Today, economy class faucets are the most popular not only because of their low price, but also due to the optimal configuration, a well-thought-out range of universal sizes and convenient and practical design that allows you to match the interior of any home.

Buying an economy line, the consumer seeks to quickly and easily, and most importantly, inexpensively solve the issue of replacing or buying a mixer.

Almost all famous manufacturers plumbing brands present a collection of inexpensive but high quality faucets. Of course, the price for them is different from the cost of premium quality collections. However, it is not all the same not as attractive as "really" cheap products on spontaneous construction markets.

Everything seems to be fine, the most affordable price has been found, you can buy and enjoy.

Only the small and the most main question price-quality.

According to all GOST and Euro test standards, mixers must be made of a brass alloy, in which the copper content is not less than 60%, and the accompanying metals (Al, Zn) are not more than 2-3%. This alloy allows the product to serve practically durable without leaks and breakages, and be safe for health.

Wicked sellers often offer cheaper alloys for the most low prices... The composition of such materials is usually impossible to even determine. But, as a rule, this is a significant excess of the zinc content. According to our classification, such an alloy is called TsAM or ZAMAK according to European. It consists mostly of zinc, aluminum, copper and magnesium. Products made from such an alloy are noticeably lighter and cheaper to manufacture. Accordingly, it is cheaper on store shelves.

Among other things, zinc burns out during melting, so products made from it have a surface that is not as smooth as from brass.

And most importantly, water quality and your health suffer.
Usually, the harm of zinc manifests itself imperceptibly.

It is a known fact that it is not recommended to drink standing water from galvanized dishes - zinc compounds are washed out with water and have a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

In case of poisoning with zinc compounds, they accumulate in the liver and pancreas, and are not excreted over time.

It should be noted that in the production of low-quality sanitary products, production standards are not followed and recycled metals are often used. Therefore, in addition to the main problems, such mixers are simply themselves unsafe for health.

In the process of choosing a mixer, it is recommended to pay attention not only to its functionality, but also to the material from which it is made. Among a wide variety of products, mixers from silumin are in special demand. The cost of these plumbing fixtures is more attractive than their brass counterparts. The appearance of silumin devices also meets the current requirements of buyers. However, when choosing these products, buyers should keep in mind that they have their drawbacks.

Silumin is a material that is obtained by combining aluminum with silicon. It has excellent casting properties. It is very easy to distinguish a silumin mixer - all you need to do is pay attention to the weight of the product. this species is lightweight.

Advantages and disadvantages of silumin mixers

The popularity of silumin mixers is very high. Among positive characteristics these products include:

resistance to corrosion in a humid atmosphere;high strength, durability;favorable cost of products;modern appearance.

The faucets made by their silumin are distinguished by their original appearance. A wide variety of models will allow you to choose the most suitable model for any sink, bath or bidet. Like more expensive models, silumin devices differ in the way they open. Two-valve devices are considered to be a classic. Single-lever models are no less in demand - the main element allows you to regulate the pressure of cold and hot water.

Before you buy a mixer from silumin, it is important to remember that devices of this type have certain disadvantages. For example, even a slight jump in water pressure in the system can provoke a crack on the surface of the case. In addition, silumin corrodes much faster than traditional brass. Silumin is not entirely durable - devices of this type often require premature replacement.

On store shelves, more and more often you come across products from silumin. These can be pans, pots, water taps and other products. This material is obtained by artificial means, in more detail the answer to the question:silumin - what is it, you will find in the article below.

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Material description

Definition silumin is easy to find on WikipediaIs an aluminum-based alloy with the addition of silicon. In this case, the content of the additional component ranges from 4 to 22%, and the main part is aluminum.Silumin alloy compositionalso contains a small amount of impurities of other metals: copper, calcium, titanium, iron, zinc, manganese and others.

Since the maximum amount of silicon is up to 22%, it is outwardly easy to distinguish it from real metal. It is slightly darkened, therefore it resembles cast iron, but in fact only a person with experience will be able to recognize this material.

What is siluminv real life and where is it found?

The main properties of silumin

When comparing, the properties of silumin are equated with the properties of stainless steel, but the former has a lower mass.

