Previously, the location of the mixers was rigidly tied to steel metal pipes. And to connect, for example, a washing machine, it was necessary to increase the water supply, often resorting to welding. Flexible piping expanded the possibilities of apartment owners when carrying out repairs in the bathroom and in the kitchen, facilitated the connection of plumbing fixtures, but also added the hassle of leaks. A bellows water supply will help solve all problems at once. Let's find out what it is and how it is better than braided rubber hoses.
Flexible plumbing sleeves do not clutter up the bathroom, they are easy to install without special tools. In addition, with them you can move a household appliance connected to the water supply within the length of the hose.
Todayflexible water connection available in two versions: in the form of a rubber sleeve in a braid and a bellows hose.
Features of rubber flexible eyeliner
Rubber hoses reinforced with a rigid metal or nylon braid are used to connect faucets, plumbing and household appliances to the water supply. Sleeves for hot water have a braid with elements of red color, for cold - blue. They are connected to water pipes by means of nuts and fittings.
Such hoses are easy to install, inexpensive, but have disadvantages that limit their use:
- Reinforced sleeves do not tolerate overheated water. Permissible liquid temperature during their operation does not exceed 90˚С. Therefore, such a product cannot be used in a heating system.
- The metal braid quickly collapses with frequent kinks, as well as due to the formation of condensate.
- The average service life of such an eyeliner is three years, after which it has to be changed.
Practice shows that reinforced flexible hoses often cause accidents with flooding of neighbors: they burst at the points of damage to the braid or connection with a nut or fitting. This is due to the presence on the market of a large number of low-quality products, with untimely replacement of the eyeliner, improper installation and operation.
Advantages of a bellows liner
The bellows-type liner is devoid of the disadvantages of rubber sleeves. It is a corrugated hose made of stainless steel. The gasket on the nut, made of brass, has a high melting point, which allows the system to withstand heating up to + 250 ° C. In addition, the bellows eyeliner has the following positive qualities:
- Copes well with water hammer, unlike rubber hoses.
- Does not burn.
- Durable, service life reaches 25 years. According to this indicator, it is not inferior to a copper eyeliner, but it is much easier to install.
- Withstands pressure of 20 atmospheres or more.
- It has proven itself when used in heating systems or in conditions of poor water quality.
- Does not collapse when exposed to negative temperatures.
- Provides hygienic purity of water and its safety for health.
Flexible stainless steel hoses are available on the market in two versions: fixed length hoses and foldable hoses that can be stretched within acceptable limits. For the latter, the size is indicated as a range, for example 90-150, 140-250 or 200-355 mm. Bellows-type water supply is more often produced with a diameter of 12 to 34 mm, but hoses with a cross section of up to 65 mm come across. Connection diameters are 1, 1/2, 3/4 and 3/8 inches.
Disadvantages of bellows hoses
If we talk about the cons, then there are only two of them:
- Bellows hoses are subject to strong vibrations, which cause noise and hum, which increase if several valves are opened at the same time.This can be easily avoided by using a larger diameter product.
- Relatively high cost. So, a hose 500 mm long and 3/4 inch in cross section will cost from 500 r.
Bellows products cannot be cheap, most often the low price is associated with poor workmanship. It is clear that by purchasing components of dubious quality, one cannot hope for long-term operation without leaks.
Features of selection and installation
The durability of a stainless steel water inlet depends on compliance with the rules for its installation and on the competent choice of the hose itself. For manufacturing, it requires expensive equipment and high-quality material, so it cannot be cheap. To avoid problems with leaks and not flood the neighbors from below, the choice of bellows products should be taken responsibly.
- Choose hoses only from trusted brands. Based on user reviews, the rating of reliable manufacturers includes Witzenmann GmbH (Hydraflex brand, Germany), Parigi and IDROSAPIENS S.r.l. (Italy), Kofulso (South Korea), G-Beka (Turkey), AQUAPROF (Russia).
- All parts of the hose in contact with water must be made of stainless steel and welded by roller welding. At this stage, unscrupulous manufacturers often save money by making parts from low-quality materials. You can check with a simple magnet that does not stick to stainless steel. If it is attracted, then the pipe or sleeve is made of ordinary steel, which means that over time this element will rust and leak.
- To connect to mixers, bellows hoses must have special small-diameter tubes with external threads. So when choosing a hose for such a connection, you need to tell the seller what exactly you want to connect.
Manufacturers who value their reputation offer not one, but two fittings of different lengths in the delivery of the finished mixer. This can serve as an additional sign of product quality.
- Before buying, you need to inspect the plumbing communications installed in the apartment. In order for the mating parts not to be subjected to electrochemical corrosion, the nuts and fittings on which they are screwed must be made of the same material. Only brass and copper parts can be joined together without any risk.
It is recommended to choose the length of the hoses with a margin, since it is impossible to stretch the bellows nozzles too much: this will significantly reduce their operating time.
- A quality product must have a warranty period of at least a year and be supplied complete with a technical data sheet.
Installation Recommendations
In the process of installing the eyeliner, you should follow some rules:
- It is necessary to provide free access to the attachment points not only during installation, but also for further maintenance and repair.
- Before installation, carefully inspect the hoses and fittings again. Defects may appear during transportation or storage, even if quality products were purchased from the store.
- Nuts should be tightened tightly, but without excessive force. It is not recommended to use gas wrenches in this case: they can seriously damage the connecting elements.
- During installation, the hose must not be twisted or stretched.
- The minimum bending radius of bellows hoses is specified in the technical data sheet, usually it should not be less than the outer diameter of the hose, multiplied by 6.
- After completing the installation and supplying water to the system, you should observe the supply for about half an hour, if necessary, tighten the threaded connections.
For a long service life of the hose without leaks, it is recommended to carry out a preventive inspection every six months and replace worn-out elements in a timely manner.The video below will tell you about some of the features of the bellows flexible piping.
