of stainless steel, you need to weigh it in your hands. Aluminum should be significantly lighter;
• Reliable flexible water supply should be soft. If it is not endowed with such a property, it threatens to break the flexible hose. It is easy to check elasticity and softness. It is necessary to take the eyeliner by one end: if it takes a vertical (hanging) position, then it is elastic enough, if its position is almost horizontal, then it is too hard;
• The fittings, which are located at the ends of the flexible hose, must be free of cracks, and their sleeves must be pressed completely around their circumference, capturing the material of the braid.

Flexible hose fittings should be made of brass, a metal that will not rust. There are instances of eyeliners in which these elements are made of aluminum or plastic. In the case of aluminum fittings, they will rust and become unusable in a humid environment, while plastic fittings will simply break over time by themselves in any environment. So paying for stainless steel in this case is pointless.

• If a characteristic chemical smell comes out of the flexible hose, then it is made of technical rubber. The smell can remain for a long time, and also such material is characterized by fragility and low elasticity. Therefore, it is better to avoid these instances.

• Flexible water connections differ in temperature indicators - there are for cold and for hot water. Hoses for cold water are marked with a blue tape woven into a metal braid, for hot - red, universal - both.
• The flexible metal hose must be fitted with a secure union nut. For low-quality specimens, this nut may be too thin, which may crack and break during tightening or operation.

If the eyeliner is not chosen correctly (or too cheap), then you can get the result in the form of an early leak, which can happen suddenly. A gas leak would be especially dangerous. When buying hoses, pay attention to working pressure and service life.

Choice between gas and water connection

Sometimes a flexible gas leash is installed on the water supply. This happens in order to save money (gas is lying around somewhere, but you don’t want to buy water), ignorance or incompetence of sellers (they gave bad advice). In fact, this cannot be done, and the gas supply should only transport gas. And there are two reasons for this.

Gas connections are usually equipped with aluminum fittings, even if the rubber hose braid is made of stainless steel. This means that they will rust in wet conditions, and soon become unusable, begin to leak.

Flexible water connections undergo special certification and are environmentally friendly for humans. This is necessary, as they pass drinking water through themselves. Gas pipes do not pass such certification, respectively, they can be hazardous to health, poisonous.

Therefore, only bellows types of flexible connections can be used in gas pipelines.

Until recently, only pipes were used for water supply. However, in some cases, this method of organizing water supply or connecting plumbing fixtures is very inconvenient. Alternatively, you can use a special type of pipeline - flexible piping.

Design and application features

Unlike steel or propylene pipes, it has a high degree of flexibility. In fact, this is a hose made of an elastic material, at the ends of which connecting elements are installed in the form of fittings with an external or internal thread.

Flexible hose design

Despite its apparent simplicity, flexible eyeliner has a complex structure. So, to ensure sufficient elasticity, the pipe is made of rubber or EPDM rubber.

In addition, to ensure a long service life, the flexible hose must have the following components:

• Protective braid. Made from stainless steel wire. Necessary to prevent mechanical damage to the structure.
• Crimp sleeve. A universal mounting component that accepts a male nut or stud.

This is the most common flexible liner design. It may vary depending on the required technical characteristics, which should be discussed in more detail.

pressure and temperature

Any plumbing system has its own technical indicators. These include pressure (water supply) and temperature value (DHW and heating). Therefore, when choosing a flexible eyeliner, it is imperative to pay attention to these characteristics. Otherwise, it will quickly fail.

The most common defect

If the value of the water temperature is almost always known to the consumer, then it can be difficult to determine at home. To solve this problem, you can use the standard values ​​​​of this indicator in various systems.

• Centralized water supply - 4 atm.
• Autonomous heating system with forced circulation - from 1.5 to 3 atm.
• Central heating - from 2 to 4 atm.

In the latter case, sharp jumps in pressure are possible. Therefore, it is recommended to choose models with flexible piping with a margin of 20-25%.

Production material

All flexible hoses for water supply differ in materials of manufacture. In the vast majority of cases, rubber is used as a base, enclosed in a steel braid. However, in cases where the performance indicators are higher than standard, it is necessary to use a corrugated pipe - bellows.

It is made from stainless steel. The specificity of its design lies in the presence of alternating rings that differ from each other in diameter. During the manufacturing process, selective compression of the workpiece takes place, as a result of which the pipe receives greater flexibility.

Such models of flexible liner are used in the following areas:

• All types of water supply, except for heating.
• Gas supply.
• In production areas - food and chemical industries.

Stainless steel corrugated pipes have good nominal and maximum pressure ratings, but at the same time they are expensive.

