I've bought some 1/4 turn lever tap reviver heads from Screwfix to
replace the heads on a standard kitchin sink mixer in an elderly
ladies house. The hot tap doesn't work so while I'm there I thought
I'd swap them as the levers would be easier for her to operate.

Couple of queries, please:
1) Will quarter turn open the tap enough - ie is the mechanism geared
differently to a normal tap?

2) To me, the logical way operate them would be swing forward for on
and push them back (out of the way) for off. But lever taps seemed to
be designed to do the opposite. As the levers open in different
directions for each tap I presume there's no reason why I can't fit
them whichever I (or the old lady) want, is there?

Thanks.

On Nov 24, 2:12*pm, Rory wrote:
I've bought some 1/4 turn lever tap reviver heads from Screwfix to
replace the heads on a standard kitchin sink mixer in an elderly
ladies house. The hot tap doesn't work so while I'm there I thought
I'd swap them as the levers would be easier for her to operate.

Couple of queries, please:
1) Will quarter turn open the tap enough - ie is the mechanism geared
differently to a normal tap?

2) To me, the logical way operate them would be swing forward for on
and push them back (out of the way) for off. *But lever taps seemed to
be designed to do the opposite. *As the levers open in different
directions for each tap I presume there's no reason why I can't fit
them whichever I (or the old lady) want, is there?

Thanks.

They are a good thing (if they are the right thread to screw on the
tap body).
There are two technologies.
The old one has a very coarse thread on the valve stem so that the
spindle rises enough in a quarter turn to open/close the valve.
There is also ceramic disk technology. The spindle does not rise &
they are friction free.
If you have the former it's a good idea to reseat the taps with a
special tool while you have the bonnet removed. It's quite a cheap
tool, handy to have about the place too.
You can fit them as you like. The only difference is the colour of the
hot/cold water indicator.

On Nov 24, 2:27*pm, harry wrote:

The old one has a very coarse thread on the valve stem so that the
spindle rises enough in a quarter turn to open/close the valve.

They're not ceramic. Hopefully they're as you suggest - they must be
otherwise the tap would barely dribble.

If you have the former it's a good idea to reseat the taps with a
special tool while you have the bonnet removed. *It's quite a cheap
tool, handy to have about the place too.

Hmm...I've never done that in past so don't have the tool. Is it
likely to be necessary?

You can fit them as you like. The only difference is the colour of the
hot/cold water indicator.

Well, they are a bit different to standard taps - they turn in
opposite directions to open. So you've got to figure out how you want
them to work before fitting them.

On Nov 24, 3:08*pm, Rory wrote:
On Nov 24, 2:27*pm, harry wrote:

The old one has a very coarse thread on the valve stem so that the
spindle rises enough in a quarter turn to open/close the valve.

They're not ceramic. *Hopefully they're as you suggest - they must be
otherwise the tap would barely dribble.

If you have the former it's a good idea to reseat the taps with a
special tool while you have the bonnet removed. *It's quite a cheap
tool, handy to have about the place too.

Hmm...I've never done that in past so don't have the tool. *Is it
likely to be necessary?

You can fit them as you like. The only difference is the colour of the
hot/cold water indicator.

Well, they are a bit different to standard taps - they turn in
opposite directions to open. *So you've got to figure out how you want
them to work before fitting them.

Have a look at the seat of the tap (the place the washer comes down
on). Quite often there's a bit of erosion which can prevent the washer
seating properly, also wears the washers out quicker. The re-seating
tool just skims a little metal off the seat making it flat, square and
smooth.

On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 06:27:07 -0800 (PST), harry wrote:

You can fit them as you like. The only difference is the colour of the
hot/cold water indicator.

Yep but they are "handed" so you can arrange for up out of the way to
be off rather than down in the way being off. Just choose the correct
handedness.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In message o.uk, Dave
Liquorice writes
On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 06:27:07 -0800 (PST), harry wrote:

You can fit them as you like. The only difference is the colour of the
hot/cold water indicator.

Yep but they are "handed" so you can arrange for up out of the way to
be off rather than down in the way being off. Just choose the correct
handedness.

Some of this was discussed a couple of months ago.

It appears that the 'correct handedness' is OFF with the handles
pointing in parallel towards you (over the sink basin). I queried
whether there was any subtle reason why the hot and cold taps (quarter
turn ceramic seal) should not be swapped over, so that OFF could be with
the handles turned outwards and away from you, leaving them pointing
'west and east' instead of 'south and south' (if you see what I mean).

The reason I asked was that, a couple of years ago, I interchanged the
hot and cold taps (so that the handles pointed as I have described) and,
after only about 18 months, I started having trouble with hot tap (which
was the cold insert). The general opinion was that, other than the red
and blue colour-coded washers, and the direction of rotation, there was
no difference.
--
Ian

On Nov 24, 10:51*pm, Ian Jackson
wrote:

It appears that the 'correct handedness' is OFF with the handles
pointing in parallel towards you (over the sink basin).

This does seem to be correct (or at least, normal) and it strikes me
as odd because the lever might get in the wat while using the sink.
Surely they're better pushed back out the way? The only problem I can
forsee with the non ceramic taps I've bought is that people might try
and push them back too far - but I guess they could equally push them
too far towards the spout if fitted in the conventional way.

The general opinion was that, other than the red
and blue colour-coded washers, and the direction of rotation, there was
no difference.

Certainly the ones I've got are mechanically identical, save for
opening in opposite directions to each other.

On Nov 24, 10:51*pm, Ian Jackson
wrote:
In message o.uk, Dave
Liquorice writesOn Wed, 24 Nov 2010 06:27:07 -0800 (PST), harry wrote:

You can fit them as you like. The only difference is the colour of the
hot/cold water indicator.

Yep but they are "handed" so you can arrange for up out of the way to
be off rather than down in the way being off. Just choose the correct
handedness.

Some of this was discussed a couple of months ago.

It appears that the 'correct handedness' is OFF with the handles
pointing in parallel towards you (over the sink basin). I queried
whether there was any subtle reason why the hot and cold taps (quarter
turn ceramic seal) should not be swapped over, so that OFF could be with
the handles turned outwards and away from you, leaving them pointing
'west and east' instead of 'south and south' (if you see what I mean).

The reason I asked was that, a couple of years ago, I interchanged the
hot and cold taps (so that the handles pointed as I have described) and,
after only about 18 months, I started having trouble with hot tap (which
was the cold insert). The general opinion was that, other than the red
and blue colour-coded washers, and the direction of rotation, there was
no difference.
--
Ian

Off is with the handles out of the way. I'd have thought that was
obvious.

In message
,
harry writes



Off is with the handles out of the way. I'd have thought that was
obvious.

Oh, quite. Unfortunately, the tap makers seem to have other ideas! But,
as long as there are no actual differences in the materials the taps are
made of (ie "You shouldn't do it because... "), you can easily swap
them (and, of course, re-position the handles).
--
Ian