DIY Spotlight: Installing an Instant Hot Water Tap
Does your home or garage have a sink with no hot water tap to wash your hands, dishes, or boots?
The Redring TAP1 Instant Hot Water Heater is the newest staff favourite in the warehouse for getting hot water where you need it in a few easy steps without installing a hot water pipe.
The handy TAP1 is a quick and economical solution for providing hot water where you don’t have ready access to a boiler connection.
It’s a Compact, Instant Boiling Water Tap which is ideal as a hygiene tap in Kitchens & Bathrooms, or as a utility tap in home or commercial cleaning/supply rooms or garages.
Its spout will swivel for your preferred dispensing position and the spout head unscrews for cleaning or descaling. It is very economical to run, taking 2.5kw power supply which is the same as your kettle will easily fit to an existing 16/32 Amp kitchen circuit.
The TAP1 is easy to install and connects to a cold water supply and electric power socket with the supplied 13 Amp plug or it can be wired to a fused spur.
It only takes about an hour to install which makes it an ideal Saturday DIY job! Lets take a look at this DIY project below.
Parts list
–Water pump pliers – (We found it handy to use two pairs of these allowed us to be able to tighten up any connections)
– Plumbing fittings will depend on if you are replacing an exising tap or using this for a new sink
– You will most likely need Plumbers Tape
– You will need to install a 13A Wall Socket and Back Box if needed.
– Cable to connect your socket to an existing ring
– If your water pressure is too high, we would advise fitting a Pressure Reducing Valve which will enable you to control the flow to the tap
There is no need for an electrician to make expensive wiring modifications in your home. Installation is easy and the first step is to switch off the water supply at the stop valve and also the mains electric supply at the switchboard. When replacing an existing tap you start by disconnecting the water pipe and the existing cold water tap unscrewing it from the sink. Water pump Pliers or an adjustable Tap Wrench is the only hand tool needed for 1/2” water pipe with lock nut as used in most sinks.
A handy tip is to put a basin underneath your sink pipe to avoid any remaining water spillage. This part of the job takes a bit of time and patience as sinks are usually cramped workspaces. Take the TAP1 tap and fit it to the sink with its lock nut and then attach the water supply pipe. It’s important to deal with the water connection first as if the tap is ‘dry run’ it might be damaged. The next step is connecting up the mains with the supplied plug to a13 Amp socket, ideally inside the sink cupboard.
The taps clever design has the power cable neatly tucked away at the side by the water heater shaft. It’s also possible to wire up the Tap1 to a fused spur if you prefer. When you start to use the Tap1, you will not get “boiling” water as it’s designed to provide hot water up to 50° C.
Secondly, if the flow rate is too high it may appear that the water heater isn’t working because water is going through the tap too fast to heat up – by fitting a pressure reducing value this should sort any issues with this. The tap can get very hot if run for 20 – 30 seconds and at a low output of water.
This popular Tap1 is low powered and economic to use, quick an easy to fit with the entire process takes about an hour. It is a direct replacement and suitable to replace most existing mixer taps. we’ve put one in our warehouse kitchen and it’s a big hit with our warehouse staff!
As with all DIY jobs please exercise safety at all times when working with electric and water.
Disclaimer: Please Note You should always get a competent professional to carry out relevant works. When this is Electrical work we would recommend using an *approved electrical contractor. Safety is always the most important aspect of any job so we always advise to adhere to this information. Any information or ‘advice’ we provide is provided on the basis you will only carry out any works if you are ^competent and *approved in this field. If you are not *competent and ^approved in the field of work you are trying to do you are doing so at your own risk. *Approved by NICEIC or equivalent. ^Competent – Has relevant experience or qualification in this field of work
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