[Thunder Chicken]

I need some help here. The valve on my Delta was leaking so I was looking to pull the cartridge, but something went really wrong. There were some copper tubes that twisted and broke out of the unit in the wall (See pictures).

I assume the thing in the wall needs to get replaced, but I don't know why it had three copper lines leading to it. Is this something jury rigged or what?

Missus ain't going to be happy when we don't have a shower.

 

[oh'mike]

Yikes--never saw one like that------yep--time for a new valve, I think---

Has anyone here seen a valve with three tubes attached?

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Should I be able to do this from the shower side? I can make the hole in the surround a bit bigger.

If I have to tear down the surround I'm going to cry as I just finished renovating the surround.

 

[jmon]

Here's an old link of a similar issue from one of our members awhile back. It's from a kitchen faucet with tubes. I don't think it will help you, but you can skim through it.

Sorry TC, don't know what else you can do other than replace the valve.

Please wait for the plumbers to respond, they may know of a fix. Thanks.

http://www.diychatroom.com/f7/kitchen-faucet-input-tube-broken-339657/

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I called a plumber for this one. There is access to this from the back side under the kitchen sink, but it is beyond my skill level. He's going to have to cut this out and sweat a new one in.

 

[jmon]

I think you made the right call on that one TC. Misses won't be very happy with no shower. :vs_no_no_no:

 

[gregzoll]

TC, make sure you give the plumber a gift card for helping you out. Food is always good, since they are not only saving your back and head. They are also saving your marriage from the wife asking when it will bedone.

As for the new unit, is it a Grohe?

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

geez..did you use a 3ft wrench on that poor thing...lol..you ripped the thing apart..you tore the housing that holds the parts clear off...

 

[Thunder Chicken]

TC, make sure you give the plumber a gift card for helping you out. Food is always good, since they are not only saving your back and head. They are also saving your marriage from the wife asking when it will bedone.

As for the new unit, is it a Grohe?

I'm paying him in cash, and he's sampled some of my wife's homemade bread, and he may be going home with some of my homebrew. He's cut all the lines to the old valve, basically sweating all of the lines to the new valve before slipping it in and screwing it into place, and is putting pex couplings on all the lines in/out so removing it next time won't be such a PITA. It is accessible from under the sink, but just barely (see picture). I'm so thankful there are people willing to do this for money, God bless 'em. I could probably have done it, but I'd have to get all the tools, parts, figure out what to do, and I'd probably be all week without water.

This is the second time I've had to get a plumber into this house since moving in. This guy is on the ball and costs are reasonable for the area. Definitely getting his business card for the fridge. The last guy (with the shiny new house and trucks on main street) took two days to change an aquastat in my hot water heater and charged me $700 to do it. He was here all of two hours.

New unit is a Delta - threads are in the same location but the body doesn't have the funny copper tube connects.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

the chrome piece that the handle went on that is on the counter..the front ring is suppose to unscrew, then you can get the guts out of it...the plastic ring right up front can be loosened to unload the tension so the bigger chrome ring can spin..moot point now.it needs to be replaced..

 

[ben's plumbing]

reguardless of how it happened or where the parts go.......you have to replace the faucet..

 

[ben's plumbing]

yep some of the older delta faucets had 3 tubes....

 

[Thunder Chicken]

the chrome piece that the handle went on that is on the counter..the front ring is suppose to unscrew, then you can get the guts out of it...the plastic ring right up front can be loosened to unload the tension so the bigger chrome ring can spin..moot point now.it needs to be replaced..

Oh sure, now you tell me. :laughing:

I saw a Youtube video that showed a similar valve and they just walked up and put a wrench on the ring and pulled it off, no fiddling with the plastic tensioner. I'm not sure anything was going to loosen up anyway.

I wish these people doing these videos would actually show how to replace an older used version of whatever they are fixing, warts and all. They walk up in shirt sleeves and everything slips off nice and easy with a smile.

It's all done, back in business. When I redo the kitchen I will definitely have all the plumbing re-done and an easy access hatch installed for repairs.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

many times corrosion makes it all but impossible to take them apart..

 

[Thunder Chicken]

The only issue with the new valve is that the flow seems low. It works, but the flow is noticeably lower than the old valve, both through the shower head and the tub faucet.

 

[ben's plumbing]

The only issue with the new valve is that the flow seems low. It works, but the flow is noticeably lower than the old valve, both through the shower head and the tub faucet.

you may have some junk in the cartridge from having water shut off.. may need to clean cartridge....shut off water remove cartridge for cleaning have helper hold rag over body of faucet and crack open the water valve to blow out junk a few seconds..reistall cartridge should be better...

 

[ZTMAN]

Better have you wife make some more bread

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

The only issue with the new valve is that the flow seems low. It works, but the flow is noticeably lower than the old valve, both through the shower head and the tub faucet.

round 2..who wins? shower body destruction or working shower body after cleaning attempt...LOL check the shower head for junk caught in the screen first..does the new body have integral stops? check to see water main on all the way and bathroom valves are fully opened...:vs_worry:

 

[Thunder Chicken]

round 2..who wins? shower body destruction or working shower body after cleaning attempt...LOL

I'm sure I could rip the thing out of the wall again, no problem! :laughing: Actually, I am slightly afraid to touch it. I feel bad enough that I had to call in the cavalry to fix my mess. Doing it TWICE would be really hard to live with.

check the shower head for junk caught in the screen first..does the new body have integral stops? check to see water main on all the way and bathroom valves are fully opened...:vs_worry:

Yep, shutoffs are wide open, shower head is clean. It works, but flow is a bit low. It might become the new normal, but the flow, especially through the bath tub faucet, used to be much higher.

Do they have flow rate restrictions on these valves? I am wondering if the old valve, probably from the 1980s, simply had a higher capacity.

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

anything is possible, for large capacity tubs, they have deck mounted faucets that are high flow, never heard of it for single handle wall mount shower bodies..but again, its possible..what brand and model number did you have installed?