About properties aluminum silicon alloy:

1. Durability, resistance to wear and corrosion. The oxide film formed on the surface serves as a protection against negative environmental factors.
2. The density of the material is about 3 g / cm 3.
3. The ductility or fluidity of the alloy is an important property required for pouring complex configurations, which significantly reduces the cost of the casting process.
4. Melting point of siluminis about 600 0 C, which is almost three times lower than the melting temperature of steel, and this also affects the quality of casting and the cost of work.

Based on the listed indicators, products from this material are increasingly in consumer demand.

How is silumin labeled

Alloy marking is carried out based on the requirements international standards ISO systems:

1. “AL 9” means: A - aluminum, L - foundry, 9 - the percentage of an additional constituent substance.
2. “AK 15” is labeled according to the same principle, only the letter “K” means “Silicon”.

The composition includes:

• 90% of the main component (aluminum);
• about 9% silicon;
• manganese up to 0.5%;
• titanium up to 0.1%;
• copper up to 0.6%;
• zinc up to 0.3%.

Marking is done as follows: for example, silumin alloy is- AK5 Ts8. A is aluminum, K is silicon in the amount of 5%, C is zinc in the amount of 8%.

Silumin types

Material is classified into 3 types:

1. Doecthetic. It is characterized by the fact that the silicon content is in the range from 4 to 10% of the bulk. This composition may also include additional elements: manganese, copper or magnesium.
2. Type 2 - refers to the more wear-resistant, while the silicon content is about 20%.
3. Special alloys with the addition of impurities of other metals, for example, zinc or titanium.

Depending on the technical parameters in production processes, various castings are carried out.

Alloy groups

Silumin alloysare subdivided into several groups. This distinction is carried out according to the purpose of the materials:

1. AK 12 is a eutectic silumin containing 12% silicon. During heat treatment, the casting does not harden and does not harden upon shrinkage. Parts made of this material are structurally designed for low-load sealed devices.
2. Highly alloyed hypereutectic silumin is marked, for example, AK4M5. Refers to the piston group, it is used when performing work with high temperature conditions. Possesses high resistance to high temperatures and wear resistance. The use of this alloy for particularly important products operating under increased loads. These are large and critical parts.

How to repair silumin products

Cracks or chips may appear on products made of this material during operation.How to glue silumin? Epoxy glue can be applied to restore the look. But it should be borne in mind that at increased loads this product will not work.

Operation technology:

1. Degrease the gluing areas and dry a little.
2. Dilute the adhesive in an appropriate consistency and apply to the surface to be glued.
3. Connect the parts of the product and make an effort, then leave it at rest for a day.

Repair of silumin by welding

It is a mistake to think thatsilumin weldingIs a simple process that can be done by everyone.When welding products, many questions can arise. The material heats up quickly, as a result of which an oxide film begins to appear. This phenomenon will not give an opportunity to connect parts of the product. Therefore, the choice was made in favor of welding with argon, since it is this gas that provides protection from external negative factors during operations. The alloy will restore and strengthen the structure better.How to cook silumin?

Process description:

1. Prepare electrodes for welding; tungsten non-consumable ones are suitable for these purposes. For welding products, it is recommended to use solders: НТS-2000, Harris-52 or ER 4043, intended for welding aluminum structures.
2. Degrease the edges to be welded.
3. To ensure reliable weldability, the part must be fixed in a rigid fixture.
4. Before conducting welding works the surface should be heated up to 220 0 C. Steel gaskets should be used to dissipate heat.
5. Welding works. Alternating current is used for welding surfaces. The work is done in manual mode.

After work, the product can be operated at reduced loads. Before directly conductingwelding silumin at homeit is recommended to practice on samples.

Where is silumin used

The popularity of the use of silumin is currently the highest in the field of mechanical engineering and aircraft construction. And this is not surprising, since the material is lightweight and durable. It makes it easier for airplanes to lift, but for cars it affects the cost: the more weight, the lower the price.

