Dripping mixer tap, ceramic cartridge

[superstardeejay]

Ive been to my mums today, she is complaining the kitchen mixer tap is dripping. It is, badly!

The tap was installed by MFI along with the kitchen about 10 years ago. I have no idea what make tap it is, looks like any generic 1/4turn mixer.

I've had the handles off and there are nylon/plastic cartridges fitted. They are nothing like the Bristan ones i have at home here which are brass throughout apart from the disc.

My question really; is there a 'generic' or 'universal' plastic-type ceramic disc cartridge for these mixers? I dont want a long journey into the nearest town to get to the plumbers merchant only to come away because I can't tell them what make & model tap is fitted. As an MFI special, I'm sure its some chinese rubbish.

The other thing...there are no iso valves anywhere and the stopcock passes plenty of water. I would have to do a hot-swap, as it were; so I cant remove the cartridges and take them with me as samples, the kitchen would be flooded.

 

[seco services]

That pic is a franke davos mixer.
You sure the handles are exactly the same as the davos has about 4 different types.
Your pic they taper slightly to the outer ends.

 

[Charnwood]

and the stopcock passes plenty of water.

What happens if she has a leak or a burst? That needs changing ASAP.

 

[superstardeejay]

That pic is a stock photo I posted to show you what style/shape of tap it is. Mum's is not a Franke fitting, it's a cheap MFI contract mixer with plastic cartridges.

 

[Charnwood]

Fit a new mixer:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KITCHEN-T...rden_Kitchen_SinksTaps_GL&hash=item27bd5e4316

 

[superstardeejay]

The problem is the stopcock passes too much water. I can change a cartridge because the water just spills onto the draining board.

MFI built the new kitchen over the stopcock with just a small hole for the T-handle of the cock in the side of a corner cupboard.

 

[Charnwood]

Like I said, that stop tap needs replacing ASAP.
There should be a communal stop tap outside, possibly serving multiple properties.

Find it, speak to the properties it serves, get a mutually agreable time for the water to be turned off. Fit new stopcock. Fit new tap.
If there is some pipework you can get to soon after the existing stop tap, before it is tee-ed off, you could fit a Surestop.

I can change a cartridge because the water just spills onto the draining board.

Well, no, you can't - because you can't find the right one.

 

[superstardeejay]

the stopcock is on lead pipe, if I can just get a new cartridge it will surely outlast my mother! I dont want to have to fetch out a fitted corner kitchen unit

 

[Youllneverguess]

Buy a new tap and pay someone to fit it... she's your mum FFS.

 

[superstardeejay]

pay someone to fit it

this is a DIY forum!

 

[Youllneverguess]

Yeah, but a professional won't be moaning about the stop cock not working fully. He/she would sort it out and get the job done.

 

[superstardeejay]

Well I'm not a professional plumber. That is why I'm asking questions on a DIY forum.

If no-one can answer my question of whether there's a standard fitting when it comes to plastic bodied ceramic cartridges for twin-handled mixer taps, maybe the mods should close the thread and I'll take time off work to go to the plumbers merchants in the city to get an answer.

 

[Youllneverguess]

You won't get a cartridge unless you know the make and model of the taps.

Hence me, and the other posters have told you to buy a new tap.

How much will it cost compared to taking the time off work to drag yourself around plumber's merchants to be told the same thing that you have been told on here by plumbers?

If it pleases your wallet buy some new cheap unbranded taps rather than some modest branded ones.


If you want - hot swap the cartridges around and see if the cartridge drips less on the lower (assuming of course) pressure hot side. You may be lucky, but with ceramic it is less likely.

 

[seco services]

No there are thousands of different cartridges /inserts etc
with different length spindles, amount of spines on the spindles etc.

need a pic of the actual mixer and cartridge to get anywhere.

 

[superstardeejay]

I think Ive found it. It is a Brev Quattro 545 which apparently was also fitted by Moben kitchens as well as MFI.

If I can get them cheaper than the hassle of fitting a new tap then I'll do it. I changed the tap here 15 years ago and fitted a Bristan with iso valves, when a cartridge went in that, (one disc cracked) Bristan sent out 2 new cartridges and new handles for free, they've been working since.

Mums tap is colour-coded to a designer composite sink of course so just any old tap won't match.

I'm sure the Brev taps are the cheapest MFI could possibly find to get the job done (like the fitted Hygena Romanian appliances that all broke just out of warranty) but like I said I'll only change the mixer as a very last resort due to the major stop-cock cock up. MFI didnt fit iso valves either and soldered the copper directly to the tails.