Ceramic Disc Taps - strange kind of problem...

[Simonpeters]

Hello people, my first post so I hope somebody can help me!

I had a stiff tap in my bathroom basin. The hot side (not that it makes a difference) - and so I decided to undo the headgear nut and take out the valve from the body of the tap.

The tap is a lever turn, and has no washer, it is the ceramic-disc type (although the discs look plastic not ceramic)!!! - It is a pegler.

Anyway, after cleaning, I re-assembled the tap but noticed even when the tap was turned fully OFF, hot water still came through (not much but more than a dribble).

I re-aligned the discs and this continued to happen-then the little rubbery/nylon? washer/ring that goes into the bottom of the valve after the discs, I pushed that in tightly and finally the tap stopped dribbling!

Anyway, bascially is this normal? or do I have cheap crappy taps?!! As if the cold gets stiff, and I do the same, I hope I don't have the same problem! ... Has anyone else came across this problem before with these type of taps?

Lastly, as the headgear was stiff, very stiff in fact, I needed leverage on it to undo it from the tap body. So I disconnected the tap from the supply, by undoing the tap connector and backnut. All was good, but when I put it back, a slight dribble was coming from the tap connector. I turned the nut another 1/2 turn, until it was proper tight and it stopped. Will this be OK now ? I didn't put a new fibre washer or jointing compound (which I know is a good idea, as I didn't have any in the house) on the tap connector, to create a new, good seal...!

Thanks for reading, will respect your advice and look forward to reading them.

 

[Simonpeters]

anyone else had probs with these ceramic disc type, 1/4 turn taps?

 

[gasmick2]

HI i went to a customers house to repair the combi 80e up in a roofspace she had ceramic taps on the bath and basin from M F I about 4 years ago, well one was solid the customer ask me if i could look at it for her she said it had not worked for a while,, so off went the isolation valve and i took it to bits the whole lot just fell into pieces , now your in a situation to try and get the right insert ?? i was told there are about 25 different makes, i did get a pair but the tops would not fit the splines !! another search went to B AND Q they seem to have a good range but they are all sealed up so how do you try the tops on??? so i got the man with the little apron on to do it and acted like a diyer he opened several at £17 a time.
so bring back rubber washers or leather as they used to be in my very early days
About the rubber washer at the bottem they do tend to not seal and then there will be a drip this is somtimes the cause of the drip oin the first place as they seem to squash to far then distort
About the tap washer underneath i always use P T FE tape as well as the old washer if you cant get a new one on but if it does not leak leave well alone