What is Rapid Action®? (Our 1/4 to 1/2 Turn Mechanism)
Rapid Action® (in Summary)
Rapid Action® performs the same turning action as ceramic disc but the maintenance is cheaper and easier.
Rapid Action® tapware:
- opens and closes in quarter to half a turn.
- is standard with all Roulette Lever (excluding Roulette Lever Single Lever Mixers), Torrens Ranges, Celestial Lever, and CB Ideal Seaview Series tapware.
- is available with all other ranges on request (excluding Roulette Lever Single Lever Mixers & the DB Mixer Series) .
- is suitable for low-pressure hot water supply, tank or bore with pressure pump.
Why did we develop it?
For ease of maintenance.
It uses a hydroseal valve and standard BS110 o-rings. A handyman or handywoman can change a hydroseal valve in the same manner as a normal jumper valve, and it is available from hardware shops. Packets of BS110 o-rings are also available here. The ceramic disc system needs a plumber and the appropriate kit for the model tap. Installation & servicing instructions for Rapid Action® spindles are supplied with the tapware and are also available for download here.
Rapid Action® (in Detail)
| Standard CB Spindle | CB Rapid Action Spindle | |
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| Question: | What is Rapid Action? |
| Answer: | This term describes the mechanism which enables the tap to be fully opened or closed in less than half a turn. In conventional tapware the handle (A) turns the spindle (B) 3 to 4 full rotations up or down the thread inside the bonnet (C) and this raises or lowers the valve (D) which either lets water through the seat of the tap or shuts it off. In ceramic disc tapware the valve is replaced by ceramic discs which slide over each other (think of the twist-caps on salt and spice dispensers). When the tap is closed the ceramic discs completely cover the tap seat; when the tap is opened the discs slide to cover each other and so leave an opening which allows water to flow. In ‘Rapid Action’ tapware the handle (A1) turns the spindle (B1) up or down the specialized and very accurately machined thread inside the bonnet (C1), which enables the spindle to rise to the full open position in less than half a turn of the handle. The valve (D1), which therefore either completely opens or closes the tap seat, is of a specialized type, and very accurately manufactured, which provides a perfect seal when the tap handle is closed (without the need for extra-hard turning of the handle which often happens with conventional tapware). ‘Rapid Action’ tapware demonstrates high quality and accuracy of manufacture, and the design also allows for ease of maintenance. The Hydroseal valves (available at all good hardware stores) can be changed as easily and quickly as in a conventional tap. Packets of BS110 o-rings are also available here. Because there are a number of different ceramic disc systems on the market (all imported) it can be quite difficult to find and then fit the exact replacement part when the need arises. Installation & servicing instructions for Rapid Action® spindles are supplied with the tapware and are also available for download here. |
| Question: | Do ‘Rapid Action’ taps turn on and off the same way as ordinary taps? |
| Answer: |
If they look like ordinary taps, they turn like ordinary taps too – both hot and cold turn on anticlockwise and off clockwise. With lever tapware (Celestial Lever, Torrens Lever, Torrens Flared Lever and Roulette Lever) the hot tap turns in the opposite direction to the cold. Reference diagrams of which way the lever tapware will turn can be found here: Rapid Action Turning Directions |
| Question: | Does ‘Rapid Action’ Tapware turn through a quarter turn or a half turn? |
| Answer: | More than a quarter turn (because a quarter turn gives no graduation – the water is either off or on) and less than a half turn (because this would make the longer levers very uncomfortable to use). |
| Question: | Is ‘Rapid Action’ Tapware suitable if there is low-pressure hot water supply, or if the supply is from a tank or bore by means of a pressure pump? |
| Answer: |
Yes, because the design allows the full flow that is possible through the seat of the tap when the tap is fully open. Ceramic discs restrict the flow somewhat, even when the tap handle is in the fully open position. When the hot water supply is low pressure and the cold water is at high pressure, it may be more difficult to achieve a comfortable mixture because there is not enough graduation in less than half a turn to control the high pressure cold water – in such a situation a conventional CB standard action tap would probably be more successful.
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A note about Rapid Action® for the Heritage® collection |
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When upgrading Bib / Pillar Spindles on Heritage from Standard Action to Rapid Action, the look will change from the standard Heritage® bell shape bonnet to then use the sheath cover from the Roulette® Series. |
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