Recently I was brought to the new "Traffic Light" store. It was curious what they sell to the people for a low price. Passing the shelves, I noticed that a mixer for the bathtub was being sold for only 800 rubles. As a plumber, I wondered what they could put into a box for such a low price.
Outwardly, it looked decent, the chrome finish shimmered brightly under the light of the warehouse lights. If I weren't a sophisticated shopper, I might have fallen for this marketing ploy. But picking up the body itself, I realized that it was "buried". And I will feel sorry for those buyers who ...
But all in order, in order to explain what was wrong with him, I decided to spend my hard-earned money and purchase this sanitary ware in order to see it in more detail and not unfoundedly assert some details.
The mixer is called "Kapitoshka" (cartoon character), the name itself seems to hint that it is not a household mixer, but a "toy" one. But at the same time, the inscription on the box signals us about a five-year warranty.
The complete set is standard. Chrome-plated body, shower head with hose and spout. Plus a set of eccentrics with reflectors.
Educational program. How to determine if a mixer is of good quality?
In high-quality mixers, non-ferrous metals are used, namely brass. A mixture of zinc and copper, etc. metals. Such alloys resist corrosion well, have a high density (weight), and therefore serve for a long time. Moreover, their price is quite high. And the first rule in choosing a good mixer is its mass, the heavier and more massive the body, the higher the likelihood that the mixer is of high quality. But this method is not always good for ordinary buyers, they often do not know what to compare with.
There is a lot of competition in the sales market in this area of sanitary ware. And in order to reduce the price in such a device, unscrupulous manufacturers use tricks. Namely, they replace brass parts with the so-called "silumin"alloy "something there." Such material is the first, but for a very short time resists corrosion, but then it begins to wash out and crack. Which quite often leads to emergency situations.
Well, in the cheapest mixers, they do not hesitate to use steel elements and plastic in critical units. Accordingly, such a product has the lowest cost price.
How to calculate metal inclusions in mixers?
We use a magnet, this method is the easiest to identify consumer goods. Using the example of a mixer from a traffic light, I will show what he found.
Iron spout with plastic nut.
The axle box crane already in the box began to corrode due to the fact that it is made of iron.
Reflectors are also metal, dissolve in six months.
Silumin mixer parts
Provides the characteristic coverage and weight of the parts.
In addition, this mixer has a "flawed" design for switching water from a spout to a shower head. If you leave it in the middle position, then hot water will begin to displace cold water, and the neighbors will not be happy with such a gift. I wrote in more detail about the offsethere
Summing up, I will say this. This mixer can last up to six months in favorable conditions if you touch it once a day. In other cases, I strongly discourage. Go around this product. And a magnet will help you when choosing a mixer, so as not to run into low-grade consumer goods.