'Loose' ceramic valves

[stevebower]

I've replaced the ceramic valves on my kitchen tap, but the new valves are freer turning than the old, and the levers move down from a partial open position under their own weight. I've not had this before - is it duff new valves?

 

[Chuck]

New valves can stiffen up after a week or two of use. (There is sometimes excess silicone grease that gets between the plates during assembly that gets displaced with use.)

If not, the body of the new valves may be slightly shorter than the originals. This would mean the sealing ring is not correctly compressed and there is not enough force holding the ceramic discs together and hence not enough friction to stop the lever dropping under its own weight.

 

[stevebower]

OK thanks. It's the first