Tap ceramic cartridge sizes

There aren't any standard sizes IME. We have a independent local plumbers merchant who stocks a huge range of these, the other three independents don't. You have to take the old cartridge & tap head in. They have never failed me :-)

These people have a huge range

Ain't that the truth!

I love the 1/4 turn mechanism.

But whenever ) have tried to see how hard it would be to change a cartridge, I came to the conclusion it would be easier to change the whole tap! I have never managed to undo a cartridge... They seem to be welded in - or done up by Geoff Capes.

At this point, someone will say "left handed thread" (I honestly do not know...)

My plumber told me the sizes were standard, then was quite perplexed when his replacement wouldn't fit.

He is German, though. Perhaps they have standard sizes in Germany.

Owain

Who is it? I'm in Rochester, so they're probably local to me as well.

And that makes it all the more annoying. I struggled with that b******d for a while to get it undone, only to be told by the plumbers merchant "just buy a new tap".

Normal thread on mine. But felt like it'd been done up by a tyre fitter with a rattle gun.

Temperate Heating, top of Chatham Hill. Big grey building, used to be a pub.

Nope, normal anti clockwise to undo.

Never found one that was noticeably tighter than a normal tap head gear.

Man up :-)

By that, you mean put a scaffold pole over the tap end :)

Good reason to continue buying them then!

Thanks. I'll give them a try.

SWMBO chooses the taps, and they're not chosen based on how easy they'll be to service.

Large box spanner actually :-)

And one of these;

An absolute Godsend.

Use a ring spanner on the hex part and hit the other end with a rubber mallet while someone else braces the tap body.

Sounds like a good tip - thanks Roger...

How do you use both at the same time? Does the box spanner have a hex at the other end to which you attach the Stanley spanner for lots of leverage?

I agree about the Stanley spanners being good though. I asked Father Christmas to bring me one a few years ago after seeing an earlier recommendation from you.

Lots of leverage isn't always what you need though - sometimes that just rotates the tap body. I often find a percussive approach more successful.

Tell me about it!

Might have to pop up and try them for ours.

The box spanner slips over the tap spout (with cloth) to stop it moving, the Stanley one goes on the tap head gear.

Ah, I see. So any suitable piece of metal tube would do then, without needing to be a box spanner?