Shower Mixer Fitting Questions with Pictures

[joidevie]

Hi everyone, I hope someone can help a little.

I have a new Bristan thermostatic shower I an considering fitting onto a new placo/tiled shower area. The Bristan comes with two 90 degree 'elbows' with 15mm UK chrome olive compression fittings supposedly at a 153mm width/spacing.

 

[IMG]http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/azillio/bristan/osborne_thermostatic_surface_mounted_with_adjustable_riser.jpg[/IMG]

I am looking to connect this to a 'sortie cloison' with 1/2 inch female brass fittings, but these seem more designed for a typical French 'mitigeur' and not UK 15mm pipes sticking out of the wall.

[IMG]http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/azillio/bristan/sortie1.jpg[/IMG]

My first question is how to best (if at all, I may still pack it in and buy a French mixer) connect the Bristan cartridge to the wall. The chrome thread for the olive nut seems not deep enough to form a 1/2 inch 'threaded' connection?

[IMG]http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/azillio/bristan/_MG_0281.jpg[/IMG]

I want to retain a French style 'outlet' on the wall for any later changes if possible..

A second question lies in the plumbing to the 'sortie de cloison' itself. I am using 20mm 'multicouche' (pex?) in the barthroom as a feed, but am not sure whether to reduce to 16mm for the shower or simply go 20mm directly into the shower? The difference in internal diameter is quite marked - can I over power the shower mixer with the 20mm or might it cause a problem? Should I 'reduce' to 16mm? ANJOU CONNETIQUE seem to stock the 'kit cloison' dedicated to 'multicouche' with an option for 16mm or 20mm

[IMG]http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/azillio/bristan/connection20mm.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/azillio/bristan/kit.jpg[/IMG]

http://www.anjou-connectique.com/kit-sortie-de-cloison-multicouche-c-89_213_494_499.html

I hope I've been as clear as possible, and would really appreciate some help as I've been around the block on this one..

Many thanks.

[Théière]

[quote user="joidevie"]My first question is how to best (if at all, I may still pack it in and buy a French mixer) connect the Bristan cartridge to the wall. The chrome thread for the olive nut seems not deep enough to form a 1/2 inch 'threaded' connection?

[/quote]

It isn't and it isn't 1/2" bsp either so your heading for trouble

[joidevie]

Is it not 15/21 or 1/2 inch?

Is this a case of giving up or is there an easy obvious solution?

Cheers.

[Théière]

Sorry joidevie, I gave you a naff stear there, it is the 22mm compression thread that isn't 3/4bsp with 15mm you should be ok but the tail isn't long enough by the look of it.

Looking through my Bristan catalogue it looks like a lot of the centres are adjustable from 148-152mm.

[joidevie]

No problem..

I too feel the thread is too short - but attaching a really short piece of 15mm copper with a male 1/2 brass would make it too long non? And I don't think the Bristan is adjustable in any way - I have one in the UK and it is a completely fixed width.

I'm no plumber, but might I 'recess' the placo mounting kit a few more mm's to take a 15mm pipe with a male 1/2 brass attaced (and use some sort of deeper cover plates to gain even more?)?

Ever used one of these?  Can they be cut with a pipe cutter? Is the brass stem designed to take a compression fitting? Is it too soft and needin some sort of insert? http://www.speedfit.co.uk/Home/Products/Brass-Fittings/10,-15,-22---28mm-Size-Brass-Fittings/MALE-STEM-ADAPTOR.aspx

[IMG]http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/azillio/bristan/johnguestbrass.jpg[/IMG]

http://www.supremeplumb.com/cgi-bin/DMdatabase.cgi?action=/home/suprem13/public_html/cgi-bin/home/Shop/Plumbing_Fittings/JG_Fast_Track_Ring_Main_System.txt&item=00069

Or a more industrial version, but maybe a little hard to use with an olive compression fitting?

[IMG]http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/azillio/bristan/sealey-cas15sta-15mm-stem-adaptor-12bsp-00105135L.jpg[/IMG]

http://www.toolbox.co.uk/sealey-cas15sta-15mm-stem-6836-105135

This way one could always later fit the French 'mitiguer' adaptor with the step up in thread and off centre in order (those things that are supplied with the French mixers) if one wanted to revert to a French mixer.

Maybe I just need to hear that I should ditch the UK Bristan and go French/European?

[Théière]

Yep used all sorts and swan neck adapters, whatever works and is watertight. There was a similar stem to the one you showed that was slightly telescopic but it's now missing from the catalogue so maybe it was never much good but I seem to remember using those on one job.