Ask Me Help Desk - Hot Water Handle will not turn on stem

Problem: Hot Water Handle will not turn on stem.

First, a bit of background:

Two weeks ago, I installed a Watts Diverter Bath Cock for a stand-alone / claw-foot tub with an attached shower-pipe. From the beginning, the hot-water stem did not work too well: you had to turn it on very high to get any water to come out. Today, while taking a shower, the hot-water flow would not stop when I turned the handle fully to the off position, instead it kept gushing out until I shut off the hot water. Turns out the washer and o-ring on the back of the stem were defective. (Made in China, enough said.) The plumbing supply store replaced these parts when I brought the stem in.

I reinstalled the repaired hot-water stem, but now the handle will not turn on the stem - will not budge at all. I took off the handle and tried loosening the end of the stem (the part that the handle sits on) with pliers. But I still can't move the stem to an open position so the water will flow. Worse, using the pliers on the soft metal of the stem is stripping the threads on which the handle sits.

What should I do? Demand a replacement stem? Use some other means of loosening the stem end? Perhaps the plumbing supply store tightened the stem too much while refurbishing it.

Hi HH

If I am correct here, you have overtightened the stem when installing it. Here, you didn't have to install the original... just had to remove it. Now, when installing the new one, you have cranked it in and you don't need to do that with the older style bath cocks.

Try removing the stem entirely, then loosen the stem so it is the 1/2 open/closed position and then install it , but do not overtighten the stem nut. While tightening the stem nut, keep rotating the stem using the handle to be sure nothing siezes. Try that and if you have time let us know how you make out, OK?

Mark

Quote:

Originally Posted by massplumber2008

Hi HH

If I am correct here, you have overtightened the stem when installing it. Here, you didn't have to install the original...just had to remove it. Now, when installing the new one, you have cranked it in and you don't need to do that with the older style bath cocks.

Try removing the stem entirely, then loosen the stem so it is the 1/2 open/closed position and then install it , but do not overtighten the stem nut. While tightening the stem nut, keep rotating the stem using the handle to be sure nothing siezes. Try that and if you have time let us know how you make out, OK?

Mark

Dear Mark,

I also posted this follow up to my earlier question in a separate thread. (Sorry for the double post.)

It appears that the reason that the hot-water handle won't turn "on" is because the stem (or one part of it anyway) was put back together backwards/upside down when it was repaired.

Normally, to turn on the hot water, you have to turn the handle upwards or clockwise. Now it only works by first installing the handle in a top-right position then pushing down on it counterclockwise to turn the hot water on.

Though this will cause some confusion at first, I am inclined to leave the repaired stem alone unless using it in this manner will damage it.

Thank you for your help and advice.

Was the first stem repaired or replaced?

Does the cold water turn on clockwise or counter clockwise?

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Was the first stem repaired or replaced?

Does the cold water turn on clockwise or counter clockwise?

The first stem (hot water) was repaired by the plumbing supply store from which I bought the entire Diverter Bath Cock unit (Watts model # 686003). The only things replaced were the rubber washer and the plastic O-ring, both of which had split.

The cold water handle turns on counter-clockwise (upwards). Normally, the hot water handle turns on clockwise (upwards), but now it does the opposite.

I thank you for your assistance and advice.

Suspect the stem was not repaired but was replaced and replaced with a cold water stem. You need a hot stem. When installing be sure to install with the stem in the open position. If installed with the stem in the closed position, the stem will be forced up against the seat before the nut is fully tightened (as you have discovered).

Faucets with handles like yours (round with a lever extended) typically open in opposite directions. Therefore, the hot and cold stems are made differently. Faucets with round or cross handles sometime open the opposite direction and sometimes open in the same direction.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkstroud

Suspect the stem was not repaired but was replaced and replaced with a cold water stem. You need a hot stem. When installing be sure to install with the stem in the open position. If installed with the stem in the closed position, the stem will be forced up against the seat before the nut is fully tightened (as you have discovered).

Faucets with handles like yours (round with a lever extended) typically open in opposite directions. Therefore, the hot and cold stems are made differently. Faucets with round or cross handles sometime open the the opposite direction and sometimes open in the same direction.

Will a cold-water stem be able to withstand the higher temperatures from the hot water running through it? I do not mind having to turn the hot water the wrong way, so long as the stem does not fail.

It probably saved time for the plumbing shop owner to switch one stem out for the other rather than unscrew the old stem just to replace the washer. The rest of the stem assembly - the nut and the armature for the handle - is the original because of the gouge marks from the wrench (I had trouble removing the whole stem unit).

Many thanks for your help.

All is the same except the rotation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkstroud

All is the same except the rotation.

Thank you HKStroud - and everyone else who answered - for providing your time and expertise. I feel much better knowing everything will be okay.