Subtleties of replacing the cartridge in the mixer

Each supermarket has a plumbing department that sells faucets and related kitchen and bathroom fittings. Particular attention is drawn to lever mixers, varied in shape and elegance. Under the sparkling surfaces of the external parts of the mixer, the internal ones are hidden, which bear the main functional load.

The ancient Greek mathematician and mechanic Heron invented a mixer that looks completely different from modern taps, but differs little from them in functional actions. The ancient Roman story of mixer taps says that the taps of the Roman inventors repeated the principles of Heron in action, but were more comfortable. In the Middle Ages, there was no question of taps, personal hygiene was at a low level, which is why the spread of epidemics led to millions of deaths in Europe. Then I had to remember about sanitation, water and, of course, about taps.

Since taps for supplying water for personal needs were available only to wealthy people, the main attention in the manufacture was paid to their appearance. At the end of the 18th century, the Englishman Joseph Bram created a new mixer with 3 taps: the first supplied hot water, the second - cold, the third - mixed. Such taps existed until the early twentieth century, when William Thomson improved Brahm's ideas to a two-valve tap.

In the recent past, most mixers were operated by cranes. Although they have not disappeared, and often revived in a luxurious retro style, lever mixers, easy to operate and quickly changing the flow modes and water temperature, have firmly taken their positions in mass consumption. The main element that carries the main functional load is the cartridge that mixes and supplies water. It is controlled by light movements of the lever, which ensures the desired temperature and water supply.

The features of the cartridges are associated with their design, this is especially noticeable on the mechanism for mixing water. In a ball cartridge, the movement of water is defined by a hollow metal ball with a regular rounded surface and several holes. The coincidence of the holes of the ball with the holes of the cartridge socket makes it possible for water to escape at different temperatures. The device is original, but a harmful plaque quickly forms on the surface of the ball. This and other disadvantages have led to a reduction in their use and production.

In a single-lever mixer with a plate cartridge, the control element is a movable sintered plate with holes, which fits snugly onto another plate attached to the bottom of the cartridge. When the lever is turned up or down, the water supply is regulated using the plates; when the lever is turned left-right, the plates open access for hot or cold water. It is not advised to disassemble the cartridges, and in case of need for repair, you just need to replace the faulty cartridge with a new one.

In addition to the single-lever cartridge, no other types have yet been created for modern mixers. The cartridge system can be spherical, plate, with ceramic or plastic elements. In a single-lever mixer, the elements may be similar, but differ in the size of the seats. Mixers can also differ depending on the place of use.If the length and shape of the lever does not matter for a simple faucet mixer, then when installing a lever shower mixer, these data can affect the state of comfort. This is especially true of the size of the shower cabin of the budget option.

Of course, ceramic cartridge plates last much longer, but they can also cause poor performance of the mixer, or even complete failure. It is impossible to repair cartridges - you need to know how to change them.

There are several external manifestations of a cartridge malfunction:

• there is no mixing of hot and cold water: at the outlet - only one of them;
• there is no water supply at all in any position of the tap lever;
• the outlet water temperature is not fixed, it changes frequently;
• the tap does not fully supply water;
• after opening the tap, the water from the mixer cannot be turned off;
• water constantly seeps out from under the lever;
• turning the lever can only be done with considerable effort.

The operation and condition of the mixer is largely influenced by the insoluble particles of rust, lime, sand and other impurities in the water. The use of various filters for water purification extends the service life of the cartridge, and hence the mixer as a whole.

The cartridge mixer not only wears out, but sometimes breaks due to a number of reasons:

• low-quality materials were used in the manufacture of production;
• frequent sharp or shock impacts on the mixer arm;
• water hammer in the system;
• poor water quality;
• bad filters or lack of them.

As you can see, there is no need to count on the eternal operation of mixing and water supply devices, especially cartridges, and the time will come when the old cartridge will have to be taken out and replaced with a new one. For repairs, you can invite experienced plumbers, but if you have the necessary skills and desire, you can carry out these works yourself.

