Dripping Kitchen Monobloc Tap

[niall Y]

I thought that somehow ceramic taps were meant to be an improvement on those with rubber or fibre washers, but I've yet to be convinced of this . The previous time our kitchen tap was dripping I sent off for a couple of replacement cartridges, only to find they were marginally too short, and the tap heads would not go back on. In frustration over finding the correct ones, I gave up and fitted a new tap.

Well this new tap has been dripping recently, so, bearing in mind my previous experience, I did some careful measuring but wasn't able to find anything that exactly matched the size. As the tap had come from Screwfix my partner managed to track down the spare cartridges recommended. Which earlier today I fitted. And, guess what? they are marginally too long. On the plus side , however the tap has stopped dripping.

There really does need to be a bit more standardisation of the sizes and some restriction of the plethora of cartridges available. Giving the cartridges universal serial numbers that all the manufacturers can get behind would be a help. So would all manufacturers saying which cartridges fit their taps

 

[Spectric]

I thought that somehow ceramic taps were meant to be an improvement on those with rubber or fibre washers

Who told you that, the simple screw down valve with a rubber washer costing pennies is always going to be superior to a ceramic cartridge. Why a ceramic cartridge in the first place, probably fashion and the simple 1/4 turn movement looked more appealing in "designer" bathrooms and kitchens.

Rubber tap washers are fairly standard, bath or sink and no tools needed to change unlike some ceramic cartridges and we all know about getting a standard in anything. Also avoid cheaper unbranded or lesser known manufacturers, use manufacturers who have been around a while like Bristan, Hansgrohe, Crosswater or Burlington but with simple screwdown tap this is not really a problem but one metric of quality is weight.

 

[J-G]

I'm just in the throws of a kitchen refurb due to a dripping ceramic tap that's been in place for about 10/12 years.

Selecting what I considered a 'better' product I now have a Crosswater with spray head. Reading this post prompted me to see what cartridge I might need further down the line - - - somewhat surprised to see that from just this one company there are over 20 different cartridges, ranging in price from £5.70 to £148.20 !!!

Although I have a specific reference for the Tap model, I still can't work out which cartridge I would need. It seems that the Tap model reference has no correlation to the Cartridge model reference. ???

Hopefully I won't need one for some considerable time

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My shower needed a cartridge. I replaced the shower for a third of the cost of the cartridge.

 

[okeydokey]

https://www.tapmagician.co.uk/WebPages/Range000.html

Super helpful and good products ---- I have no connection with this firm other than having bought some cartridges from them in the past

 

[okeydokey]

I'm just in the throws of a kitchen refurb due to a dripping ceramic tap that's been in place for about 10/12 years.

Selecting what I considered a 'better' product I now have a Crosswater with spray head. Reading this post prompted me to see what cartridge I might need further down the line - - - somewhat surprised to see that from just this one company there are over 20 different cartridges, ranging in price from £5.70 to £148.20 !!!

Although I have a specific reference for the Tap model, I still can't work out which cartridge I would need. It seems that the Tap model reference has no correlation to the Cartridge model reference. ???

Hopefully I won't need one for some considerable time

Ask them!

 

[pe2dave]

Ceramic discs? Take apart, wipe clean, smear of vaseline, good for another year or two.
Here, it is a bit of limescale that gets between the discs.

 

[J-G]

Ask them!

As it happens I've now checked the site of another spares supplier and they are much more specific when presented with the tap reference. I now do know that the replacements are MB1023 and currently cost £14.

This doesn't detract from the point that @niall Y is making (and I'm endorsing), that there is little to no standardisation in this industry - which leads to complexity and excessive costs.

 

[Distinterior]

Ceramic Disc taps generally have a good lifespan.......As long as they have been fitted correctly( pipework flushed through before final connection)
Ideally, in-line mesh filters are placed in the feed pipework and this helps to prevent foreign material entering the body of the tap and scratching the discs.

The majority of the taps that I fit as part of my business, are ceramic disc and they come with the mesh filters in the tap box....!
The picture below shows an example of the mesh filters I'm referring to with one inserted into a 1/2" x 15mm Male connector.

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

As it happens I've now checked the site of another spares supplier and they are much more specific when presented with the tap reference. I now do know that the replacements are MB1023 and currently cost £14.

Buy a couple NOW while you can remember who to get them from and which ones they are.

 

[niall Y]

Prompted by @pe2dave , perhaps the way to go is to buy a ceramic valve kit, and just change the gubbins inside the cartridges. It is certainly a lot cheaper.

 

[niall Y]

... or maybe not. Have just discovered, whilst undoing some old cartridges, that the back of the larger ceramic disc - where it mates with the spindle - can have a different profile.