Today, more and more people prefer single-lever mixers. These devices are necessarily present in the assortment of all known manufacturers presenting their products on the Russian market. Hot and cold water in such a mixer is mixed with a cartridge.
Single lever mixer is an easy to operate device with a modest, concise design. Turn on and off the water, change its pressure and temperature - all this can be done using only one handle. Single-lever mixers have a rather impressive lifespan - some manufacturers give a guarantee for their products for 5 years. But still, the mixers of this type need to be repaired quite often.
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What are single-lever mixers, mixer unit
All mixers of this type are similar outside, but have differences in the internal "filling". So, on sale there are single-lever mixers of two types: cartridge and ball. You can repair both kinds, but for this, of course, the devices need to be able to disassemble. And in order to disassemble and assemble the mixer, you need to at least theoretically familiarize yourself with its device.
cartridge mixer, mixer cartridge device
The name of these devices is due to the presence of a bulb cartridge, which is placed shut-off and water flow regulating mechanism. In expensive models of mixers, the cartridge for the mixer is made of ceramics, in cheap products it is usually plastic.
Cartridge mixer is good because it is very simple to repair. However, in order to set the necessary head of water, you need to practice a little, because the handle turns very easily. But to change the water temperature is very simple - one easy movement is enough.
The cartridge mixer device is quite simple.
Its components are:
• Switch with fixing screw.
• Lock nut.
• Cartridge. Mixes and blocks water.
• Mixer body, with a "landing" place for the cartridge.
• Gaskets, pins and nuts for securing and securing the device.
• Spill, or, as it is also called a "gander". Can be a separate part, for example, in rotary kitchen models, or be part of the body - for washing in the bathroom.
If the spout is a separate part, then the gaskets and an additional part of the shell are installed below.
Inside the cartridge there are several (usually not more than 4 pieces) discs of a special shape, made of ceramic or metal. The topmost disk is attached to the stock.
The position of the rod can be changed by sliding the plates relative to each other. This changes the amount of water that passes through the plates. Plates are ground very tightly - this is necessary to ensure the normal operation of the mixer. Because of this, cartridges do not like dirty water very much, since foreign particles, getting between plates, quickly lead them to disrepair - as a result, the cartridge will have to be repaired or replaced.
In order to avoid such trouble, some manufacturers supply the incoming pipes with water filters. However, it is best to install filters on the waterway route yourself, and to get, thus, purified water, which can be safely applied to all plumbing.
ball mixer, device
As the name implies, there must be a ball in the mixer design. And it really is so - with the help of a special ball with cavities inside the device water is mixed. The ball is made of metal, inside it is the floor. The outer part is completely smooth, perfectly polished. The ball has three holes - two for cold and hot water, one for mixed water.
To the ball is attached the rod, which at one end goes into the handle. With the help of the rod fixed in the handle of the mixer, the water head and its temperature are regulated.
Manipulating the ball mixer is a bit simpler than the cartridge mixer - all components are well matched to each other, the handle moves easily and smoothly.
A ball mixer is not as demanding for tap water as its cartridge analogue, but it does not react well to "hard" water and excess iron. It is recommended to install a filter for normal operation and increase the life of the device.
Repair of single-lever mixer cartridge
In most cases, under the repair of a single lever mixer with a cartridge, it means disassembling and cleaning the O-rings. Rubber rings are constantly accumulating salt and debris is deposited - this is the main reason for the breakdown of the mixer cartridge. Because of the deposits, leakage is broken and the tap starts to leak. To eliminate the leak, the mixer must be disassembled, the parts cleaned of dirt (can be washed with a warm solution of laundry soap), rinsed, dried, collected and replaced.
Before disassembling the single-lever cartridge mixer, shut off the water supply. The procedure is as follows:
We remove the decorative plug located on the handle of the mixer - you can just pick it up with a flat screwdriver. Behind the plug you will find a small fixing screw, which is unscrewed with a hex wrench (sometimes you need a flat screwdriver). The screw must be pulled out, then gently pull up the mixer lever.
The body is freely installed, or the decorative washer is screwed. It must be removed, then unscrew the nut that presses the mixer to the sink. Nut of a large diameter - you will need a wrench or a suitable carob.
