Leaking Tap - how do I access the innards or remove it?

I think you may have simply got the wrong replacement cartridge Wildebus, there are lots of different types and sizes.
Now I do think I got the right size cartridge, but your post did make me think on. These cartridges vary in price a lot as well as type and size, and when something is pretty cheap (and mine were under £4 each), manufacturing quality and tolerances can be a bit hit and miss sometimes?

The two of them look the same size and they both drop into the tap body nice and tightly (more on that in a minute ...)
IMG_20220501_100214_2.jpg

Looking at the underneath there is a difference
IMG_20220501_100252_5.jpg
But this is more of a "style" thing then an operational one I think, as the new one (left with three separate seals) fits over the 3 holes in the tap just fine as far as I can tell.
But there are two key differences now - which I think is down to age and tolerances.
1) AGE: the old cartridge seal hardly protrudes over the body. I think it has become so compressed over time it has lost its sealing effectiveness and so allowing the leakage. This photo shows the difference.
IMG_20220501_100402_4.jpg

2: TOLERANCE: The new Cartridge was hard to push down into place. The two little lugs that keep it in place (they don't do anything else but stop it turning I believe) appear to be the same size as the old one but I think they must be minisculey larger and just large enough that they don't allow the Cartridge to sit down properly all the way and the seals to work. (weirdsly, in the photos, the old Cartridge lugs actually look larger than the new ones and this is a cartridge that was not adapted.)
I push it down hard, then tightened the nut down and the leaking was reduced but still present. So this morning, I thought "ok maybe the Cartridge is the RIGHT size, but the WRONG quality?"
So I took it out, got to work with some fine files and carefully reduced them in diameter (being very careful not to be filing the blue seals in the process!).
DId this, refitted the Cartridge, which didn't go in much more easily but about the same as the old one (so the right level of reduction maybe?), reassembled the tap and turned on ...


No Leaks! I was getting a leak before within 1 second of turning on the tap on either hot or cold. Now I am Leak-free whilst I left the tap running until I got the "0% Level" warning buzzer from the control panel, so that is good.

Problem was essentially I was maybe too penny-pinching with choosing a replacement Cartridge? selected one that was the cheapest right size one with a next-day delivery. Maybe a 'proper' branded one might be better (or could be from exactly the same factory as the cheap one?)
The perild of buying unseeen, but if I saw the one I got in a "Caravan Spares shop" it would have looked to be fine anyway. It was only on fitment that the problem was evident.

(and this came a few days after another leak was fixed with my fuel filter pouring out diesel - but that was nothing to do with me this time!).
 
Brilliant and well done Wildebus, great thinking research and fixing. I always make a point of not buying the cheapest on the basis of.........'you likely get what you pay for' and knowing how easily manufacturers can cut corners. You can see the ones I bought off eBay were by no means the cheapest neither the dearest. I was as lucky as you can get I guess but I always spend a while researching the feedback. I guess the same applies to electronic stuff too, I bought a Victron controller on folks recommendations (likely yours too Wildebus) but there are loads of cheaper ones.

Pete
 
Thanks for posting this.
Followed this video and got to the innards straightaway.
Ordered a replacement cartridge as it does look like it is leaking and letting water out the top. Got to be worth a shot before swapping out a complete tap at around £8 for a pair including next day delivery.
got mine from screwfix £4.50
 
Many thanks all. FWIW, we're out in the van right now. When we got to our campsite, we noticed there was a little water over the washroom floor and thought the toilet might be leaking until Jan noticed a little drip coming from beneath the handle of the sink tap. So it seems that this is a common issue but easily fixed?
 
Many thanks all. FWIW, we're out in the van right now. When we got to our campsite, we noticed there was a little water over the washroom floor and thought the toilet might be leaking until Jan noticed a little drip coming from beneath the handle of the sink tap. So it seems that this is a common issue but easily fixed?
If the cartridge fits! :)

The video that was linked to was perfect for me, but out of interest and may be applicable to some situations, I also later saw a video on the same subject from my old mate Chez, who has the UltimateHandyman channel, and he had a bit of a battle doing the job due to the high level of scale on the tap (his was a bathroom tap in his house). So if you find the handle won't release off the fitting, check out his video as well for tips to deal with that scenario.
 
when i had a problem with mine i bought a new tap from magnum motorhomes about £50
job sorted
 
I must have fell lucky. Bought one online and it plopped right in and worked.
Think it was from a site like coastline campers or leisure lake.
Moving away from sites like eBay/Amazon seem to be cheap and nasty.
Some shops like coastline and leisure lake have eBay shops, so I will check eBay seller and if I see it's one I deal with I will buy as it means I don't have to set up account to buy something and 9 times out of 10 postage is included, plus I can use PayPal.
 
Found this one on eBay .. looks like a clone of the Reich tap at a much more reasonable price - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151717264745

Rather than the £85 on Amazon, or the £65 elsewhere for a straight swap replacement, I think I would prefer to get something more 'appealing' such as a tap like this - https://amzn.to/3vqRK2a - at around the £40 mark.
But decided to go for what looks to be a direct swap at the £26 mark for the copy on eBay. Even £26 is top end for that as well I think.
Had same problem cartridge leaked .just replaced tap safest way.
 

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