Can't remove shower mixer cartridge, any ideas?

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Mehrts

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#2925223 11-Jun-2022 12:13

I've just ordered an identical replacement from the UK for $57NZD including freight. It was the only place with anything in stock. Since the original was only leaking a little bit, I've put it back in for the time being.

This is definitely one of those times where you wish replacement parts were standardised across the entire range. Many seem close, but there are still so many outliers. Car parts are a classic example. Look at wheel bearings, there is a wild range of options available depending on make/model/year, even though only a handful of bearings could be used across the range to do the job.

Ah well, money has to be made somewhere I guess.

Technofreak

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#2925292 11-Jun-2022 17:15

Mehrts:

@insane

All surfaces were free of any deposits, and I ran some scotchbrite over the base just to make sure. There is no locknut at all with this particular design. The entire front chrome assembly screws onto the base and holds the cartridge in place. There is no "click" with any of the cartridges, they just slide in until they butt up against a shoulder within the front cap.

Since the holes in the base of the mixer were round, I thought the generic 40mm flat based cartridge would have worked, since all the holes are in the correct location too.

I went round a few plumbing suppliers this morning, and none of them recognised this cartridge, let alone had anything in stock. There's a UK website which can ship the exact same cartridge to NZ for ~50NZD inc freight. I think I might just do that to be honest.

Check out the pics of what I'm up against. The blue cartridge with the oval holes is the existing one that seems to be unobtanium. Brand: CICE, part number OP40FG (thanks google!).

Are you saying the one on the right wouldn't fit/work? Looking at it I'd have though it would. Sure the seals are a different shape but they look like they'd still seal where they need to, and the locating pins/lugs are in the same place relative to everything else.

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Mehrts

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#2925329 11-Jun-2022 18:10

@Technofreak it physically fit fine, and the seals lined up with the holes in the base.

However when I turned the water back on, it leaked horribly. The water seemed to flow out the front from the square piece where the handle attaches (weird I know).

I thought I'd bought a dud new cartridge, so went back to Bunnings and got another one but of a different brand (in case of a potential bad batch). Fitted second new cartridge and that was the exact same. Put the original one back in, and it was fine, albeit still dripping.

The only thing I can think of is that the oddball cartridge/mixer that I have is somehow different internally than the generic ones, but I have nothing to back up my claim. That's why in the end I just opted for getting an exact replacement from overseas because I cbf spending any more time on something which is usually so trivial.

This has turned out to be a bigger job than expected. I'm just glad I'm dealing with it now while it's a minor drip instead of a major leak!

Bung

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#2925361 11-Jun-2022 18:52

Was the height of the body the same? Would the chrome ring have pushed the cartridge down fully before bottoming on its thread?

Mehrts

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#2925366 11-Jun-2022 19:07

@Bung yep, all external dimensions were visibly the same. The cartridges all came to the same depth when mounted inside the chrome tube. I didn't worry about whipping out the verniers to measure accurately.

insane

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#2925379 11-Jun-2022 20:02

How annoying!

Only other thing I could think of is if the locating studs are longer on the replacements, and causing the seals to not fully compress/seat.

I guess going for the original in this case was the prudent choice given no one wants a water leak behind the gib. Had a plumber done this for you I imagine they'd have squeezed out half a tube of silicon, torqued it to 110% and run for the door.

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Mehrts

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#2925389 11-Jun-2022 20:24

I know some people turn their noses up at the idea of homeowners doing their own plumbing, but in this case it was (supposed to be) relatively simple.

If I had paid for a plumber to come in and deal with it, I really wonder what their angle of attack would have been with regard to finding a new cartridge. Or like insane said, just bog it up with silicone and make it someone else's problem!

In this case, all I've committed are a couple of my hours overall, some fuel which I was using anyway, a few bucks for a new part, and a lot of asking "why does it have to be like this?!".

Technofreak

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#2925399 11-Jun-2022 20:46

Mehrts:

@Technofreak it physically fit fine, and the seals lined up with the holes in the base.

However when I turned the water back on, it leaked horribly. The water seemed to flow out the front from the square piece where the handle attaches (weird I know).

I thought I'd bought a dud new cartridge, so went back to Bunnings and got another one but of a different brand (in case of a potential bad batch). Fitted second new cartridge and that was the exact same. Put the original one back in, and it was fine, albeit still dripping.

The only thing I can think of is that the oddball cartridge/mixer that I have is somehow different internally than the generic ones, but I have nothing to back up my claim. That's why in the end I just opted for getting an exact replacement from overseas because I cbf spending any more time on something which is usually so trivial.

This has turned out to be a bigger job than expected. I'm just glad I'm dealing with it now while it's a minor drip instead of a major leak!

Yep, agree 100%. You get to a point where going with the original is the best way. I'd have done exactly as you've done, plus I'd be wondering how a plumber would have solved it and as you said in your other post would they have bodged it somehow leaving a problem down the track. Sometimes doing it yourself gives peace of mind.

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lchiu7

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#2925408 11-Jun-2022 21:01

Mehrts:

I've just ordered an identical replacement from the UK for $57NZD including freight. It was the only place with anything in stock. Since the original was only leaking a little bit, I've put it back in for the time being.

This is definitely one of those times where you wish replacement parts were standardised across the entire range. Many seem close, but there are still so many outliers. Car parts are a classic example. Look at wheel bearings, there is a wild range of options available depending on make/model/year, even though only a handful of bearings could be used across the range to do the job.

Ah well, money has to be made somewhere I guess.

I just hope after all that effort you bought more than one :-)

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lchiu7

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#2925411 11-Jun-2022 21:03

Mehrts:

I know some people turn their noses up at the idea of homeowners doing their own plumbing, but in this case it was (supposed to be) relatively simple.

I consider changing washers a life skill, something I tried to show my son without success. Even showing him where the toby was something he didn't know before and wasn't interested in knowing 😀

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

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