3 in 1 Instant Boiling Water Tap FAQs

1. Installation

Q: Do I need to drill a new hole in my work top to install a hot tap?

A: No the 3 in 1 boiling tap is designed to simply replace your existing hot and cold mixer tap and use the existing aperture, all of the connections are provided so that the ordinary hot and cold will work normally as well as the instant boiling water too. If you buy one of the single spout hot taps then yes you will need to drill a new hole for that alongside your ordinary kitchen tap which is why the 3 way hot tap is so popular.

Q: Where does the tank fit?

A: The 2.4ltr digital instant hot water tank is installed in the cupboard under the sink usually and ideally where you can see the digital display and adjust the temperature easily if required. It has both rubber feet so that it can sit on the base of the cupboard, and it has keyholes in the case if you want to hang your hot water tank on a wall, or the side or back of the cupboard that supports your kitchen sink.

Q: Is the lime scale filter inside the tank?

A: No the lime scale and particulate filter is a separate unit that is connected in line between the water source and the digital tank so that the tank only receives filtered water, there is a separate bracket so that the filter can be held in place too.

Q: Do I need a plumber to fit the instant boiling tap?

A: No the installation of our 3 in 1 hot taps is designed to be done by an amateur with simple screw connections or push-fit components. Full installation instructions are included in each box with each of the water pipes labelled to avoid confusion.

 

2. The 3 in 1 boiling tap

Q: Is the tap safe so that children can’t scald themselves?

A: Boiling water cannot be accidentally switched on because to dispense it, the user has to press in the safety button, turn and hold the tap. It has a spring so that the boiling water can’t be left on too. Also our boiling taps have an insulating silicone tube running through the spout so that the spout itself doesn’t get hot either.

Q: Does the spout cool the boiling water if previously it has been dispensing cold water?

A: No the boiling water will push out any residue cold in the spout in less than a second and as all of the water dispensed passes through a silicone tube, the temperature is maintained from the digital tank to the tip of the spout.

Q: The boiling water that is dispensed does not spit or splutter like others I’ve seen, does that mean it isn’t as hot?

A: No the temperature will be similar, our boiling taps are designed to deliver a smooth flow of water using a ‘venturi system’ which means that the internal bladder fills from the filtered cold feed and as that expands it smoothly squeezes out the boiling water initially not allowing it to mix with the existing hot water either so it maintains a higher temperature for longer.

Q: What is WRAS approval and why is it important?

A: WRAS is the Water Regulation Advisory Scheme and it is run by the suppliers of water to confirm the compliance of any item that delivers water to the public from the their water mains. It means that the water suppliers have approved it for dispensing water and so for example it shows that the tap works on mains pressures. It also shows that the device meets the regulations and by-laws. www.wras.co.uk/approvals

 

3. The Tank & Filter

Q: What is different about a digital tank and how will I know if mine is digital or analogue?

A: A digital tank usually has a digital display but the important part is the thermistor or temperature control. A digital tank has a far more accurate control unit that will usually control the heater and so the temperature of the water to within 0.5 Degrees Centigrade whereas the analogue version ( usually a dial control) is only accurate to around 5 degrees so it has to be set at lower temperatures to avoid boiling the water and will not re-heat the water as quickly say if only a small amount of water is used.

Q: How many cups of hot drinks can be dispensed in one go?

A: The 3 in 1 tank’s capacity is 2.4 litres so just over 5 pints more than most large kettles. The number of cups will depend on their size but we would expect to dispense 6 full sized cups or standard mugs before there was a loss of temperature.

Q: How quickly can the tank heat up?

A: From fully cold, like a kettle it will take about 7 minutes to reach the maximum temperature (98 degrees C) cut off and with normal use i.e. a few drinks cups, teapot, cafetiere or pan, depending on the volume, 1-2minutes to reheat.

Q:Why is the heating element concealed?

A: Many heating elements are immersed in the water itself like a kettle but they are often covered in lime scale and other deposits that reduce their life, the tank capacity and the efficiency of the element. The concealed element avoids that and so has a longer life, greater capacity and more efficient use of electricity.

Q: Does the cold water just enter the tank cooling down the previously heated water?

A: No in effect our digital tank has connected chambers, baffle plates and a bladder so that incoming cold water is not mixed directly with the heated water. This means we are able to provide more boiling water and for longer than some of the cheaper products without these design features.

Q: How often does the lime scale filter need to be replaced?

A: Only part of the filter needs to be replaced and that is in approximately 6 months, the filter is designed to remove particulates including micro plastics and also to ‘soften’ the water ( remove risk of lime scale) before it is heated.

Q: Is the lime scale filter re-usable or recyclable?

A: the filter can’t be reused but it can be recycled, it is made from a solid block of carbon that itself is made from sustainable coconut. The filter casing is re-used and only the filter element needs to be changed keeping costs and waste to a minimum.

Q: Does the other ordinary water get filtered?

A: No the mains hot and cold water used for washing isn’t filtered and is the same as it would normally be from an ordinary tap. By avoiding filtering non drinking water this will extend the life of the filter There are 4 in 1 taps that also provide filtered cold water for drinking.

 

4. Maintenance and aftercare

Q: Is there any subsequent maintenance or aftercare?

A: The only thing that will need any attention is the filter and for that the replaceable element needs changing around every 6 months depending on usage.

Q: What are the running costs?

A: According to the Energy Saving Trust, each time we boil a kettle, it costs on average 1.4p. Energy use advisers believe the costs are approximately the same at under 50 p per week depending on use. The beauty is that you heat what you need unlike a kettle where often a full kettle is heated for 1 or 2 cups.

Q: What is the safety record?

A: Kettles cause hundreds of accidents a year, particularly among young children.
The Child Accident Prevention Trust says more than 6,500 under-5s have to go to A&E departments each year because of scalds from kettles and spilled hot drinks.
There are no separate statistics available, either, for boiling water tap injuries, although anecdotal evidence on social media sites report the occasional scald on the back of the hand. Notably, the boiling water is at the back of the sink, and cannot be pulled forward like kettles on a flex, thus minimising the risk of accidents. Also as the flow is a controlled jet. You could pass your hand through the jet without getting burnt.

 

Click here to download our 3 in 1 instant boiling water tap PDF leaflet