# Ceramic Disc Cartridge Failure



## storage_man (Mar 13, 2009)

First the problem.  I have a new faucet that is 1.2 years old and has gone thru 4 ceramic disc cartridges.  

Some Background.  About 1.5 years ago, I planned executed a Major Master Bath re-model.   Part of the re-model was massive relocation of plumbing.  I decided that I would contract the pluming out to a lic plummer.  As part of this project we picked out a series of Danze fixtures for the Shower, Tub and Vanity.  The Vanity fixture is a Model D222658 designed for a Vessel sink.  This is the faucet that is causing the problem.  

Danze has been very good at supplying new cartridges,  but I'm getting tired of R&R'ing them.  After a replacement, it works fine for about 3-4 months.   Then you will notice a drip in the sink.  Now the sink is black, so the drips are very noticeable.  If I do nothing, the drip gets worse and worse.  

Also, when the dripping starts, if you use the faucet, you hear air in the lines, like the cartridge is allowing air into the line.  

Two other points - The house is a 2 story building and this faucet is the "Highest" one in the house.  The other point is the vanity is 36" tall.  When installing the faucet, the lines that came with it would not reach the stub's in the wall.  We had to use extensions (actually they are way to long) and have to be coiled under the sink.

I hope somebody has an idea, since I have lived in this house for over 20 years and at best only replaced 2 cartridges over that time.

Thx


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## CraigFL (Mar 14, 2009)

I think it's something in the faucet itself. In order to prove it, I would replace the faucet, wait the 4 months and see if the new one starts leaking too.


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## storage_man (Mar 14, 2009)

I've been trying to get them to commit for a new faucet, but so far all they only want to send replacement cartridges.


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## pintopony (Mar 15, 2009)

Do you have capped off extensions that extend above the supply lines?  If not, you should since that is the highest point in your plumbing.


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## pintopony (Mar 15, 2009)

Do you have extensions in the supply line that go above the sink?  If not you should since that appears to be the highest point in your system.  It sounds similar to a water hammer problem that could be altered by the coiled lines under the sink.


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## storage_man (Mar 15, 2009)

pintopony said:


> Do you have capped off extensions that extend above the supply lines?  If not, you should since that is the highest point in your plumbing.



I assume your talking about something like this ->







Would this cause my problem if I didn't have this ?


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## Redwood (Apr 14, 2009)

Okay, lets not even talk about the air chambers and recharging them.
They are useless and a waste of time.

If you are going to do something with them install hammer arrestors, They have a piston in them that prevents loss of the air charge. This means they work!

Still it is not your problem.

Get a lazy hand pressure gauge that screws on a hose bibb and set it up for 24 hours and the lazy hand will record the highest pressure reached. Post back with your highest pressure reached.


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## storage_man (Apr 18, 2009)

Redwood said:


> Okay, lets not even talk about the air chambers and recharging them.
> They are useless and a waste of time.
> 
> If you are going to do something with them install hammer arrestors, They have a piston in them that prevents loss of the air charge. This means they work!
> ...




Redwood

Thanks for the post.  I couldn't fine one of these gages locally, so I ordered one.  It should be in next week.   What are we looking for ?

I also want to update. I decided to buy ( a replacement cartridge from the mfg), bu a new one in a package.   I installed it and withing 2 days it started dripping again.  But I have found something new, If I switch the handle to the hot side, It doesn't leak ?  If I leave it on the cold side, within 24 hrs, it starts dripping again ?

I'll post the numbers as soon as I get the gage.


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## Redwood (Apr 18, 2009)

With the pressure gauge you are looking for a recorded pressure over 80 psi...
That would be cause for concern...

The handle may have something to do with it.
Check the stops on the handle for flashing or burrs that may stop it short of closing completely.

I'm not a fan of Danze, Pegasus, Glacier Bay, and a few other junk brands...


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## storage_man (Apr 19, 2009)

Redwood

I've done the handle check - I even ran the faucet without the handle
for a couple of weeks.  Nothing changed.

I'll let you know about the pressure test in a couple of days.


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## storage_man (Apr 24, 2009)

Update.

With the Lazy Hand gage installed, Normal pressure seems to be right around 65psi.  I have watched it drop to 55psi, when someone is taking a shower or washing clothes.  The peak pressure (After 24 hours) is 76psi.  Thats pretty close to your  80psi.  

Redwood - what do you think ?


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## Redwood (Apr 25, 2009)

You are okay on the pressure.


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## storage_man (Apr 28, 2009)

So after 3 weeks of always returning the handle on the faucet to the hot side and having 3 weeks of no drips, Yesterday there were around 6 drips in the catch pan that I place in the sink to log any dripping.  

Every day during this time period, when switching on the cold water, there would be air in the line.  So I switched on the hot water, and guess what, there was air in there also.  So I ran both cold & hot and shut it off with the valve in the hot position.  

This morning I checked the catch pan, it was dry ??????? Wierd


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## storage_man (May 15, 2009)

A new twist.  Now the Shower is also dripping.  Not all of the time.  Once you take a shower and turn off the water, the head drips a bit and stops.  About 3 min's go by and you hear a whoosh as water is released from the shower head.  Then it stops and doesn't do it anymore until the next shower.  The sink now drips off and on 24hrs a day no matter where I leave the valve handle.  I'm about ready to get the shot gun out.  LOL.


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