Colortap is a company that has been exporting the high quality of Made in Italy to Europe and the world since the 1970s, when it began to become a symbol of the metal industry first in Val Trompia and then throughout Italy, offering its contribution to the development of the entire sector.

What has made Colortap a company at the forefront and appreciated even outside the national borders is its commitment to the study and creation of the products it offers on the market. Among those that stand out the most are the moulded brass manifolds for gardening. Unlike plastic ones in fact, Colortap’s brass manifolds guarantee far greater longevity, strength and efficiency when it comes to performance.

Another advantage concerns the more ecological aspect related to the material: brass, in fact, is a recoverable and recyclable material, thus guaranteeing more care for the environment, especially when compared to PVC products that cannot always be recycled.
Manifolds are an indispensable tool for underground irrigation, which is why Colortap decided to pay close attention to both the design phase, thanks to its R&D team, and production, becoming the first to make metal manifolds.

Manifolds are used to join two or more pipes in underground irrigation systems.

Colortap offers a complete range consisting of different sizes (1-way module 1, 2-ways module 2, 3-ways module 3, cross module, double cross module, and angle module) and sizes (¾”, 1”, and 1½”), and also are available both with integrated valve and without.

Finally, the supplied gaskets are manufactured from EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber, a type of synthetic rubber that is versatile and ideal for applications requiring durability, resistance to weather and chemicals, deformation and abrasion, as well as ensuring flexibility over a wide temperature range and ease of assembly (even without keys).

Why does a brass manifold provide greater reliability and savings over time? Brass manifolds have several advantages over PVC manifolds: here are the differences and everything you need to know before making a purchase choice.

Durability and longevity

– Corrosion resistance: brass is highly resistant to corrosion, even in wet and underground environments. This ensures a much longer life cycle than plastic, which can deteriorate more rapidly, especially in the presence of UV light and soil chemicals.

– Mechanical strength: brass has superior strength compared to plastic, which can be brittle and more prone to breakage or cracking under mechanical stress or high pressure.

– Durable threads: plastic threads can easily deteriorate with use while brass threads prove to be very durable even during winter as they may break due to temperature changes.

Reliability

– Connection safety: connections made with brass manifolds are generally safer and more stable than those made of plastic, reducing the risk of water leakage and ensuring a better seal.

– Dimensional stability: brass can maintain its shape and size under different climatic and pressure conditions, whereas plastic can deform or expand much more easily.

Maintenance

– Less maintenance required: brass’s resistance to corrosion and weathering reduces the need for maintenance. Plastic, on the other hand, may require more frequent replacement and repair.

– Partial repairs possible: in the rare event that there is a malfunction in the nut or valve of a brass manifold, these parts can be easily replaced. For PVC manifolds, on the other hand, the situation is different: if a part of these were to break, a complete replacement of the manifold would have to be carried out, as they are usually one-off parts.

– Heat resistance: brass can withstand higher temperatures than plastic without being damaged, which is particularly useful in hot climates or in situations where water can reach high temperatures.

Performance

– Thermal conductivity: brass has good thermal conductivity, which helps distribute heat evenly, reducing the risk of hot spots and thermal stress that can compromise the integrity of the manifold.

– UV resistance: brass does not degrade under UV exposure, whereas plastic can deteriorate over time when exposed to sunlight.
Compatibility and ease of installation

Compatibility and ease of installation

– Wide range of fittings and accessories: Brass manifolds are compatible with a wide range of fittings and accessories, allowing greater flexibility in the design of the irrigation system.

– Ease of repair: if repairs are needed, brass manifolds can be repaired or replaced more easily and with less risk of damage than plastic manifolds.

– Compatibility: Due to the greater popularity of irrigation tools made of PVC compared to brass ones, Colortap has taken special care in making metal products compatible with plastic ones. This is made possible by turning brass bars with high-precision machines.

Eco-compatibility

– Recyclability: brass is fully recyclable, making it a more sustainable choice than plastic, which can be more difficult (or impossible) to recycle effectively. Brass, on the other hand, can be melted down to make new products.

Brass

– Pros: extremely durable and corrosion-resistant, resistant to mechanical and thermal stress, secure connections, reduced maintenance requirements, fully recyclable.
– Cons: more expensive than plastic.

Plastic

– Pros: lightweight, cheap, easy to install.
– Cons: less resistant to pressure and corrosion, less durable in the long term, prone to UV damage, may deform under high temperatures.

 

 

In summary, while plastic manifolds may be suitable for temporary and low-cost installations, brass ones offer a more robust and durable solution for irrigation systems that require reliability and low maintenance in the long term.

Speaking of costs, it should also be noted that PVC manifolds tend to break more easily and require more maintenance over time with the risk of having to reopen the irrigation system to replace the manifold: for this reason, the purchase of a brass manifold can guarantee greater savings in the medium to long term.

To learn more about all the exceptional properties of brass you can read our in-depth article.

Relying on Colortap means choosing a leading brand of high-quality garden components with a perfect product range for irrigation systems.

Here are 5 good reasons:

– history: Colortap was established in the 1970s and has decades of experience in its field and in the manufacture of manifolds;

– quality materials: high-grade metals are used to guarantee durability, corrosion resistance and reliable performance;

– innovation and research: continuous investment in advanced technologies guarantees highly efficient production processes and a highly reliable and durable finished product. This is why Colortap manifolds are the most appreciated by professional installers;

– customisation: we are able to produce customised collectors in shape and size according to individual customer requirements. An example is our double cross module;

– the best manifolds: Colortap is the first company to have designed and manufactured brass underground manifolds, gaining a great deal of experience in this field and thus being able to always offer its customers the best. Moreover, to date only Colortap has a complete range of brass manifolds.