Parts such as pistons, engines, body parts and cylinders are made from it. Often glory is used in the manufacture of weapons, for example, air rifles, including barrel boxes and almost all the assemblies of these weapons. In modern design, the silumin weapon is light and comfortable to handle. The main disadvantage structural elements- this is the fragility of the material, that is, with any minor impact, the product may crack or break. Silumin casseroles are light, but, again, fragile.

Silumin, application which has become popular for gas turbine generators consisting of plate heat exchangers- an excellent solution for equipping power supply systems. The melting point allows the material to be used for these products.

Prices for products from silumin

Silumin is produced not only by large enterprises of the metallurgical industry, but also by private laboratories. Improvement technological process is constantly being modernized.

1. Metals for the charge are mined from the ore; it is possible to produce silumin from ash, which remains after the work of combined heat and power plants. Ash is recovered by means of electronization and with the help of an element - cryolite. There are still many other impurities in the charge that do not affect the quality characteristics of the alloy. The only thing is that iron affects the quality of the ligature, but if it is in the range from 0.8 to 1.5%, then such an amount is allowed and is contained in the waste after the thermal power plant, therefore, the use of such slags for the manufacture of products has a beneficial effect on the environment.
2. In nature, there are also compounds of aluminum and silicon in bauxite ore, but, according to the technology, alloys of these components are produced artificially, which improves the quality of finished products.

What is brass

The material looks like gold, but it is a combination of copper and zinc. To improve the performance properties, nickel, iron, tin, lead and other ingredients are added to the composition. Impurities are about 10%, and zinc is from 30 to 35%.

Brass properties:

• density 8500 kg / m 3 ;
• melting point from 880 to 950 0 C;
• easy to process;
• wear resistance;
• viscosity;
• depending on the content of the predominant metal, it is thermally conductive or electrically permeable.

Manufactured products: wire, foil, rods, metal sheets, pipes, fittings. Decorations, photo frames and badges are made from it. The cost of the products is relatively low, and the service life is long, while the presentation is not lost.

Comparison of silumin and brass

Silumin or brass which is better?Compared to brass, silumin is a more fragile material, but in terms of price characteristics it is cheaper.

Silumin cranes and valves have a short service life, they quickly rust and, in the event of a technical accident, they can quickly break down, which does not exclude flooding of the lower floors. Energy metering devices using elements made of this material may also fail to withstand the parameters. high pressure and quickly fall into disrepair

Silumin materialcan't stand high fever water, the service life of water taps does not exceed a year, microcracks gradually form on them, which leads to a breakdown of the device.

For water supply systems, it is best to choose products made of brass, although they are more expensive, they can withstand hot water and high blood pressure.

How to distinguish silumin from brass?To distinguish these two materials, you should pay attention to the color of the product from which they are made: from brass - yellowish, and from silumin - white. Moreover, in terms of weight, the first is heavier than the second.

Structural products made of silumin can be selected for other purposes, in cases where the main load falls on other elements.

Advice!When choosing faucets, it is better not to save money, the safety of personal and those around you depends on it.

Products made from silumin are in demand today, since they are inexpensive, and their appearance is quite aesthetic, but when choosing, it is recommended to have knowledge of their purpose.

When buying a colored mixer, it is very difficult to determine by the shade of the surface which material it is made of. However, this complexity is also present for buyers of chrome, nickel and other sanitary ware models, the colored coating simply hides the source material more reliably. It is also not always possible to distinguish the base material of the mixer by weight, since individual manufacturers have learned to make stampings from alloys specially weighted with lead and other similar metals.

How do you determine the quality of a color faucet and find out what it is made of?

First of all, you should pay attention to the accuracy and correctness of the shape of the parts. Brass products are made exclusively by casting, and most often by centrifugal casting. Due to this production method, the number of possible casting defects (cavities, cracks, surface irregularities) tends to a minimum, respectively, the quality of the mixer is very high. Even if a part of two halves is used for the mixer body, they must undergo mechanical processing, and it is impossible to find a joint under the coating. Cheap silumin mixers are made by stamping without subsequent mechanical processing, and the line of the dies joint is clearly visible even under the coating.

When choosing, you can also focus on the thickness of the walls (if the design of the model allows you to determine this). Cast billets cannot be very thin-walled, this is contrary to the principles of the production method. Stamped parts, in order to save material, on the contrary, are made with minimum thickness walls.

