AboutCortez (cort) Cate Expertise I can answer most questions related to residential and commercial plumbing for buildings up to ten-stories in height. I have excellent knowledge of the UPC, Uniform Plumbing Code and UMC, Uniform Mechanical Code. In the event there is a question I am not sure of I will at least let you know what I think and try to give you realistic options. Some problems are unique and may not have a simple answer. In those cases I will try to give you all the variables I know of.
Experience Since 1972 a California licensed B-1 General Building Contractor, C-36 Plumbing and C-16 Fire Sprinkler Contractor; also installing and servicing Heating, Air Conditioning and Sheet Metal operating as C and C Building and Plumbing, California State License 279516. In 1995 I downsized the company to become semi-retired. Still I remain active in the construction industry.
As head of a company I placed personnel and job safety as the number one objective followed closely by training and continuing education. Always seeking to stay informed of leading edge technology in the industry.
Also I have spent several years as an Apprenticeship Instructor in the Pipe Trades Unions.
Additionally I am a certified OSHA instructor.
Question I need to replace the cartridge in my mixer tap. Unfortunately, when I attempted to remove the nut the whole cartridge has started to spin round freely. As there is only room to get a 10mil socket in the hole how on earth do I remove the nut?
Answer 8/19/2008 9:59:02 AM
I can only guess at what you are referring to by “mixer tap” so I will guess that you are talking about a tub and shower valve or similar type valve. It sounds like you may not have removed the escutcheon flange (this is the large flange about six-inches in diameter)? Usually the steps are in this order.
1. Remove the handle (usually held on by a screw beneath a pry-off plastic or metal button in the center of the handle BUT could be a set screw visible externally on the underside of the handle… (The latter would usually be a metal handle-lever-type---- while the screw and button would usually be a plastic handle-knob-type).
2. Next you remove the escutcheon flange (and again my best guess from what you have said is that your flange has a set screw holding it in place and most likely it just slips over the nut and cover tube you are turning). When this flange is removed you will see the brass body of the valve and the lines that connect to it. Anytime you cannot see the brass body of the valve and the connecting lines inside the wall or whatever space the valve and lines may be contained in you need to remove the escutcheon flange.
3. NOW, and just to remind you I am still guessing because you did not give me much information, I think the nut you may have been turning is part of a tube about 1-inch in diameter or a little larger and it is the tube that retains the cartridge in the valve body and if you have not turned the water off you are about to get drenched if you try to remove that cover tube before turning the water to the house off. If this is a cartridge type valve then there will be something similar to what I have described (cover tube and nut sometimes these [cover tube and nut are one-piece but sometimes they are two-pieces]). At any rate once you see the valve body and connecting lines you should be able to determine how to remove the cartridge or stem(s). STILL even when you remove the retaining devices some cartridges are very difficult to extract and some require the use of special tools to remove them from the valve body. Most, however will come out with a little extraction force and sometimes you may need to reattach the handle to get enough leverage to pull the cartridge out of the body.
Good Luck, cort
