Frequently Asked Questions
What advantages are there in buying fittings in this manner?
Apart for the obvious huge savings that you will benifit from by purchasing from Flow-master, buying this way also means that you the customer can benifit from having a small extra stock of fittings kept on your own premises when you want them at no major extra outlay. Let's face it, more often than not, the leak that you're repairing doesn't always happen between 9:00am and 5:00pm and the convenience of having a number of the common fittings to get you out of a pinch is invaluable.
Another advantage is the time saved in having those fittings delivered to you, rather than you having to travel many kilometers to your local or not so local merchant to buy the fittings you require.
How do I purchase these pipe fittings?
From the home page click on the particular type of pipe fitting you are looking for (for example a "Joiner" ). From there you will be asked to select the type, either Metric (blue pipe) or imperial (N.G. normal gauge, black pipe). From there you then select the particular size you require. In the case of threaded fittings, suitable for a ball-cork, the pipe size is shown first and the thread is listed secondly.
Then select your quantity and add to cart.
How do I receive my fittings?
Once you've completed your order and paid for them either by credit card through a PayPal account (for security reasons) , the fittings are packed in our warehouse and shipped out by DPD and delivered direct to your door from your local DPD depot.
Do I need inserts in the pipe for these fittings?
Simple answer is no, inserts are not required.
Do I need spanners to tighten these fittings?
Obviously, when it comes to the threaded fittings, as applies to all fittings, the male thread needs to be prepared with PTFE tape and the fitting tightened in the usual manner. For the pipe side of the connection, we tested fittings on pipe work that were only hand tight and the pipes burst without any compromise to the connection between the fitting and the pipe. Basically, the fittings did not pull out or leak at hand tightness and the pipe burst to relieve the pressure built up in the system. In the case of the larger fittings, to exert the same tightness a spanner may need to be used.
Do I need to prepare the pipe to use these fittings?
Because of the extra strong seal in these fittings and and the fact that only hand tight will seal sufficiently to more than burst pressure of the pipe, for ease of installation it is better to chamfer the end of the pipes.
How do I make a connection with these fittings?
The components in these fittings from outside to inside are as follows:
Fitting nut
Locking ring
O-ring holder
O-ring
Fitting body
Firstly, once the pipe is prepared by removing a small chamfer from the end of the pipe, loosen the fitting nut almost fully. By pushing the pipe in beyond the locking ring(white ring) and the O-ring holder (black hard plastic ring) you will then feel the resistance of the O-ring against the pipe, it is essential that the pipe is pushed in beyond this o-ring to provide the perfect seal. Once the pipe passes beyond the O-ring the resistance reduces until the end of the pipe reaches the end stop on the inside of the fitting body, then is simply tighten the fitting by hand and re-pressurise the system.