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  • Identify your ceramic cartridge & save money
  • 7 steps

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Introduction

Taps with seperate hold and cold handles account for approx 80% of all UK taps with approx. 15% of UK taps still using rubber washers. The rest use ceramic disc cartridges, of which there are currently around 4000 variations, and yours could literally be any of those 4000! It’s this kinda lottery that is behind why most plumbers advise you to throw out your tap and install new.

This guide takes you through how to accurately identify yours so you can track down replacements rather than waste, time, money & precious Earthy resources needlessly replacing something that can easily be repaired.

What you need

Step 1

              Isolate
  • Turn OFF hot and cold supplies.
  • Open lowest and highest taps to drain the whole system down.

Turn OFF hot and cold supplies.

Open lowest and highest taps to drain the whole system down.

1024

Step 2

              Getting to it
  • Remove the tap head. Often held on with a hidden grub screw or with a screw under the indices (thing that’s coloured blue or red or says hot or cold) on the handle at the end.
  • Remove the ‘shroud’. Some pull off, some screw off, some need ‘persuading’ off!

Remove the tap head. Often held on with a hidden grub screw or with a screw under the indices (thing that’s coloured blue or red or says hot or cold) on the handle at the end.

Remove the ‘shroud’. Some pull off, some screw off, some need ‘persuading’ off!

Step 3

              Removing the cartridge
  • Hold the tap body tight. You really do not want it to move because if it does it may cause the pipework connection underneath to leak.
  • The rule of thumb is that if your tap is connected via flexible pipes then it’s less problematic if the tap body moves a tiny bit. If it’s connected to solid pipes however, it’s vital it does not move.
  • Remove the cartridge using a 17mm ring spanner. Often cartridges are put in very tightly indeed & using an adjustable wrench or the open ended spanner will not give enough purchase to break it free. Fact is, if you do all that happens is that you ruin the hex completely & can’t then get it out. Short sharp shocks work well.

Hold the tap body tight. You really do not want it to move because if it does it may cause the pipework connection underneath to leak.

The rule of thumb is that if your tap is connected via flexible pipes then it’s less problematic if the tap body moves a tiny bit. If it’s connected to solid pipes however, it’s vital it does not move.

Remove the cartridge using a 17mm ring spanner. Often cartridges are put in very tightly indeed & using an adjustable wrench or the open ended spanner will not give enough purchase to break it free. Fact is, if you do all that happens is that you ruin the hex completely & can’t then get it out. Short sharp shocks work well.

Step 4

              Measurement
  • To get an exact replacement you’ll need the following dimensions:
  • A - Number of splines (best way to get those is to take a clear image of the end of the spindle on your phone and then blow it up so you can count half of them and then just double the number. WRITE IT DOWN!
  • B - The spline diameter is vital. If you don’t have a vernier gauge then wrap thread around it 10 times & cut the ends so they meet. Lay thread out straight (not stretched) & tape ends down. Measure its length & divide by 10 for spline dia. Typical are 7.6, 7.8, 8.0 etc. Don’t be put off by what apparently odd numbers. WRITE IT DOWN!

To get an exact replacement you’ll need the following dimensions:

A - Number of splines (best way to get those is to take a clear image of the end of the spindle on your phone and then blow it up so you can count half of them and then just double the number. WRITE IT DOWN!

B - The spline diameter is vital. If you don’t have a vernier gauge then wrap thread around it 10 times & cut the ends so they meet. Lay thread out straight (not stretched) & tape ends down. Measure its length & divide by 10 for spline dia. Typical are 7.6, 7.8, 8.0 etc. Don’t be put off by what apparently odd numbers. WRITE IT DOWN!

Step 5

  • C - Measure length of splines. WRITE IT DOWN!
  • D - Measure from top of splined shaft to underside of shoulder. WRITE IT DOWN!
  • E - Does the ‘shroud’ screw on? WRITE IT DOWN !
  • F - Measure from underside of ‘shoulder’ to end of metalwork. WRITE IT DOWN!
  • G - What size is your cartridge? 3/4" measures approx. 25mm across its base. 1/2" measures approx. 18mm across its base. WRITE IT DOWN!

C - Measure length of splines. WRITE IT DOWN!

D - Measure from top of splined shaft to underside of shoulder. WRITE IT DOWN!

E - Does the ‘shroud’ screw on? WRITE IT DOWN !

F - Measure from underside of ‘shoulder’ to end of metalwork. WRITE IT DOWN!

G - What size is your cartridge? 3/4" measures approx. 25mm across its base. 1/2" measures approx. 18mm across its base. WRITE IT DOWN!

Step 6

  • With the measurements you now have, source some spare cartridges. There are a range of suppliers but all are on-line. To be honest, the chance of finding the correct size at a plumber’s merchant is very slim simply because there are so very many.

With the measurements you now have, source some spare cartridges. There are a range of suppliers but all are on-line. To be honest, the chance of finding the correct size at a plumber’s merchant is very slim simply because there are so very many.

Step 7

  • Measure from underside of ‘shoulder’ to end of metalwork

Measure from underside of ‘shoulder’ to end of metalwork

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    David Newton

Member since: 11/11/2020

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