My home is 16 years old, I've had it for 5 years.
I am on a pump - with 70LBS high cutoff and 55lbs Low turn on. all copper -

I have 2 Delta 1600 shower faucets - one tub spicket with shower diverter - one shower only.

The tub/shower combo has allways had only a trickle of cold water and full hot pressure. I notice the shower only 1600 is now begining to loose cold water pressure .

On Delta's recomendation I replaced both pressure balancing spools and catridges ($95 total for both) this had no effect.

I have never had issue with cold pressures anywhere else in the house - other than my washer
(per Tom's previous posts I have a few ideas to check)

I really apreciate any insight or sugestions for checking. I am no plumber, but a fearless DIY!

Tia

Alex

speedball1

Hi Alex,

When you had the valves apart did you flush out the supply lines and check the the cold water inlet ports of the cartridges? I have a hunch you drew sand up in your system and now it's blocking your tub and shower valves.
You have plenty of pressure and your house isn''t old enough to have pipeing problems so that's where i'd start. good luck, Tom

lexefx

Tom- What I didnt know how to do was flush them. The spool had the acess to flush - the only other thing I have for flow adjsutment is trims on both hot and cold. The cartridge is about 1 inch behind the tile surface - I didnt know how to raise the house pressure slowly enough to flush, but not so quick as I'd flood behind the wall. Should I raise 20 lbs or so in the house and the remove the spools and cath the flush with a towel? Sorry If I am dense.

Thanks so much!

Alex

speedball1

Good morning Alex,

I couldn't pull up a view of a 1600 series but did manage to come up with this.
Is this close to yours? if it is then shut off the water and remove the parts from the handle down through the seats and springs and then flush out the supplies. Let me know. Tom

lexefx

I am so on it - thats very close to what I have. I will do it this afternoon, hopefully on both units / Thanks so much Tom - I'll report back when Its completed.

lexefx

Tom -
Fully dismanteled both 1600's and with returned wrater pressure a steady small stream pours from both faucets. I tried indiviually pluggung the holes the springs were in with my finger. When I plug one I get a real heathy hot water stream, and when I plug the second hole I get no stream at all. I am about to reassemble and test again.

EDIT - Assembled

Tom you are 100% the legend you've been made out to be. I have both hot and cold pressure in shower /tub configuation. The shower only has total hot and cold pressure. YOU DA MAN!

I installed a euro showerhead due to lack of flow in the shower only when I moved in. I am on my way back to the hardware store to buy a normal showerhead - as my front shower/tub flow is NOW way stronger than my shower only!

I also disconnected and flushed the hoses and supply ports to the washing machien - the intake strainer screen (cold side) was full of crunchy deposits and loaded with Teflon tape shavings... Someone didnt flush the washer's lines before the installed the washer.

Thank you SO much

Alex

PS I moderate a cite of my area of expertise, and its really rare to find people who know exactly what they are talking about in the automotive tuning commuinty. You more than certainly do in the plumbing arena! THANKS AGAIN!

jayhawkker

Esp. in a high mineral content water area, these shower heads need to be scrubbed out with a strong bristle brush or even soaked in hot water and vinegar .This can double the volume.

lexefx

Never thought of this till now, but the precense only in my hot water lines... made me think my waterheater was breaking down. It was 17+ years old -replaced i - I will report back if they clog again... but hopefuly not.

If anyone else has this issue, remove the hot and cold water trim screws - take the entire trim valve out. flushes the most effectivly.

btw - drain house water pressure before disassembly!

Alex