Pan Connectors — Flexible, Offset, Swan Neck and Rigid WC Connectors for UK Plumbers

A pan connector is the short section of pipe that joins a toilet pan outlet to the soil stack or soil pipe. Getting the right type matters: the wrong connector means wasted cuts, awkward angles, or an incomplete seal. This guide covers the four main types stocked at APM Electricals — flexible, offset, swan neck, and space-saving bent — so you can pick the right one for the job first time.

Flexible Pan Connectors

Flexible pan connectors are the workhorse choice for most domestic and commercial toilet installations. The accordion-style corrugated body compresses, extends, and pivots to accommodate misalignment between the pan outlet and the soil pipe entry. This makes them ideal for retrofit work where the existing pan position doesn't line up precisely with the stack, and for close-coupled or back-to-wall suites where outlet positions vary between manufacturers.

The Embrass Peerless Pan Connector Flexible 100/110mm accepts standard 4" (100/110mm) outlet sizes and provides enough travel to bridge small gaps and correct minor angular misalignment without cutting into the wall. It's the connector specified by most plumbing contractors as their default fitting, and it's the best-selling pan connector in the APM range by volume.

For installations where the pan sits further from the stack — or where the outlet exits at a sharper angle — the Embrass Peerless Pan Connector 90° Flexible - Long 4" offers extended reach. The longer body gives additional adjustment range while still terminating at a clean 90° angle for connection to the soil pipe socket.

Offset Pan Connectors

Offset connectors solve a common problem in bathroom refits: the replacement pan doesn't exit in exactly the same position as the original. Instead of breaking out the floor to relocate the soil pipe, an offset connector bridges the gap. They come in single-offset (20mm or 40mm) and double-offset configurations that can be rotated during installation to shift the outlet left, right, or diagonally as needed.

Embrass Peerless offset connectors in 20mm and 40mm single-offset, plus 40mm double-offset, cover the majority of layout mismatches encountered in UK domestic bathrooms.

Swan Neck Pan Connectors

The swan neck connector is designed for P-trap or rear-outlet pans, or for installations where the soil pipe entry is at a height above the floor rather than at skirting level. The distinctive curved profile drops the outlet down and back, then sweeps it into the wall at the correct angle. This is the correct fitting for older-style high-level cistern installations and for certain suite designs where a standard straight or flexible connector would foul the cistern bracket or wall tiles.

The Swan Neck 90 Degree Pan Connector in the APM range is a rigid fitting, so verify the measurement from pan outlet to wall socket before ordering. These are not adjustable.

Space-Saving and Bent Pan Connectors

Where the toilet must sit unusually close to the wall — typically in compact cloakrooms or en-suites where the floor-to-wall dimension is tight — a space-saving bent connector reduces the projection needed behind the pan. The Space Saving Bent Pan Connector 90d routes the outlet directly into the wall with minimal standoff, allowing the pan to be pushed back as far as the cistern or suite geometry allows.

This type is also useful in commercial refits where ADA or building-regulation clearance requirements dictate a specific pan-to-back-wall measurement.

Choosing the Right Pan Connector

• Standard misalignment up to ~50mm: Embrass Peerless Flexible 100/110mm — the universal first choice.
• Longer reach or sharp angle: Embrass Peerless 90° Flexible Long — same flexibility, extended body.
• Pan position shifted laterally by 20–40mm: Embrass Peerless Offset (single or double) — rotate to align.
• Rear-outlet or P-trap pan, or high wall socket: Swan Neck 90° — check fixed dimensions before ordering.
• Very tight back-wall clearance: Space Saving Bent Pan Connector — minimises projection into the room.

All connectors listed are for 4" (100/110mm) soil pipe — the UK standard for WC pan outlets. Verify the soil pipe diameter on site before ordering if the pipework predates 1990, as some older stacks used imperial 4" BS lead or salt-glazed clay at slightly different nominal sizes that may need an adaptor.

Installation Tips

• Clean both the pan outlet spigot and the soil pipe socket before fitting — residual grease or old putty prevents a reliable push-fit seal.
• Apply a thin smear of silicone or push-fit lubricant to the connector spigot for flexible connectors going into a socket; do not use petroleum-based products on rubber seals.
• For flexible connectors, compress or extend to the minimum adjustment needed — over-extending the bellows reduces seal pressure.
• Check building regulations Approved Document H: WC pans connected to single-stack drainage must have a 200mm minimum seal depth at the trap.
• If replacing a pan connector as part of a pan swap, always dry-fit and check fall before applying sealant.

Featured Products

Embrass Peerless Pan Connector Flexible 100/110mm

£7.49

Best-seller. Flexible bellows body, suits most domestic WC retrofits.

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Embrass Peerless Pan Connector 90° Flexible — Long 4"

£9.72

Extended reach, 90° outlet angle. For larger gaps or sharper angles.

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Swan Neck 90 Degree Pan Connector

£4.50

Rigid swan neck profile. For rear-outlet pans and wall-height soil sockets.

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Space Saving Bent Pan Connector 90d

£9.70

Minimises back-wall projection. Compact cloakrooms and en-suites.

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All prices include VAT. Trade accounts receive net pricing at checkout — apply for a trade account here.

APM Electricals
24 Western Avenue, Acton, W3 7TZ
Phone: 020 8702 8080

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