When replacing a cartridge, you will need the following set of tools:

• screwdrivers for different sizes;
• adjustable wrench;
• pipe wrench;
• pliers;

• Allen key (small, for locking screw)
• clean rags;
• liquid WD-40.

The purchased new cartridge may not fit in the seats and sizes, so the best option would be to bring the removed old unit to the store and use it to buy a new one. The condition for such an exchange should be the presence of other working water sources that compensate for the absence of the cartridge to be replaced. Dismantling a faulty cartridge is done without much difficulty - you need to take a few simple steps yourself.

The work should be started by removing the plastic decorative cap (blue / red) by simply prying it off with a flat screwdriver. There is a small locking screw deep in the hole that opens. You need to make sure what kind of head it has, and prepare the appropriate screwdriver or hex key. It is not necessary to completely unscrew the screw - just loosen it a little. Then lift up and remove the mixer lever. If difficult, spray with WD-40 liquid or hot water. The heat will expand the metal and remove the lever. Unscrew the spherical nut manually. There can be seizures here too, so liquid or hot water can be used again. It is necessary to remove the part carefully, without applying great physical effort: the nut is fragile and can break.Then, using an adjustable wrench or a suitable tool, unscrew the clamping nut and remove the cartridge from its socket.

We clean the landing site of the cartridge from deposits, dirt, rust, sand. The cleaning operation must be approached seriously and carefully: if even small particles remain, then the cartridge will not fit tightly into place even if the landing marks coincide. After that, we install the purchased new cartridge into a carefully prepared seat. Once again we check the coincidence of the protrusions on the cartridge with the grooves in the mixer socket and after planting we tighten the clamping nut tightly enough, but without great effort. Then we screw the spherical nut by hand, put the lever on the cartridge shank and screw the locking screw loosely.

We turn on the water, check the work in all modes. In the event of a leak, we disassemble the unit in a known order and eliminate the malfunction. The locking screw can now be screwed in more tightly and the access hole can be closed with a decorative plastic plug (blue / red). Replacement of cartridges in a similar way is carried out in any place of installation of mixers: these units are practically the same in design and principles of installation and dismantling. The differences between the mixers are mainly in their external design.

It's another matter when the mixer is of a more complex design: with temperature controller, motion sensor or sensors. It is better to entrust the work of replacing parts in such devices to experienced specialists.

The demand for good mixers is constantly high, which is why the number of manufacturers is growing as well.

Competition has identified several brands that stand out for quality, reliability, design, and longevity of uptime:

• Hansgrohe - traditionally high quality and delicate style from Germany;
• Jacob Delafon - represents renowned French sophistication and high quality standards;
• Ideal Standard is a well-known company with a wide selection of different mixers;

• Roca is a successful manufacturer of sanitary ware with a special style and reliability;
• Teka - modern mixers for different tastes;
• Vidima - attractive design and convenient price;

• Lemark is a popular brand from the Czech Republic with a long history;
• LCA - harmony of price and quality from Russia;
• Blanco Daras, Frap, Oras, Am-Pm.

After replacing the cartridge and checking the faucet, you may find that it still leaks in the bathroom. In these cases, you will have to carefully disassemble the structure in the order presented above, pull out the cartridge and carefully check all contact surfaces: maybe there are particles of sand, dirt, layers that did not appear after the first tests, and then fell on the ground in places. Another possible reason is an inaccurate fit of the cartridge in the mixer socket or insufficient clamping with a nut. With such a nut, you can also ruin the unit with an excessively large downforce.

During the operation of the mixer, shock effects on the crane lever must be avoided. - all movements must be smooth. Strong pressure must be avoided in the end positions of the lever. When connecting the mixer to the water supply network, it is necessary to check the correspondence of the hot and cold water indicators on the plastic plug with the supplied pipelines. Of course, it is better to change the position of the plug than to connect the tubes.

How to replace the mixer cartridge, see the next video.