I have a Grohe LadyLux Plus leaking below the counter. Water beads are appearing at the clamp area of the faucet where I am pointing my finger in the attached picture. The water then spreads out to the wood underlay of the sink. Overnight, I collect around 2 cups of water if I let the water main kept on. I have isolated that the leaking is caused by the hot water line. When I close the hot water line, no water is collected overnight.

I have read in the posts that this can be the cartridge or the vacuum breaker. How can I tell which one is defective? Any help would really be appreciated.

Thanks.

It is either the cartridge of the body of the valve itself is leaking. Contact Grohe as the cartridge is usually under warranty... will mail it out pretty fast.

Contact them here: GROHE - Contact Us

Mark

Here are the basics,

Grohe Kitchen Faucet Cartridge Replace - Bing video

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Originally Posted by massplumber2008

It is either the cartridge of the body of the valve itself is leaking. Contact Grohe as the cartridge is usually under warranty... will mail it out pretty fast.

Contact them here: GROHE - Contact Us

Mark

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Mark, thanks for the input. When you say body of the valve, is this part of the cartridge? I'm trying to understand if this is a replaceable part or does this mean the whole unit needs to be replaced?

It could be the valve body if the valve is not leaking out of the cartridge connection. Use the link talaniman posted and gain access to the nut holding the cartridge in place... if water isn't leaking past this nut then the valve body connections are shot and most likely Grohe should replace the entire valve...

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Originally Posted by massplumber2008

It could be the valve body if the valve is not leaking out of the cartridge connection. Use the link talaniman posted and gain access to the nut holding the cartridge in place... if water isn't leaking past this nut then the valve body connections are shot and most likely Grohe should replace the entire valve...

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After viewing the related video (thanks @talaniman) and confidently tapping the handle :-), I was able to expose the cartridge. It was dry. Photo below. I emailed Grohe this morning. Let's see what they say.

While you have it exposed, remove it, and inspect it, and the seats inside the valve body. Rubber and plastic O-rings can get split and damaged and cause leaks that get worse and may need replacing.

If you know the LadyLux faucet, you will know the body is an enclosed shell. Besides the hole that carries the hose, there is really no way for water to enter the body.

Since the leak appearws away from the hose opening, and water droplets are hanging on the edge of the hole in the counter, I suggest you check the following:

1. Start with the most obvious: make sure faucet is tight against the counter top. There is an "O" ring in the base of the faucet. Water may be entering underside of the countertop through the hole in the counter - where base of the faucet meets the counter. If I see your first visual correctly, I can see water stains around the hole. That supports my point.

2. If you have under-mount sink, make sure it is caulked around the edge. Water may be entering ply under the granite - where sink edge meets the granite, through deteriorated seal, appearing under the counter and at the faucet hole.

Back to you

Milo

You said

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Overnight, I collect around 2 cups of water

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That is certainly more than could seep past the seal between the faucet and the sink. Plus any water passing between the faucet and the sink would not occur overnight when not in use.

You said

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When I close the hot water line, no water is collected overnight.

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To me, that says that the leak has to be in the hot supply line, between the stop valve and where the supply line attaches to the valve body.

I suggest turning off the stop valves. Disconnect the supply lines and remove the faucet from the sink. Inspect the supply lines. If you do not find any obvious abrasions or holes in the supply lines, reconnect supply lines and turn on the stop valves. You should then be able to see any leak.
Since the leak is occurring above the bottom edge of the counter top, the leak will be close to where the supply line attaches to the valve body and very well be where the line is soldered to the valve.

Can you post a CLEAR photo of the seal between the sink and the counter, also a photo of the underside plywood. Thank you

Milo

Milo
Here are Greens pictures reduced in size

Thanks for re-posting it...

The photo on the left: all 3 points of connections are below the plywood. Body is enclosed shell. The only opening is the hole for hose ( if the hose leaks, water will follow the hose down to the loop ). But ply is still wet. I could be wrong - but it makes me think water is coming from different source than faucet itself. Just want to bring it to his attention

Milo

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Originally Posted by Milo Dolezal

Thanks for re-posting it...

The photo on the left: all 3 points of connections are below the plywood. Body is enclosed shell. The only opening is the hole for hose ( if the hose leaks, water will follow the hose down to the loop ). But ply is still wet. I could be wrong - but it makes me think water is coming from different source than faucet itself. Just want to bring it to his attention

Milo

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Thanks @hkstroud for reducing my pictures. This is my first time posting and didn’t know I had to reduce the image size.


@Milo, I understand that water may be seeping from above the counter. But I collect water overnight. And the amount of water I collect can’t come from above counter seepage. While faucet to counter isn’t sealed, I don’t see major gaps either. Also remember that no water gets collected when I turn off the hot water source.

Initially I suspected that the water is only leaking from the braided hoses. But because plywood gets really soaked (wet 1 foot each to the left and right), I’m thinking it’s coming above. The leak though is so small that I can’t see the actual water beads coming down the solid supply pipes. And the supply pipping are so close together that they are all wet when I touch them.

Is it correct to assume that the culprit can't be the flexible hose because having the cold water supply on the whole night doesn't result to any water being collected?


Where to these supply pipes go to? They must end up to a valve connected to the cartridge. Are they joined permanently to that valve?

Thank you for explaining your faucet situation in detail
Just wanted to make sure, you are aware of the other possible leak options, as well

Milo

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Where to these supply pipes go to?

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They connect to the valve itself which is inside the chrome cover. Most likely soldered to it.
Don't see any way to see where the actual leak is occurring other than to remove the faucet and then reconnect the supply lines. Then you should be able to actually see the leak.

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Are they joined permanently to that valve?

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Yes

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

They connect to the valve itself which is inside the chrome cover. Most likely soldered to it.
Don't see any way to see where the actual leak is occurring other than to remove the faucet and then reconnect the supply lines. Then you should be able to actually see the leak.



Yes

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Thanks @hkstroud for the additional clarification. Looks like this is a Saturday project.

If hot water supply connection to the valve itself is leaking, is this assembly replaceable? Or am I on the hook for a new faucet?

All logic says that the leak will be in the supply tube or where the tube is soldered to the valve. You should be able repair with solder but you will have to wait and see.

I think Grohe owes you a new faucet. Those chrome supply tubes are soldered in a place you/we can't get to even with faucet removed. Remove the faucet if you want... it certainly can't hurt to check closer, but my guess is that the valve body leaks (or supply tube) and you need a new faucet. Keep us posted.

Now, do you know how to remove that faucet w/o damaging under-counter tubing ? Do you still have the dedicated "Star Wrench" Grohe supplies with each new faucet ?

Ahhhh... yes, the removal from the top! He can also use a crescent wrench. Care to elaborate, Milo? I'm sure he'd appreciate it!