What is a thermostatic shower mixer and how it is installed

If you want to learn more about the thermostatic shower faucet - what it is, how it works and what is the advantage of using it, therefore, you need to understand its structure. The device itself here can be very different - it means its configuration and installation method, but, nevertheless, such a device at the outlet will supply you with water at a given temperature by default (the temperature depends on your desire).

Let's understand together the principle of operation of such a plumbing mechanism, its installation, as well as understand some of the nuances from the video in this article.

Crane thermostat

The principle of operation and its advantages

• In the image above, you see a faucet with a bath thermostat with a shower, where the valve is located on the left side with two On / Off positions, that is, on and off water. The overlap occurs with the help of valves, which is represented by a ceramic cartridge. On the right side is the temperature controller, where the default is 38? C, but if you need more, it is enough to turn the handle and using a smart cartridge, that is, the water temperature changes, regardless of the temperature of the hot liquid.
• Such a device thermostatic device provides you with the desired water temperature throughout the bathing, it will remain as you set the right thermostat knob, even if the boiler shuts off - this hot water will be enough to keep the desired temperature until it ends altogether. But by and large, such a device is beneficial, or rather convenient, because when someone turns on the water, you don’t feel it - a smart cartridge will give you exactly the set temperature.
• In addition, the instruction says that such a faucet is almost safe for children, even if the child opens the mixer, it will not be doused with hot water - there will be exactly the temperature that you set earlier. Of course, you can knock down the settings, but this is too unlikely, and it is possible only if the child presses the handle (presses it inwards) and caches, but, as you understand, it can only be done by an adult, because you need a certain physical strength and purposeful course of action.
• Another positive thing that can be highlighted using a thermostatic bath and shower faucet is energy savings for heating water (gas or electricity). Perhaps, many people know that when adjusting the required temperature, a large amount of water has to be drained into the sewage system, which you will not have to do with the presence of a thermostat. For example, you can shut off the water supply while you are washing your hair or body, and then tearing off the flow, you will get the same temperature of the liquid.

Differences in valves

First of all, it should be noted that the principle of operation of valves for a thermostat may differ, and this may be a cock-box, as in the photo above, cartridges or ball locks. The crankshaft, as a rule, comes with a ceramic pair here - these are two plates, with holes offset from the center - one of them is movable, and the other is stationary.

When the upper plate rotates, the holes either coincide or not, which makes it possible to regulate the flow rate, also, when the plate is rotated 180?

Most often, in such devices, cartridges are mounted - this is a barrel with three holes, two of which are inlet, and one works for the supply of an already adjusted fluid.

The process is performed using a plate with holes - when you turn the knob to the right and left, the flow area of ​​the hot and cold water passes, and when you raise and lower the joystick up and down. The plate moves back and forth, opening or closing the outlet.

The principle of action of a ball valve is very similar to a cartridge - there, too, there are three holes, two of which are needed for entry, and one for exit. Here everything is the same, it is not the plate that serves as an overlap anymore, but the ball itself, which rotates in the chamber, increasing or decreasing the cross sections of the holes.

Note. The quality of thermostats does not depend on valves; this difference only affects the maintenance of devices.

Installation

Now let's define the installation principle - a shower mixer with a thermostat, or it will be a separate device, in any case it will include two channels - hot and cold water, which is mixed in a small chamber.

Simply, there is a slight difference in the output - the thermostat gives out a liquid with a predetermined temperature, while an ordinary mixer requires a certain lengthy adjustment. Anyway, you will have to supply two pipes to the device - with hot and cold water.

Now let's see how to install a shower mixer with a thermostat. This is, in essence, the same thing as an ordinary faucet, so we will disassemble the ordinary distribution of water pipes. Currently, all this is done by polypropylene, and for docking they use special soldering irons and fittings.

Polypropylene pipes are most often diluted by gates, although this may be an external installation, when the flow tube is attached to the wall (ceiling, floor) with brackets (plastic, metal). However, the point is that two fittings are supplied to the mixer - one with cold and the other with hot water, and, as a rule, the outlet has an internal thread (for thermostat eccentrics).

The installation of the thermostat is no different from the installation of a conventional mixer, although the price of the devices is completely different - the distance between the fixing fittings is 150 mm here and there, therefore, you should use the heatsink .

The problem here will be mainly in the position of fittings relative to the plane - the best option is when they are installed flush with the draft plane (plaster, drywall). It turns out that the distance of ceramic tiles (10-15 mm) will be occupied by an eccentric, and the thermostat itself will lie on the lining without any gaps.

To begin with, let's see what an eccentric is - a barrel with two external threads that are displaced one relative to the other, which, when rotated, allows the fitting to be set in one plane or another.

In practice, this means that if you set the solder bar a little wrong, this can be corrected due to such a shift. That is, you can raise one side of the crane higher or lower, move it left and right, and even move it back and forth.

Note. As a rule, installation of the mixers is done with the help of a fum-tape, which allows you to shift the eccentrics right-left without consequences for leakage. But this function will work much better if you apply a layer of UNIPAK sanitary paste onto the fum-tape.

Conclusion

Installing a thermostat in a shower stall or bathroom will always be a reasonable solution in the sense of household amenities and safety in your home or apartment. The question here is which device you choose, external or embedded, although technically it makes absolutely no difference.