Aquailsa shower mixer aquavalve

[robbiejustice]

Hi all,

I have an aqualisa aquavalve that has been dripping from the showerhead. I bought a seal service pack from ebay, as had read it could be an easy(ish) cheap fix. I have run into an issue with replacing the back o ring.

I have had a go at removing it with a pin held in some needle nose pliers but had to give up because I couldn't get it out. Anyway, I then refitted the old cartridge to try again another day but the shower head was then leaking very badly so I removed the cartridge again and when I looked in the housing there was an o-ring at the end of the housing. Could I have partly go it out and then by refitting the cartridge pushed it out? Or could it have come from the cartridge?

Anyway, it looks to me like the o-ring is still in there so I am concerned it is a different o-ring that has come out - could this be possible? I can't see how I can get the new one back in as it looks like the old one is still there but its just so difficult to see. When I run my finger inside the housing I can't actually find a grove for the o-ring to sit in. The o-ring that has come out is the right size according to my service pack. I feel like I am going mad as the existing o-ring came from inside the housing. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

 

[oldbuffer]

Bit of wire clothes hanger. End hammered / filed to a blade, then bent over at right angles. Hook the old one out. Clean out the groove using same tool and some cloth on the end of the tool. Fit the new one by fitting part into bottom part of groove, then while holding with tool, use another piece of hanger to push down top of O ring till it pops in. Takes hours and a lot of blue language.

 

[robbiejustice]

Thanks Oldbuffer. I did get it out in the end with the help of the person who sold the cartridge seal kit to me on ebay "bargaincityauctions". Without his help I would have just got a plumber out, which including labour would have cost a few hundred.

My o ring was rock hard, I tried various home fashioned tools for hours but was then advised to get a hook and pick set (£3 from Halfords). With that I had the o-ring out in minutes. The new seal solved the dripping shower head so all good now.