Ceramic 1/4 turn cartridges

It's not urgent - more of a 'tuit.

Got a bath tap that leaking slightly - very tiny amount, like a tablespoon in 1-2 hours.

Not sure if it'll get worse or not so I feel like being prepared.

Do the valve inserts follow any sort of standard?

The tap is 3/4" fitting and I could count the number of splines sometime. Is that all there is to it or are they manufacturer specific too?

Is it just a case of take off lever, unscrew brass bit from the top, and screw in new one - or is some thread sealant and/or grease needed?

Silly question - never tried fixing one before...

Ta

Tim

Reply to
Tim Watts
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A soak in de-scaler might do the trick. Ceramic cartridges ain't cheap. £15 to £30 a pair.

Nope! None whatsoever IME.

Manufacturer specific - assuming you know who that was.

Only certain way is to remove one, take it & the handle to proper plumbing shop & get a match. Not all plumbing shops stock a large range.

Pretty much, no sealant or grease.

I've done dozens :-)

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

A soak in de-scaler might do the trick. Ceramic cartridges ain't cheap. £15 to £30 a pair.

Nope! None whatsoever IME.

Manufacturer specific - assuming you know who that was.

Only certain way is to remove one, take it & the handle to proper plumbing shop & get a match. Not all plumbing shops stock a large range.

Pretty much, no sealant or grease.

I've done dozens :-)

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

On Monday 02 December 2013 20:44 The Medway Handyman wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Thanks Dave,

I do know who the manufacturer is - or I will when I dig out the box they came in (I fitted them 4 years ago).

We've had a number of burst pipes in the road over the last few years (main mains - big pipes) and quite a lot of very brown water afterwards - I wonder if some grit got through and nicked one... Might have been weeping for a long time - just really noticed the other day, but there's often been a buildup of scale under just that tap. That's why I'm not too bothered - but thought it was time to know how to just in case...

Ta - not a lot can go wrong I guess then - if I manage to get the wrong part it won't fit and I put the original back and try again!

Thanks again,

Tim

Reply to
Tim Watts

Gravity or mains pressure water?

I had one that leaked very slightly for several years. I've now gone over to mains pressure water and it seals perfectly now.

Reply to
Bob Minchin

On Monday 02 December 2013 20:44 The Medway Handyman wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Just looked -

"Home of Ultra" SOLO 3" lever range.

CG302 IIRC:

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It is of course a discontinued range - I could ring them and find the part - I guess it might be the same insert they use in their other taps...

Cheers,

Tim

Reply to
Tim Watts

On Monday 02 December 2013 21:03 Bob Minchin wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Mains - 5 bar :)

Reply to
Tim Watts

On Monday 02 December 2013 21:24 Tim Watts wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Actually - this is starting to piss me off.

I recalled that I did not have enough tiles to complete the bath panel (of the same type as the wall).

So I checked - good job too. Buggers have discontinued those (Johnson Cotswold 10x10 white gloss) - luckily WallsandFloors.co.uk are offloading some end of stock onto ebay so I grabbed a pack.

Really - *why* do they keep changing all the time? The design was perfectly good - cottagy but not particulary distinctive.

Same with taps - There must be a limited number of lever tap styles that are aesthetically possible (to tell apart) - why keep changing the buggers?

Reply to
Tim Watts

They could at least standardise the cartridges. Like tap washers, door knob spindles, 13 amp plugs, etc.

Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

On Monday 02 December 2013 23:56 snipped-for-privacy@gowanhill.com wrote in uk.d-i- y:

That too - when I went hunting, there are bloody millions of the things!

I'll ring the manufacturers and order some spare cartridges.

Fron an engineering POV, there:

1) Are one or maybe two best arrangements of splined shaft. Perhaps "normal" (thick and strong) and "fine" for some delicate handle.

2) 2 sizes of base 1/2" and 3/4"

3) Perhaps 2 lengths - long (hi flow, bigger apertures) and "compact".

So there are 8 possible standard cartridges. Any tap design can be trivially made to suit those.

Reply to
Tim Watts

Try here Tim;

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Reply to
The Medway Handyman

I've had success both:

  • For very slow weeps, simply dismantling the things, washing the bits through and putting it back together

  • For properly buggered, I've bought just the ceramic discs (from ebay IIRC) and rebuilt them. The units I've played with just push together (2 discs and a sealing ring or two.)

I've a feeling the number of sizes of disc is a lot less than the loony number of cartridges but it's easy enough to pull them apart to check and put back together (which covers point 1 too :-) )

Also, has anyone else had the experience of taking a cartridge into a merchant (I've done both PlumbCentre and an independent) and them staring at it as if you've presented them with a stick of rhubard?

Reply to
Scott M

I have noticed that as well - I fitted a bath mixer to an aunts bath once and found it let by a little. However I was also fitting a pump for the shower, and it was easier to arrange it such that it pumped all the water in the bathroom. The moment there was some additional pressure there, the taps sealed completely.

Reply to
John Rumm

I have noticed that as well - I fitted a bath mixer to an aunts bath once and found it let by a little. However I was also fitting a pump for the shower, and it was easier to arrange it such that it pumped all the water in the bathroom. The moment there was some additional pressure there, the taps sealed completely.

Reply to
John Rumm

On Tuesday 03 December 2013 08:12 The Medway Handyman wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Thanks Dave -

I cannot see "Ultra" there - I wonder if they simply buy in another make? I'll ring Ultra now.

Reply to
Tim Watts

On Tuesday 03 December 2013 09:06 Scott M wrote in uk.d-i-y:

That's interesting -

What I think I shall do is buy a pair of cartridges (when I find out what) and then I can rebuild the dodgey one and keep it as a spare.

Reply to
Tim Watts

Only 1 of the 5 independents in the towns stocks a range of ceramic cartridges, the others look blank.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

Snip Just bought a pair of 1/2 inch inserts for just over a fiver at Clas Olsen. I took a chance on the fitting at that price and was in luck; 10 minute job when I got home and the tap no longer drips.

Reply to
Chris Holford

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