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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Plumbing Questions >> 3 way kitchen taps https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1281255050 Message started by rogermatthews on Aug 8^th, 2010, 9:10am

Title: 3 way kitchen taps
Post by rogermatthews on Aug 8^th, 2010, 9:10am

Hi All. I am fitting new worktops etc in my kitchen and the sink I want has a single hole for a monobloc type mixer. I actually have a need for 3 supplies, hot and cold softened water plus a hard water supply for drinking (currently these are separate taps fitted into the worktop but 'er indoors doesn't want taps in worktops this time)

I note there are 3-way mixer taps intended for hot and cold plus filtered water. Is it possible simply to fit 3 inlet supplies without the filter system which I don't want? Is it just a question of fitting 3 tails to 3 inlets on the mixer?

Unsurprisingly, local suppliers tend not to stock these taps, nor really profess to know too much, and manufacturers' literature concentrates more on how great filtered water is rather than the plumbing.

If anyone has any experience, or knows of any other taps, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks

Roger

Title: Re: 3 way kitchen taps
Post by rogermatthews on Aug 8^th, 2010, 6:18pm

Sorry - perhaps I'm answering my own question!

I've just come across a review elsewhere about the BRITA 3-way tap - somebody else wanted exactly what I do and found out the hard way it does NOT have 3 separate feeds (the filter 'tap' appears to be just a switch to kick in the filter on the same feed as the cold).

So, can I rephrase the question - does anybody know of a genuine 3-feed mixer tap?

Thanks

Roger

Title: Re: 3 way kitchen taps
Post by CWatters on Aug 12^th, 2010, 9:53am

Normally the litchen tap is fed by hard water only but Google says check out the "Three way" taps on this site. I can't see how some of them work (they only have 2 levers) but the site is a water softner co...

http://www.simply-soft.co.uk/taps_gallery.htm

I assume that all three supplies are mains pressure? The pipes on most ordinary monoblock ceramic taps are small diameter and unsuitable for some gravity fed hot water systems. On a three way tap they might be even smaller.

Title: Re: 3 way kitchen taps
Post by CWatters on Aug 12^th, 2010, 10:04am

Check out the Astracast "Springflow". Appears to be a proper three source tap?

http://www.astracast.co.uk/

http://www.springflow.co.uk/

Fitting instructions show three pipes an filter unit under the worktop..

http://www.springflow.co.uk/real/web/jacuzzi/Springflow_realweb.nsf/vwa_files/Colonial%20Springflow%20Fitting%20Instructions.pdf/$file/Colonial%20Springflow%20Fitting%20Instructions.pdf

Title: Re: 3 way kitchen taps
Post by rogermatthews on Aug 17^th, 2010, 1:37pm

Hi guys, thanks so much for the thoughts. I've been busy researching, in fact Astracast, Springflow, Franke (and others) do make taps with 3 inlets, intended for filter water but can be plumbed for any 3 inlets. But Brita filter taps cannot; they have only two inlets.

Yes, some have only two levers, but one of them pushes back for one flow, forward for another (one tap I saw had only one 3-way lever!)

I've opted for the Franke Tradition, 3 separate levers. Not cheap, even when heavily discounted if you shop around, but it will do the job I want.

Thanks again

Roger