Leaking Bathroom Mixer Tap

[paulhelenwilko]

Found water on the floor of the motorhome today. Eventually traced it to the bottom of the bathroom mixer tap.


The drip seems to be coming from the bottom of the tap body. From the photo it looks like the blue pipe is perhaps lower than the red. ?

Anyone with any advice/experience, is it a new tap ?

Paul

 

[andyjanet]

Yes don’t buy a motorhome one,
Get a household tap about half the price and with metal fittings

 

[andyjanet]

Hapilife Traditional Kitchen Sink Tap Monobloc Single Lever Swivel Spout Mixer Chrome https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00T5PKNUS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PpTlDbHVRQHDP
Then go to plumb it to get connectors your hoses will fit onto,
Motorhome taps start at about £60

 

[maingate]

It is a microswitch activated one judging by the photo, so a domestic type will be no good.

Either an O ring has gone or it is frost damage from last Winter. You can repair it or buy a new complete tap. If you go for a new oone, look at Comet (Komet) taps. They are usually much cheaper than Reich etc.

 

[andyjanet]

Sorry missed the wires, you could always fit a domestic and a switch to activate the pump! Not pretty but reliable

 

[St3v3]

You have limescale evidence on the top of the tap that it is leaking from the swivel section. That could be running down to underneath. If you can dismantle the tap there will be 2 o-rings to replace.

Certainly easier to fit a new one.

 

[Tezza33]

You have to remove the tap and knock out a roll pin which secures the red and blue pipe fittings, there are O rings on them but I would fit new ones, they are only £1.75 each, a new cartridge is only £15 if you need it

Reich products at Caravan Accessory Shop

Scroll down the page there are two types, check yours first but I would think you need the ridged type

 

[Scampi30]

Sorry missed the wires, you could always fit a domestic and a switch to activate the pump! Not pretty but reliable

Not sure about this but surely pump should activate as soon it detects an open end(tap) or is there no pump fitted on the domestic system.

 

[St3v3]

Not sure about this but surely pump should activate as soon it detects an open end(tap) or is there no pump fitted on the domestic system.

Some systems use an ordinary pump and switches on the tap. Some use a pressure sensor that starts the pump when the pressure drops due to opening a tap.

 

[Scampi30]

In all my sailing years and now motorhoming I have never come across one of those although I knew they existed..

 

[paulhelenwilko]

Thanks for all the advice. Decided in the end to just buy new one. Highbridge had them in stock .

I've got to say that I have used Highbridge a couple of time recently and they have been spot on for spares unlike Travelworld and Brownhills who don't seem to value the importance of a good Spare Parts dept.

Paul

 

[bjh]

I had the same problem. Had several attempts at repairing it, but all failed. Went to a caravan spares place that kept lots of second hand stuff. Bought the Whale double tap block and reinforced the underside of the sink. Much more reliable and much easier to control. You can have just hot, just cold or a mix, far better. Had to remove the sink unit to do it, but well worth it.

 

[bobj808]

New tap is the best answer as you have done. My moho shower mixer tap started dripping - I took the faulty cartridge out and went to a plumbers merchant who was unable to help as there are so many different sized ones available. Same on the web - couldn't find an exact match. I just replaced the tap (was only £30) which involved a fair bit of double jointed spannering, but job done. Bob

 

[paulhelenwilko]

Finally got the tap replaced today. Highbridge delivered the part promptly but then it was a matter of getting it fitted.
Thought I would share what we found as it may help anyone else coming across similar......



The pictures show the old tap after removal. The hot and cold water pipes are connected to the barbed inlets and held by jubilee clip. When the tap is in position and secured the red and blue pipes with o ring are pushed up into the tap body and a plastic locking pin slides across to hold the pipes in place. When damaged (usually by frost) the plastic pin (as circled in red) snaps and one or both pipes can be pushed out from the body by gravity or water pressure.
A very temporary solution may have been to have pushed the pipe back into the body, may last long enough to see you thro' a weekend.

Paul

 

[Mick Jordan]

All that you have described is precisely why I never again will buy any "caravan/motorhome" tap ( whale, comet etc). plastic, flimsy, not fit for purpose - much better to have a pumped system and proper household type taps which some motorhome accessory dealers sell at reasonable prices - eg £29.99 per tap as opposed to nearly 3 times as much for a whale which will require much more maintenance/ earlier replacement. if you are self building fit proper stuff, you will have less hassle in the long run !