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    posterns's Avatar
    posterns Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Oct 23, 2006, 06:28 PM
    Showerhead gurgles and spits
    We just had our bathroom redone including all plumbing. Copper pipes throughout.

    Installed single arm shower control with diverter. Have a grohe showerhead (one of their higher end ones). When turn on shower it gurgles and spits off and on for a good 5 minutes or more. Swapped out this one with a HomeDepot sold grohe head and it does the same thing although quieter and not as long. Both showerheads have different spray settings.

    Plumber who installed stuff said he hasn't had this problem before and seems a bit baffled by it. He suggested trying a different head. While the noise is better with the replacement head it is not gone. (With original head you could hear the gurgles in another room, so it is a significant noise (note: the noise is not a hammer sound. It is a gurgle and you can also see and hear some spits as if the pressure is pulsating.

    Note that without shower arm, before it was put on, water flowed freely and didn't do this at all. If just run tub there is no problem. Only occurs when shower is turned on. Shower/bath faucets and shower arm are Rohl.

    Any suggestions. Did my plumber screw something up>

    Thanks

    Jeff

    PS. We are on city water. Didn't have this problem before renovation. Only other real change was that Plumber did put larger diameter copper pipes in bathroom as house is old and he mentioned that water pipes we have in house were small and at some point should be changed.
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
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    #2

    Oct 23, 2006, 06:53 PM
    Did the plumber check for a flow restrictor in the shower head?
    posterns's Avatar
    posterns Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Oct 23, 2006, 07:02 PM
    Yes

    I don't think he took it out. However, the new head I swapped in does have one as I never took it out. As I mentioned, noise is less with new head but is still discernable.

    Jeff
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
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    #4

    Oct 23, 2006, 07:07 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by posterns
    Yes

    I don't think he took it out. However, the new head I swapped in does have one as I never took it out. As i mentioned, noise is less with new head but is still discernable.
    Is it the Rohl valve with the push button diverter just under the volume control?
    posterns's Avatar
    posterns Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Oct 23, 2006, 07:26 PM
    Yes
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
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    #6

    Oct 23, 2006, 07:35 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by posterns
    Yes
    This could be a problem with the diverter valve.

    Debris showing up in lines, especially after a re-pipe is very common.

    I would remove the diverter assembly (be very careful, it is springloaded) and then flush it out by running some water through it.

    I would also remove the black rubber o-ring (and just the o-ring) from the flow restrictor in the shower head.

    Rohl valves are full port valves, and do not operate optimally with flow restrictors.
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