[jpjgabby]

I have a new shower head, and only get a low pressure cold water to come out. It is a Tuscany shower head/ faucet. I called the company's phone line, and they had me a) remove the rotational limit stop, and b) turn the hot & cold water valves which are on both sides of the ceramic cartridge completely open. Neither of these helped. They then sent me a new ceramic cartridge which I installed, but still get only a low pressure cold water.

There isn't any water valves between the water heater and the shower. I have hot water to both the sinks in the same bathroom as the shower. I have to turn off the water where it comes into the house, in order to work on the shower. I don't want to have to replace the entire shower again to fix this problem. Do you have any suggestions?

[massplumber2008]

Hi Jpjgabby

A model number and the name of the manufacturer would help.

The next step here would be to remove the hot water stop valve next to the ceramic cartridge and run water without the stop in place. Do you get hot water out the stop? If so, then the issue may be the stop itself. Repeat this for the cold side after you do the hot side.

How about a balancing spool... does your shower valve have one of these? Is there an extra nut next to the cartridge that is an unknown? If so, then that may be clogged up with stuff... posting a picture of the valve without the trim in place would help here.

Try that and then post back with results, pictures and model number/manufacturer...

Mark

[jpjgabby]

Tuscany Model 673-7247

I will attempt to remove and clean the hot water stop valve and see if that helps. I'm worried that I might get water draining into the wall behind the shower when I remove the stop valve. I'll have the water off, but there probably will still be a lot of water in the pipe that will drain out.

[massplumber2008]

Stick a plastic bag around the valve and aim it into the tub... should reduce water behind the wall...

Also, you said, "I have to turn off the water where it comes into the house, in order to work on the shower". This should not be the case if you have shut off valves on the shower valve? Please explain.

PS: You did remove the shower head and see if water flowed without that in place, right?

[jpjgabby]

The shut off valves on the shower head are actually a large screw on either side of ceramic cartridge, one on the hot side, and one on the cold side. They have a spring, piston, valve rod, 2 o-rings, and 2 washers behind the screw, and I'm hoping that when I take them apart that I find the debris that is clogging the system.

What I meant by when I said that I have to turn off the water as it comes into the house is that there are no other shut-off valves between the incoming water supply and the shower valve.

[jpjgabby]

I put the old shower head on, and got the same results- no hot water.

[massplumber2008]

Pull the shut off stops and clear the valve...

[jpjgabby]

I pulled the hot shut off valve and cleaned it. There was some solder in it. I now have hot and cold water, but the flow is really slow, I guess because it is a water saver, 2.5 gallons/ minute.

The odd thing is that when the shower handle is all the way open, only cold water comes out. I get hot/ warm water when it is closer to being in the off position.

[massplumber2008]

My guess would be to pull the cartridge again and rotate it 180 degrees... should restore hot and cold handle position.

In terms of low flow, there is usually a flow restrictor in the shower head... if removed it should increase volume available.

You can confirm all this after you rotate the cartridge by removing the shower head again... check volume available and then, if desired, remove the flow restrictor.

Mark

[jpjgabby]

I will see if the shower head has a limiter that I can remove. The company rep advised me that this would void the warranty, but if it gets me more water, oh well.

The cartridge doesn't appear to be rotatable, since it has 2 notches in the 11:00 and 2:00 clock positions, meaning that if I rotate it 180 degrees, then the cartridge won't seat correctly.

The company rep said that I might be able to get the hot/ cold water problem resolved by changing the position where the handle is located on the stem. I'm not sure I can see any logic behind this theory. What do you think?

[massplumber2008]

If your shower has a temperature limit device (TLD) then that can be adjusted.

If no TLD, then rotating the cartridge stem a little at a time and then replacing the handle may allow you to realign the cartridge so that cold comes out first... ;) Certainly easy enough to try out!

[jpjgabby]

The shower faucet has a rotational limit stop, which I think is the same as a temperature limit device, which I completely removed many days ago, since I'm not worried about water being too hot.

Rotating the cartridge stem turns the water on and off. I guess I'm not sure what you mean by rotating it. Are you saying to take the handle off, rotate the handle position a little, then put the handle back on?

[massplumber2008]

At this point you have hot water, but somehow hot water comes on first when you turn the shower on, right? If this is the case, then I can't help here anymore... best will be to talk with the tech. support people that make the valve. Here, unless you got hot water out of the old valve first, something is off with the cartridge and the only way I know to fix it is to rotate it and since you said you have notches at 11 and 2, I am unclear on next step to take.

Call tech. support back and see what they think on this, OK?

Good luck!

Mark

[hkstroud]

The company rep said that I might be able to get the hot/ cold water problem resolved by changing the position where the handle is located on the stem.

I think he intended for you to remove the handle, turn the stem 180 degrees and then reinstall the handle. Try that if possible.