On 28/12/2017 03:31, John Rumm wrote:
On 27/12/2017 21:48, Adrian Brentnall wrote:

HI Folks
We had a lever-operated kitchen kitchen sink mixer tap fitted about four
years ago - in the past few months it's started dripping.
It has quarter-turn levers - I'm guessing that these operate ceramic
valves?

Yup pretty likely...

If so - does anybody have experience of obtaining replacement valves,
and how are they fitted. I'm expecting that the lever is held on by a
screw, under the end-cover - but how do you get the conical cover off
without damaging the chrome?

Take off the H/C cap - should unscrew. Then remove the screw and the
lever should come off. The conical trims ought not be done up that tight
- you may find you can undo by hand or with a "gripper" glove. If you
need to use grips (water pump pliers etc), then shims of leather or a
short length of rubber hose (plumbers merchant - they sell it for
connections to manometers and gas pressure meters) make good grippy
protectors.

Ah - there's some ideas - thanks


Anybody been there & done that, successfully?

You may find just unscrewing the valve, and pulling the disks out f the
end of it (you normally need to prise off a retaining C clip on the
shaft), will let you clean them - often that is enough if they are still
nice and smooth. A descale, and re-lube with silicone grease can also help.

Ah - having said that I'm considering replacing the whole thing, you've
now appealed to the skinflint in me! g
Trouble is, it's the Kitchen Tap - so any prolonged faffing about with
it isn't likely to be popular....


I notice that the Amazon item carries a 15-year guarantee - "(excluding
working and serviceable parts, abuse or neglect)" - we have pumped
well-water supply - so it's quite possible that some grit as found its
way into the valve...

Yup, they don't like grit... I fitted a good quality new mixer a coupe
of days back, and managed to get some debris in there that caused it to
leak on about the third use (probably some solder residue, or copper
fragments etc). The dismantle and rub discs between fingers procedure
fixed that.


Ah - that's worth knowing. 'Spose I could try, it'd be a nice
'eco-friendly' fix if it was something that simple..

Thanks
Adrian