Bib Cock

A bib cock is the wall-mounted tap you draw water from directly, usually over a bucket: one inlet from the wall, one outlet, one lever. Everything in this collection is the plain single-outlet body. If you need a second outlet from the same wall point, for a washing machine or a health faucet, that is a different fitting and it is stocked separately as a two way bib cock. The taps here are cast from solid lead-free brass ingot and carry a three-layer plated finish of copper, 10-micron nickel and 0.3-micron chromium for a glossy chrome surface, across five design series from around ₹760 to around ₹1,500. Each runs on a quarter-turn lever over a ceramic disc cartridge tested beyond 5,00,000 operations, with a food-grade plastic foam-flow aerator at the outlet.

How to choose a bib cock

  • One outlet or two. Decide this first, because it cannot be changed later without replacing the tap. A single-outlet bib cock is right where the tap is all that wall point has to serve. If a washing machine, a health faucet or a second connection also has to come off that point, buy the two way bib cock instead.
  • Quarter-turn on a ceramic disc, not a rubber washer. These use a ceramic disc cartridge rather than a compression washer, so the lever travels a quarter turn from shut to fully open and there is no washer to harden and drip. The cartridge is rated beyond 5,00,000 operations, which matters on a bucket tap that is worked several times a day.
  • Lead-free brass for the waterway. The bodies here are cast from solid lead-free brass ingot, so the waterway itself is free of lead. On a tap used for filling buckets and vessels, that is worth having.
  • Height above the bucket. A bib cock is normally fitted low on the wall for bucket filling, so check there is clearance between the spout and the tallest bucket you use. Too low is the most common fitting complaint in this category.
  • Series is style, not function. The five series here share the same brass body, plating specification, cartridge and aerator. The price spread from around ₹760 to ₹1,500 reflects the design and the casting rather than a difference in how the tap works.

Water pressure, aerators and hard water

The aerator fitted at the outlet mixes air into the stream. It cuts splash noise when filling a bucket and saves around 20 per cent of the water compared with an unaerated flow. On a building running on gravity from an overhead tank, the stream is softer than the same tap on a pressure pump, which is normal rather than a fault.

Hard water shows up at the aerator before anywhere else. When the flow weakens or the stream splits, the aerator has usually scaled rather than the tap failing. It unscrews for cleaning. For the body, wipe with a soft cloth and keep harsh cleaning detergents away from the plating. Up to ten years of service warranty applies once the product is registered on the Jabon Bagno website.

Common questions

What is the difference between a bib cock and a two way bib cock? A bib cock has one outlet: water comes out of the spout and that is all. A two way bib cock has a second outlet from the same body, so one wall point can feed both the tap and another connection such as a washing machine or a health faucet. If you only need the tap, the plain bib cock is the correct and cheaper choice.

What is the difference between a bib cock and a pillar cock? A bib cock comes out of the wall. A pillar cock stands up through a hole in the basin or the counter. Both are single taps with one outlet, and which one you need is decided by where your water supply comes up, not by preference.

Why choose a quarter-turn tap over a conventional one? A conventional tap seals with a rubber washer that hardens and eventually drips, and it needs several full turns to open. A quarter-turn tap seals with ceramic discs, opens fully in a quarter turn, and has no washer to perish. In hard water it is the more durable arrangement.