problem with grohe tap

[copperhead]

Hi there went to a customers today to link some pipework together turned of the main tap this feeds a out side tap a toilet cistern and a grohe 1\4 turn kittchen mixer with pull out shower head in a boot room.
turned stop tap back on when finished nothing would come out the mixer ether hot or cold.
tryed out side tap that works tryed cistern that works loosend compression fitting on fitted pipe work that had water in it with pressure loosend flexy to mono block thats got water with pressure.
now ive got customer asking me why there tap does not work i donot have a clue what is wronge with it all i did was turn of the stop tap i dont want to be fourking out £250 for a new grohe tap
A mate sead it could be the draw valve is this wright if so how do you fix it.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Cheers pete.

 

[turnpin]

was the tap defo working before work commenced? what about taking off spray head as you said it is a pull out type and trying that good luck turnpin

 

[copperhead]

Not sure if tap was working before i started as i had no reason to try it customer sead it was and i am inclined to belive them the shower part is the tap aswell i dont think it comes of if it did not sure why it would stop the tap working.

 

[turnpin]

suggest you go on grohe site identify tap ..post model back here also see if you can download installation/fault finding only seems to not be passing through mixer perhaps obstruction stuck in waterways of body
perhaps stuck in outlet to spray thats why suggest remove spray head regards turnpin

 

[copperhead]

Have found the tap on the web site it's a alira 32998sdo it allso says on the instalaition part that the hot and cold have to be balanced any ideas how this is done as it does not say.
cheers
pete.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

could mean a pressure equalising valve is needed.

 

[turnpin]

Nice tap re read your 1st post and noted that all you done was turn off stop tap combined with info stating equal pressures required try turning stop tap down a lot of these taps come supplied with non-reurn valves and if not fitted may push the cold [mains] back up hot[tank fed] try this and let us know how you get on regards turnpin

 

[copperhead]

Cheers for that ill give it a try next time im there and let you no.

 

[WHPES]

By balanced it means for example you can't have the cold off the high pressure mains and the hot from weak gravity.

Did you get it to work? I had a problem with one of these and found the fault to be a check valve.

 

[copperhead]

Hi no i havent managed to get it to work i tried turning the stop tap down all i could get out of it was a trickle of warm water your check valve problem seem's plausible how did you "sort this" is there a internal valve or should they be fitted on the inlet pipe's.
Cheers.
pete.
P.S The cold is now pumped spring fed it was pumped borehole and i think hot is gravity not 100% as have not had to do anything to the hot.

 

[WHPES]

My guess that the unbalanced pressure is the problem.


The non return valve is integral to the tap

Try the following:

1, make sure check valves are the right way round

2, reduce pressure by partially closing stopcock so hot and cold are flowing about the same rate (for testing only) and try the tap.

3, Connect both hot and cold to mains and see if it works. If this does not work then the tap is at fault.

Note on the specs - minimum recommended pressure is 1.0 bar so If the hot is not at 1 bar ( i.e. the header tank is about 10m above the tap) the tap is probably unsuitable (being designed for combi / unvented systems) however you may get away with putting a prv and flow limiter in the cold side to balance with the hot.

Most modern kitchen single valve mixer taps are designed to run on combi / unvented systems so be careful to check specs before purchasing in future!

 

[copperhead]

Thanks for that.
I didint fit the tap it was already there, All i have done is turn off the cold alter the pipe work so that two sinks and a refrigearation unit run of the spring one of those being the grohe tap. And a out side tap and toilet cistern run off the bore hole water. I have not seen any non return valves on the inlet pipes is this were they should be?

Just red your post again you said check valves not non return.
I have also tryed turning hot off and cold on and only a trickle came out. also have tryed cold of and hot on and just a trikle came out does the tap have to be exatly balanced with both for it to work dont understand why one or the other does not work could understand if one was pushing against the other i have never had this with a mixer before normaly just conect up hot,cold turn on tap away you go.

 

[WHPES]

If the tap was already in and working before I would look at the integral check valves. Check valve is the same as non-return valve.

 

[copperhead]

Thanks i will give it a go .