We take out the cartridge, carefully inspect it and remember the order of the arrangement of the gaskets, fasteners and studs. Remember to be as accurate as possible, it's better to take a picture of the part on the phone, because sometimes it matters even what side the parts are laid.
This is the process of disassembly can be considered finished. The mixer contains very few details, the main one of which is a cartridge, inside of which water is mixed.
The cartridge has a so-called rubber saddle in the lower part - essentially a normal rubber gasket for airtightness, which eventually loses its elasticity, and water begins to ooze out from under the mixer. If the problem is precisely this, then the ring must be gently cleaned of accumulated salts and deposits. Clean the part in place and check it in operation. If the mixer continues to leak, you will have to completely replace the cartridge.
Cartridges have a different diameter, in addition, they differ in the location of the water inlets / outlets at the bottom. Therefore, if the cartridge needs to be replaced, we remove it from the mixer, and take it with us for presentation in the store. You need to buy exactly the same detail, without any differences. The new cartridge is installed in place in the body of the mixer, and rotate it with a little effort until it "sits down." After that, assemble the mixer in the reverse order:
Install the clamping nut, after which you can check the operation of the cartridge. Then turn on the water, adjust its head and temperature with the help of a rod. For convenience, the handle of the mixer can be put on the rod. If the unit works as it should, we collect it and enjoy the result.
Disassembly and repair of single-lever ball valve
This type of mixer was invented more than 40 years ago, and since then its design has not undergone significant changes. It is simple and reliable - to break, in fact, there is nothing.
If problems arise, they are associated with poor quality water - salts and dirt collect on the surface of rubber saddles, serving as supports for the ball. The tightness is disturbed, the water starts to ooze, the mixer leaks.
Some models of ball mixers also contain a cartridge in the design, only the inside is not a plate, but a ball. The process of disassembly and repair of the cartridge mixer is described in detail above - the difference is only in the device of the cartridge itself.
In other models, the lock ball is in a special rubber nest. In this case there are some nuances:
Actually, the lever of the mixer is removed exactly as described above - the cap is unsealed, the fixing screw is loosened, then the lever should be pulled up and removed. Further manipulations are quite simple:
Unscrew the clamping nut. Remove the nut and the washer under it. After that, access to the ball is opened, which is very easy to get by pulling the rod. On the ball there are two saddles with springs - for a more dense fit of rubber bands to the ball.
This disassembly is over, you can start repairing.
The problem is most often the accumulation of deposits in the place where the ball is adjacent to the saddle. All the dirt is carefully removed. We check the springs - they can also be contaminated, in addition, the springs can in time become weaker and lose their elasticity.
Another reason for the malfunction is the ball itself. Ideally, it should be made of "stainless steel", and it should only be cleaned of deposits. In fact, manufacturers often save, making balls of plastic and low-quality metal. In this case, the surface may begin to rust and peel off. Of course, such a detail will not work normally, and it needs to be changed. The failed ball must be taken to the store with it and the identical part is picked up.
We mix the mixer strictly in the reverse order: we install the springs in the saddle, the saddle in its place, the ball on top, etc. When assembling the mixer, all parts must be carefully centered, as the misalignment leads to rapid wear and the formation of a leak.
A separate point should be mentioned the repair of a single-lever mixer with a swivel spout, which is often installed in kitchens or in the bathroom, since the mixers of this type are very convenient, although they often give a leak. In this case, the locking mechanism is not to blame, leakage is caused by leaky gaskets or dried lubricant.
In this case, the rotary mixer must be disassembled as described above, then remove the spout by gently pulling it upward. Remove all old gaskets. If they are tightly "attached", scrape them off the surface with a screwdriver or a knife, since they still need to be replaced. In the store we select new gaskets, guided by the old seals removed from the mixer. Gaskets should be made of silicone, which has good elasticity, retains its properties for a long time and is well resistant to water.
New gaskets before installation are lubricated with a special sanitary lubricant on a silicone base. When installing the spout in its place, it must be crushed, so that the part is snugly attached to the union nut on the body. After that, we collect the remaining parts in the reverse order.
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