Kitchen tap failure

[man2013]

Yesterday one side of the kitchen mixer tap stopped working - I could turn the tap lever but it wasn't engaging with the base and the lever came away freely from the base. I can turn the tap on and off but only by pressing the lever very hard into the base as I turn. I'm worried this will cause further damage over time.

Both the tap lever and the base have milled edges which are supposed to engage to make the tap turn. There is also a small hole (screw?) which faces downwards when the lever is vertical in the off position.

Is there any cleaning etc I can do or will I need to buy new parts/get a plumber in?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Blagard]

The hole you refer to has a small grub screw in it and normally you would fit the lever and secure it from being pulled off by tightening the grub screw with an allen key.

However the splines on the main body and the spines on the lever should engage without slipping. If they are not slipping then the shaft may be broken inside the tap.

What you will probably need is a new cartridge fitted into the main body of the tap. You must turn off the water and extract the old cartridge first so you can get a replacement - typical supplier linked below

http://www.shop.lunns.net/ceramic-disc-valves-42-c.asp

 

[man2013]

Thanks Blagard.

Is it worth me getting an Allen key and trying to tighten the grub screw first before replacing the cartridge?

 

[denso13]

Wouldn't do any harm, that is maybe all it needs.

 

[Blagard]

Wouldn't do any harm, that is maybe all it needs.

It won't do any harm but it won't do any good either. The splines are what turn the tap on and off as they should be engaged the moment the handle is slipped on. The grub screw simply stops the handle sliding off them it is not there to stop the handle on shaft slipping around as it is turned. It should all work fine without the grub screw even being there.

I would be very surprised if the splines were slipping across each other. One way to check is to turn the exposed tap spline. If the tap works OK then your cartridge is not the problem. However it would suggest than the splines in the handle part must be shot! In that case a new handle is really the best fix.

You will need a socket to unscrew the existing cartridge (turn off the water first!) to identify it fully before getting a new one. Then replace the old one until the new one arrives. The only possible spanner in the works is having a broken bit in the old cartridge that makes it awkward or impossible to re-fit. In that case you either use an existing isolation valve to turn that supply off or you fit one so you can.

 

[denso13]

Try the grub screw first.

 

[footprints]

If you can see where the screw hits the shaft you could try drilling a slight recess a mm or so deep for the screw to go into. Then wack the handle on with a bit of tin foil over the shaft it might wedge some in there to tighten the fit the grub screw will bite better in the recess.

Otherwise try a u shaped bit of fuse wire over the shaft before pushing the handle on.

But it's really a new tap job