Connection type

The connection of flexible piping in any system is carried out by mounting elements located at the ends of the structure. It can be fittings or union nuts.

To select the correct flexible hose model, you must first determine the type of connection. To do this, it is enough to measure the size of the mounting assembly in the line or branch pipe of the plumbing fixture. It is also important to pay attention to the type of thread - external or internal. Fitting size can vary from ½” to 1 ½”.

In addition, the length of the hose is an important parameter. It is important that after connection no voltage appears on its surface. Over time, this can lead not only to deformation, but also to a rupture of the structure. Most often, because of this, the connecting fittings that are pressed into the eyeliner fail. Hose length can vary from 200 mm to 5 meters.

In addition to these characteristics, when choosing, you need to evaluate the overall quality of workmanship. The braid must be uniform, the pressure fittings must be of high quality. The rubber gaskets that come with the package are not always of high quality. Therefore, it is recommended to replace them with silicone or paronite ones.

Most plumbing systems in apartments and private houses, until recently, were made according to the same scheme. Initially, steel or plastic pipes were routed to the kitchen, bathroom and lavatory to the end-user installation site. At the second stage, all consumers - a washbasin, a sink, a washing machine, a shower and a drain tank were connected using a flexible water supply, or in common parlance - a water adapter hose.

The main types of flexible hoses

The use of flexible adapter hoses is a necessary measure. Twenty years ago, all taps and cisterns were connected directly to a steel water pipe using a cunning system of spurs and couplings. As a result, the bath and kitchen, in terms of the number of pipes, often acquired similarities with the insides of a submarine. But this is not the worst.

Due to periodic vibrations and hydraulic shocks, plumbing connections and seals regularly failed, delicate rubber gaskets and valves on drain tanks collapsed in a few months. The problem was solved with the help of a flexible nut-to-nut water connection. Thanks to the high technical characteristics of the flexible water supply, the service life of the valves has been extended from several months to 10-15 years.

Today, three types of flexible hoses are used in the household for supplying water:

• Rubber tubes in a steel sheath. It is easy to distinguish by its barbed outer surface, consisting of dozens of intertwined thin wires;
• Hoses made of special rubber with braided plastic sheath. They are mainly used for supplying water to a washing machine;
• Bellows flexible stainless steel water connection. It is made by pressing and welding under high pressure of hundreds of steel rings typed on a core mold. It turns out a relatively flexible and very durable stainless steel supply.

Important! All plumbing hoses for water supply are designed for high pressure, so the outer sheath is always made of either reinforced steel-plastic braid or stainless steel.

A stainless steel bellows flexible water connection must be distinguished from a similar extension or hand shower hose which is not designed for high pressure. Distinguishing an extension from a bellows is quite simple - all flexible hoses for water supply, no matter if they are steel or plastic braided, are equipped with hex nuts or wrench fittings. Round union nuts with a corrugated surface are installed in the extension for a hand shower at the ends. They are designed for low pressure, so they are twisted by hand, without using a key.

The exception is some models of flexible hoses in a nylon sheath for supplying water to washing machines. Such devices are used as a flexible hot water supply, are designed for high pressure in the hot water supply system and are equipped with plastic nuts not on a turnkey basis, but with winglets for tightening by hand.

Materials for flexible hoses

In pipes and communications, divorced around the apartment, water circulates under relatively high pressure. For example, for water pipes, the water pressure can reach 5-6 atm, hot water in the heat exchanger and pipes of the individual heating system is under pressure of 1.5-2 atm, in centralized hot water supply systems the pressure reaches 3-4 atm. Therefore, the strength and durability of a flexible eyeliner primarily depends on several conditions:

• The qualities of rubber or metal from which the central channel of the hose is made;
• The material used for the reinforcing braid;
• Metal used to make fittings and nuts.

How important it is to select the correct braiding material can be judged from the technical characteristics shown in the table.

The central part of the flexible hose is made of special grades of rubber with a minimum content of water-soluble components. The material must comply with GOST 5496 for a flexible water supply. Most often, hose manufacturers use EPDM grade rubber.

For your information! The most common defect is damage to the outer braid of the flexible hose and the compression ring or sleeve that secures the nut to the end of the rubber hose.

If you need to make a decision about which flexible water supply is better, choose a stainless steel AISI 304 or GOST 5632 braided hose. For fittings or nuts, the best material is CW614N brass, nickel plated. In this case, the service life of the flexible water supply will be at least 10 years. Hoses with aluminum or steel-aluminum fittings last half - three times less.

