9 2
PLUMBING CONNECTION
SPRING 2015
Standard has not been brought up-to-date to cater for
modern technology. It is now 12 years old and a lot of things
can happen in two years, let alone 12, when it comes to
technology and innovation.
One of the first things a CAB needs to do as a certification
body is ensure that the product being assessed for
WaterMark certification falls within the Preface and Scope
of the identified product Standard.
In this case, the preface of AS2887 identifies that it has
been written to allow for any plastic material other than
UPVC to be used to manufacture offset pan connectors.
UPVC isn’t covered in AS2887. Pan connectors and other
waste fittings manufactured from UPVC are covered in AS/
NZS1260.
Even though you may have identical looking product, if
they’re made of different materials, they could, such as
in this case, fall under two different Standards. The Abey
offset pan connector is made from polypropylene; therefore
AS 2887 is the applicable product Standard. The offset
requirements for pan connectors in both Standards are
identical.
With the Offset pan connector section of AS2887 it states
the following:
Angle for DN 100 x DN 80 reducing or DN 100 offset pan
connecters of the form shown in Figures 4.3 or 4.4, the angle
shall not be greater than 30°
.
“The word ‘shall’ indicates that it is mandatory. If it had
said ‘should’ we might have been able to get away with it”,
says Geoff.
As frustrating as it is to Abey, there are a number of WC
pan offset connectors in the market with an
offset angle greater than 30 degrees that
currently have WaterMark Certification to
either AS/NZS 1260:2009 (Clause 5.4.6) or
AS 2887 (Clause 4.4.4.) despite both these
specifications nominating a maximum
offset angle of 30 degrees to the vertical.
As the current specifications are not
appropriate for use in the evaluation
for certification of WC pan offset
connectors with an offset angle
greater than 30 degrees, a new
WaterMark Technical Specification
(WMTS) is currently being developed for use with such
products.
“The simple fact is: a product either complies, or it
doesn’t, so we decided to take a different route; thinking the
issue might be over and done with reasonably quickly – but
alas, not so”, say Geoff
“Under the WaterMark scheme there is the option of
developing a new WaterMark Technical Specification
(WMTS) for new innovative products which our current
Standards do not cover. The ABCB has a process of going
through and developing a new WaterMark technical
specification.
We were advised to take this option. Fortunately we were
able to convince the ABCB that the normal risk assessment
process to determine the appropriate level of WaterMark
certification was not required as offset pan connectors
were already identified as requiring WaterMark Level 2
certification under the
WaterMark Certification Scheme
Schedule of Specifications.”
With the assistance of the ABCB and a NATA accredited
test laboratory, a draft WMTS was submitted to the ABCB
in October 2013 (yes, two years ago). It has gone back
and forth between the ABCB and Abey’s CAB with several
requests and amendments being exchanged over the two
years. The latest revision back from the ABCB suggested
Abey conduct a water seal test, even though this product
was being produced by a highly reputable UK manufacturer
who sells hundreds of thousands of this particular product
throughout Europe each year!
The saga continues and Abey says the latest concern
raised by the ABCB for offset pan connectors
with angles greater than 30 degrees,
is that they could act as a partial
blockage and possibly siphon some of
the connected toilet pans trap seal,
resulting in sewer odours entering
the room. Thus Abey responded and
incorporated a trap seal retention test
into their latest draft WMTS. Then they
learnt the ABCB was recommending that
the offset pan connectors be performance tested,
certified and marked with all of the manufacturer’s
nominated matching pans which the offset pan
CERTIFICATION
UNDER THE WATERMARK SCHEME THERE IS THE OPTION OF DEVELOPING A
NEWWATERMARK TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION (WMTS) FOR NEW INNOVATIVE
PRODUCTS WHICH OUR CURRENT STANDARDS DO NOT COVER.