The interior of the mixer is usually not galvanized and has the natural color of the original material. Therefore, the golden shade of brass on interior surfaces will help the user to determine the quality of the product, but there may be some nuances here - for example, the silumin alloy with the help of additives is given a color close to the color of brass.

So, when choosing a color mixer, you should pay attention to the following details:

• the color of the material on the inner surfaces;
• product weight;
• Wall thickness;
• the presence of clearly visible joints of the halves of the parts.

If the product seems heavy, has a characteristic golden hue inside, the walls are smooth or with traces of machining and have a thickness of at least 1 mm - then you have a high-quality brass model in your hands.
If in doubt, it is better to compare several models from different price categories and ask the manager - savings in this issue can cause significant costs later, when a fragile silumin mixer will cause a "flood" in the apartment.

Hello.
An eccentric with a facing washer was used to supply a stainless ladder heated towel rail to the pipe; in just 4 years of operation, the eccentric rotted and burst. It is clear from the chip that the eccentric is not brass, but silumin. If in doubt, rub the "nickel-plated" part of the part with a nail file or a file, scratch it with a nail, and if the scratches shine yellow, then it is brass, if the scratch is white or gray, then it is silumin. Also silumin mixers or parts are unusually lightweight. Silumin is a durable, but fragile material, highly porous, use in plumbing ALWAYS ends in failure, without exception.

An accident occurred in a private house: at first, the heating system began to lose water and the owner was surprised that somewhere it was necessary to wait for a leak, then the door swelled and the culprit was discovered. It is very interesting that the eccentric from the inside was completely overgrown with scale in just a few years of work, with brass fittings that doesn't happen. When you try to unscrew the remnants of the part, the eccentric crumbles, because it is rotten and fragile.

Our job is as follows:
1 / remove the tile adhesive, remove the sealant.
2 / cut out and splinter off the remnants of the eccentric from the fitting so that small fragments do not fall into the heating pipe.
3 / replace the eccentrics with brass ones in both taps (supply and return) and start the heating system.

Lessons learned:
1 / hire craftsmen with contracts so that you have the opportunity to hold the contractor accountable for flooding, for a swollen door and rework. A low-quality service can be revealed several years after work.
2 / beam heating system in a private house is more convenient than a one-pipe or two-pipe system because at ray system during the search for help and repair, one of the beams is blocked, and the heating in the house is functioning
3 / put on water softeners. pay due attention to water treatment.
4 / brass parts will not be cheap, remove the emphasis from the price of the product.
5 / both the supply and return on the heating system must have mud filters, each filter must be finished with ball valves on both sides of the filter, yes, this is more expensive in materials, but then you will not have the floor in the boiler room flooded with water when cleaning the filter (like at this address)
6 / Never put pressed paper doors covered with shiny colored paper or foil. If the door leaf, box or MDF panel absorbs the smallest amount of water, then the door will instantly swell and then ... just change, and you will also have to pick out the DOOR FRAME from the tiles !!! and change the opanelka (Imagine that your buckwheat is swollen and turned into buckwheat porridge - are there any means to dry the buckwheat to reverse size dry grain?). At this address, the door stands out natural veneer over natural wood, this can be seen from the photo, so the customer will have to wait until the water dries up, but rather the door will have to be removed and the grooves under the canopies should be deepened by 0.5 millimeters for easy closing, or it may be necessary to remove 1 millimeter door leaf along the bottom of the door.

By the way, I almost forgot to say:
- you will buy the correct brass parts from us
- craftsmen who work with tiles, doors and plumbing are also here
- we will bring you the correct veneered doors and tiles for your home.

Please buy from us.

Silumin is an alloy of aluminum with silicon. Chemical composition- 4-22% Si, base - Al, a small amount of impurities of Fe, Cu, Mn, Ca, Ti, Zn, and some others. The material is brittle, crumbles during processing without the formation of long flexible chips, unlike aluminum and copper. The disadvantage of silumin is its high porosity and coarse coarse-grained eutectic of castings, which greatly affects the reproducibility (stability) of the strength properties of the parts obtained.