Designs of flexible hoses for water

Almost all flexible hoses used to connect water consumers in the house can be divided into two groups:

• Extension cords used to supply water to remotely standing plumbing, washbasin, bathtub, shower. Usually these are long hoses, from 90 cm to 500 cm, a flexible water supply is standard, a fitting and a ¾ inch nut;
• Adapter hoses, usually of short length, up to 50-60 cm, are used to directly connect the consumer to the water supply system.

When selecting extension cords or flexible conduits, pay attention to the markings applied to the outer braid in the form of colored stripes. Hoses for cold water are marked with blue stripes, for hot water - with red markers. Extension cords similar in appearance with yellow stripes are used only for connecting gas, they cannot be used for water.

Features of the device of flexible rubber hoses in a steel braid

Most often, braided flexible hoses are used to connect plumbing, kitchen and shower faucets. The advantage of rubber-reinforced extensions is the low price and relatively high flexibility of the hose material. It can be freely bent into a ring, but it must not be doubled, stretched, attempted to tie in a knot, such handling invariably leads to damage to the crimping sleeve and braid.

Shower heaters and cisterns are typically connected with a 1/2" flexible water connection.

The most commonly used hose with a fitting and a nut at the ends, but manufacturers also produce models in the "nut-nut" and "fitting-fitting" versions.

For faucets and kitchen taps, flexible hoses of a special configuration are used. They are smaller in diameter than a conventional extension cord, the cross section of the internal channel is only 6 mm. An M10 fitting is pressed into the hose from one end, it is screwed into the body of the joystick or faucet at the sink. A rubber gasket must be placed under the thread of the fitting, so the fitting can be screwed into the mixer hole without any sealing tape.

At the other end of the liner is a half-inch nut, with which the tap is connected to the fitting on the pipe of the water supply system. A silicone gasket is laid inside the nut, but this, as a rule, is not enough to ensure tightness, therefore, before installation, the thread is wound with a funnel.

Most mixer manufacturers complete their products with a set of two hoses 50-60 cm long. As a rule, buying a good quality mixer, you automatically get excellent connecting flexible hoses as a bonus. Each is necessarily marked: for cold water - in blue, for hot - with a red or blue-red marker.

Today you can buy a flexible eyeliner manufactured by Aqualine, Monolith, Italian VALTEC, Spanish TUCAI or IndustriasMateu are famous for their good quality.

In order for the flexible eyeliner to serve the period promised by the manufacturer, it is extremely important to adhere to the recommendations set out in the product passport:

• Do not install a flexible hose with a bend radius of less than 50 mm, on the rubber surface in this state, even under ideal operating conditions, cracks and fistulas invariably form;
• The connected lead must have slack or slack. Most often, when connecting, hoses of increased length are used, which are folded into an arc or ring of a relatively large radius, 15-20 cm;
• When winding the sealing tape around the outlet fitting on the water supply, it is important not to exceed the recommended thickness of the seal. Otherwise, when tightening the nut, the thin-walled brass part may crack.

Subject to the rules, a high-quality rubber hose can withstand a maximum pressure of up to 20 atm. To facilitate the connection of extension cords and mixing hoses, a large number of adapters and nozzles are produced, if desired, you can assemble the entire home plumbing system from extension cords and adapters. True, it will have to be changed every 7-10 years.

Water supply with stainless steel hose

Most often, stainless steel hoses are used for remote water distribution, instead of the usual steel or plastic pipes. With the help of a flexible 1-inch water extension, you can bring water into the apartment from the central water supply. Often, additional radiators of the heating system are connected with stainless steel bellows. Due to the corrugated surface, the resistance to water flow is higher, but this can be easily compensated by using oversized hoses.

Corrugated pipes are also connected to boilers or accumulators, pumps, filters, any equipment that requires increased strength and at the same time is able to dampen emerging vibrations.

Union nuts are made of brass, branded models always have a nickel plating and a brand of the manufacturer. An important distinguishing feature of bellows is their high resistance to water quality. A corrugated surface can accumulate rust or organics, but stainless steel almost never corrodes, even when the water is highly saturated with carbonate salts. Rubber hoses in very hard water quickly fail.

Conclusion

The most significant problem of flexible hoses is a huge number of fakes sold on the market and in salons under the guise of well-known brands. Such hoses are manufactured on semi-industrial equipment using cheap materials, so rubber can emit a characteristic chemical smell, exfoliate and dissolve in water. The metal parts oxidize quickly, the nickel plating peels off, and the stainless steel bellows gets covered in a thick layer of rust. Therefore, the masters say that it is easier to install flexible eyeliner than to choose an inexpensive and at the same time high-quality copy.