What are the main tests performed on sanitary fittings hoses?

What are the different types of hose?

Industry-specific flexibilities

There is a wide range of hoses and fittings designed for specific uses in different sectors. To guarantee high performance in a fluid system, it’s important to choose a hose that’s suited to the sector of activity to which it refers. Indeed, an inappropriate hose can cause serious damage or be a source of real danger.

Among the different types of hose available, here is a list of the most commonly used connections, along with their different technical characteristics, depending on the application.

Semiconductors

In the manufacture of electronic products designed with semiconductor materials, cleanliness is one of the priorities.
The metal hoses used are specially designed for sensitive environments and applications requiring extreme cleanliness.
These connections have very fine threads, with a coating designed to resist contamination.

Other industrial applications

For many other industrial applications, hoses must be designed to withstand high pressures.
The pressure rating of some couplings can be as high as 60,000 psi, especially for high pressure couplings.
This sometimes requires the tubes to be prepared beforehand.

Focus on flexible hoses for sanitary fittings

In the sanitary fittings sector, there are 3 main types of flexible hose, each with a specific use.

The feed hose

Flexible supply hoses are flexible metal or plastic pipes used to supply hot or cold water.

Sanitary hoses are used to connect sanitary equipment (washbasin, WC, tap, bidet, shower, faucets) to the household water supply network. Flexible hoses can also be used to connect plumbing and heating systems (water heaters, hot water tanks, radiators, air conditioning, etc.). They can be installed seamlessly with male or female threaded connections, or with compression fittings.

The connections used in this sector are designed for easy cleaning, whether in a closed circuit or for complete cleaning by dismantling the system.
Fitting surfaces are also designed to resist corrosion and reduce bacterial growth.
To meet the quality and safety requirements of the medical and pharmaceutical industries, flexible hoses must beUSP Class VI approved.
Class VI controls developed by the USP assess the biocompatibility of plastics and elastomers intended for medical use.

Shower hose

The shower hose connects the shower mixer – or bathtub mixer – to the shower head .
They come in different sizes and materials.
Shower hoses can be made of nylon, PVC or metal.
In addition to length and diameter, strength is the most important feature of a good shower hose.

Evacuation hoses

Not to be confused with supply hoses, drainage hoses are intended for draining waste water.
There are male and female threaded hoses, grey PVC glued hoses and white hoses to replace siphons.
The pressure-resistant hose consists of a rubber hose covered with a braided steel tube.

What tests are carried out on sanitary fittings hoses?

Flexible feeder testing

Supply hoses play a vital role in sanitary installations, as they secure the water flow from the fittings into the fixtures (bathroom, kitchen, etc.). To ensure reliability, safety and long-term performance, flexible hose assemblies in drinking water installations on the market must meet specific criteria and standards.

Standards covering sanitary fittings, such as EN 200 or EN 817, require that connecting hoses comply with the European standard NF EN 13618. The products covered by this standard are hose assemblies:

• With or without braid.
• Between 90 and 2,000 mm in length.
• Nominal diameters (DN) 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 18, 20 and 25.

To ensure their conformity, flexible hoses for drinking water installations are subject to regular inspections. Manufacturers must carry out laboratory and factory tests onhydraulic test stands. The valve test benches can be used to perform static pressure tests, as well as pressure cycle and water hammer fatigue tests.

Hydraulic characteristics

• Flow test: The principle consists of measuring the flow rate through shower hoses using cold water (T 30°C) to determine their flow class.

Mechanical characteristics and sealing

• Tensile strength: The principle of this test is to subject the hose to a tensile force for a certain period of time.
• Flexural strength: This test is designed to check the durability of the hose at the connection ends when subjected to bending.
• High-temperature pressure resistance: In this test, the hose is subjected to high pressure and temperature (70°C) for a given period of time, within the recommended operating limits.
• Leak-tightness after tensile and bending strength test: The test consists of subjecting the hose to the appropriate pressure (2 or 5 bar), using cold water only.
• Thermal shock resistance test: The principle of the test is to check the tightness of the hose under alternating temperatures.
• Swivel connection: Where a shower hose is fitted with a swivel, the swivel must be able to function correctly and prevent the hose from twisting.
  The purpose of this test is to check the function of the swivel joint.

The endurance test benches are used to test the service life of faucets, mixers, diverter valves, mechanical and thermostatic mixing valves in accordance with current standards.

Tests carried out on test benches comply with standards and certifications. Issued by AFNOR Certification, NF certification attests that a product complies with standards and any additional technical specifications required by the market. It guarantees the quality and safety of certified products and services.