Frost-proof outdoor tap

In the garden, a wall outlet is rarely used for just one thing: the hose coiled on its reel, then a second hose for the vegetable patch, the pressure washer or the inflatable pool. This brass tap does the splitting at the wall: its body divides into two outlets, each ending in a quick connector.

The large black handle is on top. The small butterfly lever, on the left outlet, closes that outlet without touching the other: you can leave one hose connected and closed while using the other, without unplugging anything.

The tap measures 152 mm long by 115 mm high. The inlet is a 20 mm diameter male thread, 11 mm long, and the body is marked 1/2: it screws into a 15x21 female outlet, such as a wall plate elbow or garden elbow.

One of the photos shows the two quick connectors unscrewed from their outlets. Under each one, a black seal and a small white mesh. These parts can be removed for cleaning: if the flow drops over the seasons, this is often where sand and limescale build up.

This model is presented for year-round outdoor use, but it does not advertise automatic draining. Before the first frosts, close the indoor stop valve that feeds it, then open the handle and the butterfly lever to let the water left in the brass run out.

Disconnect both hoses for the winter: a full hose that freezes pushes against the connector. When fitting, wind PTFE tape clockwise onto the inlet thread, tighten by hand, then finish with a spanner without crushing the brass.