How to remove this tap?

[AndyJ88]

Hi all,

I have a dripping shower head. I have read through various online articles and have eventually replaced the shower head and washers, unfortunately the shower head is still dripping.

There are 3 taps, the 2 outside taps control the bath, the central tap controls the shower. I cannot figure out how to take the central tap off to determine if there is a washer under that I need to replace.

Any ideas?

IMG_0147

• AndyJ88
• 15 Jan 2017

IMG_0146

• AndyJ88
• 15 Jan 2017

IMG_0145

• AndyJ88
• 15 Jan 2017

 

[Ted777]

Most taps are fitted from the underneath, if you have a panel on the side of the bath you might do better to remove that and have a look from there.
Don't forget to turn your property stop tap off first.

 

[AndyJ88]

Thanks Ted. Unfortunately the side of the bath is tiled off. Does this mean I won't be able to take the tap off to find the washer?

 

[Madrab]

Looking at that tap Andy, it looks like that centre tap is the flow and the thermostatic temp control is the shroud below it? Is it a twist the centre handle to adjust the flow?

Taking that centre tap head off should be the same as the outside taps, take the tap head off, then loosen the nut below it. That should allow the shroud to be removed - take note of the positioning as I guess that shroud controls the thermostatic cartridge and water temp and needs to be put back in the same position. Then see what you have below it.

 

[AndyJ88]

Hi Madrab.

The centre tap controls both the flow and the temperature unfortunately. It is the only moveable part that controls the shower.

The problem is I can't figure out how to get the centre tap head off! The outside tap heads unscrew and then can be pulled off but on the centre there is nothing to twist apart from the tap head itself.

 

[Madrab]

Cant figure how one tap can control the flow and the temp. Do you turn the 2 outside taps on then twist the centre tap anticlockwise and it then sends the water to the shower head, the more anticlockwise the hotter it gets? It would make sense that the centre tap head would come off the same way as the other two, if not is there maybe a grub screw on the tap spindle?

 

[AndyJ88]

The centre tap controls flow and temperature. The side taps don't have an influence on the shower. You can turn the shower and bath on at the same time if you turn centre and outside taps.

I've searched everywhere for a grub screw but I can't find one anywhere! The outside ones don't have a grub it's the stem that unscrews but on the centre tap I can't unscrew the stem?

 

[Madrab]

OK, next thing to try would be to loosen that nut and see what's under that and the shroud.

 

[Burnerman]

Andy, explain again how the outer heads came off will you?
I can see a spline and a female screw thread but nowhere to get in with a screwdriver? Show us the removed head, if you can.
Thanks
John

 

[AndyJ88]

Hi John,

Hopefully the images below makes it clearer. As you can see the middle tap head is not of the same design.

Madrab - I'll have a go at unscrewing the nut however unfortunately I won't have able to turn the water off until next Thursday now

 

[Madrab]

You'll maybe find that the centre tap spindle is the same design, i.e, it's held in/on by a circlip, but is held down by the nut rather than the shroud, as the outside 2 are.

 

[Burnerman]

I see, so unscrewing the shroud releases the tap top at the same time.....in which case you've little option but to unscrew the centre hexagon to release the thermostatic cartridge aas Rob suggests.
Have you any idea of the make? Thermostatic cartridges are hellish expensive -and I certainly don't recognise that one.
John

 

[snes]

I realise its not an Aqualisa, but......

To prevent dripping from the shower head, Aqualisa recommend turning the shower control on their mixers from hot to cold about 6 times in succession with the shower fully on. I presume this is to loosen/dislodge any possible scale formation.

Might be worth a try.

 

[AndyJ88]

Thanks guys I'll have a go at unscrewing the nut on Thursday.

Snes - I'll have a go but I did try soaking the entire thing in vinegar so presumably this would have dislodged any scale formation.

 

[Madrab]

@snes , I believe, is more talking about the internals of the valve than the external fitting. Doing that may shift any debris internally that may be holding the valve portion of the thermo valve open allowing the drip.

If you send https://www.showerdoc.com your picture they may be able to identify, they're especially good at doing that.