Drip Drip!! Ceramic Disc Valve

[ALJ]

See attached pics of our quarter turn ceramic disc kitchen tap, which needs a new ceramic disc valve. It is circa 20 years old, and I believe was a popular model with kitchens supplied by Magnet and the like, and that there are still a lot of them around. To save me hawking the old ceramic disc valve round umteen Plumbing Parts Counters trying to get the right one, has anyone replaced one for this tap? If so, have you any info such as the Tap Make/Model/Number, and/or the replacement Ceramic Disc Valve Make/Model/Number, and where you bought it? Any info much appreciated.
ALJ

 

[Ben-gee]

Trouble is I think every tap manufacturer makes one that looks exactly like that!!

If you take the cartridge to a good independent plumber merchant they’ll hopefully have a spline gauge and box of common cartridges and I’d say a 9/10 chance of helping you out on the spot.

Failing that, those taps are £40....

 

[Ric2013]

Or quite a lot of us on here have kits that allow us to 'make' the correct cartridge on site. Don't ask me, though, as I'm currently overseas.

 

[Ben-gee]

Yes, but two valves from the kit is about the same price as a new tap in this case!

 

[Ric2013]

Yes, but two valves from the kit is about the same price as a new tap in this case!

Good point. If it's a £40 tap, it probably isn't worth repairing to be reluctantly honest. I once supplied and fitted a kitchen tap that cost less than £50 and then I decided: never again. It just generally wasn't very good.

 

[Ben-gee]

I know what you mean, but tell the customer that to supply and fit two cartridges is £65 and your tap will still have a bit of play in the spout and they can see the chrome is starting to peel away in a couple of places and sometimes it isn’t actually in their interest to have a repair - especially on a cheap tap.

Awful isn’t it.

 

[Ricky]

i carry what screwfix supplies if they don't fit i give customer choice, i can fit temporary head and body and they source spare parts or they buy and i fit a new tap, there is no money in chasing around town.

 

[cjg]

Yes, but two valves from the kit is about the same price as a new tap in this case!

when they get passed it they can cause what sounds like water hammer when other taps are turned on/off
they pass slightly on them, best just replace with new, did on last week due to this. cost of tap £30 +fitting.

 

[ALJ]

when they get passed it they can cause what sounds like water hammer when other taps are turned on/off
they pass slightly on them, best just replace with new, did on last week due to this. cost of tap £30 +fitting.

See attached pics of our quarter turn ceramic disc kitchen tap, which needs a new ceramic disc valve. It is circa 20 years old, and I believe was a popular model with kitchens supplied by Magnet and the like, and that there are still a lot of them around. To save me hawking the old ceramic disc valve round umteen Plumbing Parts Counters trying to get the right one, has anyone replaced one for this tap? If so, have you any info such as the Tap Make/Model/Number, and/or the replacement Ceramic Disc Valve Make/Model/Number, and where you bought it? Any info much appreciated.
ALJ
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View attachment 45292View attachment 45293

Thanks to all who have replied. A new tap is the answer, but the wife has intentions on a new kitchen in the not too distant, so I just want a quick fix with minimum grief in the meantime. Unfortunately whoever fitted the current pipework in the dim and distant didn't use isolator valves, so any work requires the water being turned off at the main. Rather than touting the old valve round the trade counters, I've found what appears to be a decent online supplier. Their website is certainly comprehensive. A replacement valve will probably be around £20/£25. They are www.tapmagician.co.uk in Sussex. Anyone know them or dealt with them?
Cheers
ALJ

 

[Ric2013]

I know what you mean, but tell the customer that to supply and fit two cartridges is £65 and your tap will still have a bit of play in the spout and they can see the chrome is starting to peel away in a couple of places and sometimes it isn’t actually in their interest to have a repair - especially on a cheap tap.

Awful isn’t it.

I agree, but what is awful is that the previous tap was probably tat from the day it was installed. I have come to the conclusion that if the customer wants a tap that costs less than £50, the customer supplies it as otherwise we're back to square one in a very short space of time and it's something I supplied. Many of the cheap taps aren't even WRAS/KIWA/BSI.

Personally I would never choose a ceramic disc for my own house, though I accept that the good ones are very good, but that comes at a price. The advantage of rubber washered taps is that a rubber washer costs 25p, and that's usually all they need.

Have discovered over here that that the most respected local plumbers fit either Grohe or Grohe. They don't give customers other cheaper choices. Been doing a few overhauls in my father's house on 1973 Grohe taps and... internally they are like new. Even the valve seats don't all need regrinding. My grandmother certainly chose the cheapest option, in the long run!

 

[Murdoch]

Whatever happened to the old fashioned taps with washers you could easily change?

 

[Ben-gee]

I try and fit them on gravity systems, especially bungalows, the worst thing is always the hot at the kitchen sink. Although if they’ve gone and got a cheapo mono mixer from t’internet ive seen them drip rather than flow! I usually break out the aerator to give some improvement whilst I source a low pressure tap - they can’t believe the difference when next tap is installed- “the other plumber told them nothing could be done as there setup is old....”

 

[ALJ]

Good News! Following my last post, I decided to turn the water off (see prev post), remove the offending ceramic disc cartridge, and take a punt down at our local City Plumbing Supplies trade counter (subsidiary of Travis Perkins), armed with my trusty digital caliper. The Guy was very helpful and brought out a few possible replacements. After a few measurements we found an Iflo for Barcelona/Brasilia/Bilbao/Lode with the correct dimensions. £10.30 for the pair! Fitted perfectly. The only mod required was to find a fine thread screw in the lucky box for the tap handle, as the old one was a coarse thread. Thanks to all of you who posted.
ALJ