Mixer: ball or ceramic?

If you are used to wash hands with soap, then surely a fan of single lever mixers. A single lever controls and pressure and water temperature. Simple, convenient and hygienic. WHAT IS DIFFERENT FROM MIXER TAP? Usually we do not think about it, and believe these words are synonymous. Clarity makes GOST 19681-94: Crane called the draw device, provides for the receipt of water from water supply and regulation of its cost to consumers. Mixer in addition to what can an ordinary tap, still mixes hot and cold water, and also gives the possibility to regulate its temperature. Cartridge: Ball or ceramic? You are deeply mistaken if you think that stuffing all the faucets are identical. Cartridge is inside the ball or ceramic (composed of tightly fitting ceramic plates). Ball said so in the form of the main structural element - regulating the head, made of stainless steel. Hollow ball with holes and the pin is polished to a shine and firmly planted in the building where the two sides of the brass tubes or flexible connection is served hot and cold water. Inside it, two streams are mixed, and water comes pouring out the average temperature. On the pin handle is attached. When her turn, the ball rotates. With the change of his position change section openings for cold and hot water. To ensure the tightness of the hole sealed cartridge seals. In addition, the ball cartridge has a ring that restricts the rotation angle of the handle in the direction of hot water. This is to prevent the risk of burns and makes it possible to "tune" the mixer under the specific conditions of supply. Ceramic cartridge consists of two tightly fitting to each other washers (plates) of cermets. As a rule, they are made from so-called aluminum oxide. But not even the main material and processing. Cermets for branded taps polished by ultrasound, and a pair of goals for each cartridge is perfectly customize to each other. Due to this processing surfaces between the plates of an interaction at the molecular level - not a single drop of water to seep between them can not. By the way, check the quality of the cartridge can be disassembled by putting washers on each other. If they are attracted, as magnetized, and they are not so easy to disengage, the cartridge will not leak. (Do not suggest yourself prodelyvat similar manipulations with a new cartridge - in this case producers resign all warranties.) Just as in the regulatory ball head, the plates have holes for hot and cold water, a section of which changes when you turn the knob . Unlike ball cartridges in ceramic creators managed to completely rid the construction of seals exposed to friction - the most vulnerable elements of the water-miscible mechanism. (However, there are gaskets, sealing the space of water supply, but they do not feel those pressures.) Ceramic cartridges come with three plates (mobile - medium). The design is specifically designed for use in water supply networks with low operating pressures. In such models, the mixing of water is not in the "groove" between the plates, and the valve body, which dramatically reduces drag and allows you to use the mixer even with 0,2 atm. Of course, in the "advanced" ceramic cartridge, and guides are provided hot water, and all sorts of gadgets to save.