Cat-tap-strophe - tap spontaneously switching on

[MattB83]

Bad pun aside....

Our hot water tap in our bathroom wouldn't switch off - I switched off the water (we have a tap in a downstairs cupboard) and took the tap apart, the washer had split, replaced it, job done, or so I thought.

A couple of weeks later, same problem, tap won't go off, take apart and washer looks fine but change anyway and works for another 2 weeks.

Now same problem again, sometimes I can get it off by turning fully on and then off again, but sometimes there's a soft thud and it switches on full while I'm turning it off.

I can try the washer again but is there any obvious reason for this?

On a suspected unrelated note, this time, turning off the water supply hasn't resulted in it completely switching off - it has slowed to a trickle but it's definitely not off.

Any suggestions appreciated - Matt

 

[Alec_t]

Brand/model/pictures of innards?

 

[just pumps]

Washer you used was too big.

 

[MattB83]

Washer you used was too big.

Thank you - too tall? Too wide? It looked the same size but I could try an smaller one.

 

[just pumps]

Too thick but all diamentions should the same as the original allowing for a slight difference due to being squashed.

 

[oldbuffer]

Or too thin, resulting in the handle turning more to turn tap off, and spindle coming off the internal left hand thread inside the tap. Could account for the "thud".
Also check circlip which holds the mechanism together is intact and in place.

 

[MattB83]

Thank you for your help everyone.

Like I said, I wasn't able to switch off the water completely so time was of the essence. However I took the washer out and came to the conclusion it was probably too thick - it had been squashed in the centre and this had caused it to look like it was deformed. Have put a thin one in and it's now dripping slightly so I'm wondering whether there is a happy medium to be found.

Thanks again!