Replace kitchen tap

[bwriter]

The current tap never thrilled me. I don't know the manufacturer but it looks an awful lot like the single lever sink tap on page 633 of the Winter 2008 Screwfix catalogue. It developed a scrunchy feeling when swinging between hot and cold and the transition seems abrupt. It's very difficult to get the temperature you want. Also, the cold water maked a terrible, low-pitched rushing sound.
I stripped it down and removed a scrunched-up wire mesh filter which I thought might be jamming. Now the darn thing is worse than ever. With the lever in the closed position and set half-way between cold and hot, the water is shut off. But in any other position, water flows.
I decided to rip it out and replace it.
Now, here's the rub: all the advice I ever saw about these things refers to them being secured with nuts. Mine seems to be anchored with what looks like a large Cir-clip!
Help! How do I deal with that? Just spring it off with a screwdriver? Can it be reused?
Also, the thin copper pipes exiting the tap seem to be affixed with brass nuts, and they look to be soldered on!
Help me, someone. Please.
I uploaded a photo of the base but, being new to this forum, I don't know if it worked or not.

 

[gblades]

I know what you mean by 'cir clip' but infact it is really just a washer. Opposite the 'open' end there is a hole with a threaded bat going through it which attaches to the tap. There is a nut which screws on the threaded bar which clamps the sink between the washer and the tap.
When I replaced my parents sink tap I just used a pair of malgrips (spelling?) to clamp onto the end of the nut and turn it.

 

[bwriter]

Thanks for that, gblades. I did try to upload a pic but it hasn't worked. Trying again. I have another queery re my diplomat dishwasher (yes, I know they're mince) and need to show photos to illustrate my question.

 

[bwriter]

Oops! Looks like I should have said enquiry rather than queery. Photos still don't appear. Can someone tell me where I'm going wrong? I clicked on show my photos after creating an album and uploading the images.

 

[kevplumb]

you have to click on the image you want to post

 

[bwriter]

Untitled

• bwriter
• 2 Apr 2008
• 1

Ah, now I see. Thanks.

Here's the photo I took of that clip thingy.

 

[kevplumb]

thats gonna be a right s.o.b to get at

 

[gblades]

That looks correct. Feel behind the pipes and you will find a threaded post running through a hole in the clip with a nut screwed on it. Just unscrew the nut and the tap will come out.

The new tap I fitted had flexible hoses so I was just able to cut the copper pipe going to the tap and then run the flexible pipe from the tap and screw it directly onto the isolation valve.

 

[gblades]

thats gonna be a right s.o.b to get at

Best way might be to cut the pipes and then see if what look like nuts in the picture unscrew from the tap or if you can cut the pipe close to those nuts. Then you will have far better access to the nut behind.

 

[Gunslinger]

those pipes "should" unscrew from the base of tap, this of course relies on the original fitter having left you this option, what type of fittings are on the other end of those pipes ? ... they should be some sort of compression fitting that can be loosened to allow those pipes to rotate, if they are soldered sleeves to the main pipe work, then yeah thats a P.I.T.A and the original fitter didn't do you any favours.

for your replacement, as you can appreciate, you get what you pay for but in all cases pay consideration to unbalanced pressures and the use of low restriction non-return valves, also as said before, flexi hoses to the tap can help you both now and in the future.

and for what it's worth, i too prefer the big nut style of fitting as i think it gives a more stable fitting and provides a more equal pressure to the seal

 

[bwriter]

Thanks to all the people who tried to help me with this problem. But a solution has been found. It seems the last person to fiddle with this tap (oh, all right, so it was me) had replaced the upper ceramic disc half a turn out. The tap now works very well but there is still a loud rushing noise when running cold water. Guess I'll just have to live with this.
Thanks again to all.