Jammed bath tap

[Bernard Peek]

The cold tap on the bath has jammed. The plunger that's supposed to ride up and down is jammed solid and so far has resisted any attempts at using brute force to move it.

Any ideas?

[John]

Have you removed the mechanism then?

Does it have a circlip on the spindle - if so remove it and knock the splined shaft down to push out the plunger.

I am guessing that a washer has become so compressed that the plunger has extended too far and then cannot retract as it has rotated out of alignment with the hexagonal hole it slides in.

[Bob Martin]

Not related to OP's question but why do some people feel it necessary to turn off taps with as much strength as they can muster? I'm constantly demonstrating how little effort is required to stop the flow.

[TheScullster]

"Bob Martin" wrote

I think, to be fair, this is intuitive - for most people, tighter = more secure. It's only when you understand the internals of the tap mechanism and the soft(ish) rubber doing the actual sealing, that you realise the benefit/necessity of only using sufficient force to stop the flow.

Phil

[pete]

One very good reason would be if the rubber washer is damaged, has a bit of grit in it, or is starting to split. Then more force is needed to stem the flow. JPresuming the individual involved doesn't want to repair/replace it.

[John]

Agreed - given a good washer and lubricated mechanism very little pressure is needed. Overtightnening ruins the washer and wears the thread.

My taps have prominent H & C markings which I have oriented correctly. My family know that they shouldn't turn past the correct orientation of the marking. (But I always know when someone else has used a tap!!). I know someone who will try and tighten the tap every time they go near the sink.

[Adrian C]

I know

Do rotary dimmer switches suffer the same fate?

[Tim Streater]

We've got some taps (a mixer in the kitchen) that seem to come to a hard stop when you turn them off - dunno how they do that. So you can't turn them further off.

This will go, not least because SWMBO doesn't like mixers, but also because the bastard has one tap with a left-hand thread. Others that will go in the fullness of time, at the appropriate juncture, will be some taps in a bathroom with perfectly cylindrical tops. Just ideal for when you have soapy hands.

Re: the OP's problem, if the innards are buggered you could just replace them. SWMBO did that in a bathroom with replacements innards from B&Q, seems they are more or less standardised.

[Graham.]

Same thing with the knurled screws that fasten the D-shells on the back of computers.

I've just noticed that the nut-spinner I have carried in my toolbag for 20 years to deal with this situation is an a 3/16 imperial.

[John]

The "Hard Stop" could signify a ceramic disc tap.

[Bob Eager]

Snap!

[The Medway Handyman]

I'll bet SWMBO really appreciates being told that :-)