Single-lever kitchen faucet: how the faucet works, types of cartridge faucet spouts, how to disassemble and repair

Knob mixers, which until recently were traditional, are being replaced by devices with single-lever control of water flow and temperature. In such models, the amount of flow is regulated by moving the lever up and down, switching the supply of cold and hot water is by horizontally turning (right/left) the handle.

Single lever mixer device.

The vast majority of buyers prefer to purchase devices with precisely this principle of regulation. Installing a mono-command mixer allows you to control it with a slight movement of your hand. For housewives in the kitchen, even this, at first glance insignificant, moment significantly saves time.

The appearance of the faucet also encourages its purchase. Devices of this type have a modern technological design. Their bodies are distinguished by their streamlined shape and the absence of visible seams. Surfaces are finished with nickel plating, chrome plating, and coatings of various colors. You can choose a single-lever mixer to suit different kitchen interiors.

What is good about a ball valve?

Until recently, there was no alternative to a valve mixer. And so, with the advent of a single-lever mixer with a ball switch, users were faced with a choice: which faucet to prefer? It turned out that the ball design is in high demand. This is explained by the remarkable performance characteristics of this type of mixers.

Another undoubted advantage of the ball mixer is its modern and attractive appearance: it can easily fit into any interior

The new faucet is very convenient to use. You don't have to twist anything to set the required temperature and water pressure. Simply put the lever in the desired position. This elementary procedure is performed automatically over time.

Those who have long preferred this design know roughly what position the rotary handle should be in so that both the pressure and temperature of the water are as comfortable as possible for a variety of purposes. It is useful for beginners to know that the water pressure is adjusted by moving the handle up and down, and the temperature – left and right.

The ball mixer is very functional: it can be easily adjusted to the pressure you need and the required temperature with one movement of the hand

In addition, it is believed that a more reliable ball mixer cannot be found.

Single lever mixer with ball switch

Alas, modern faucets, like their valves, fail from time to time. After all, their production uses the same materials: metal, rubber and plastic, which can wear out during operation or under the influence of external factors.

To repair a ball valve, you need to understand its structure and be able to dismantle it if necessary. The ball device includes:

rotary handle; At its core, it is a lever, which is sometimes called a “butterfly”.
stock; The rod seal is adjusted using a nut and washer, which are also included in the package.
body with nut; The ball cartridge and rod are located inside this housing.
ball cartridge; It is fixed using rubber saddles.

You can repair this faucet yourself, without resorting to the help of specialists; only if the body is mechanically damaged, you will have to buy a new faucet

A ball cartridge is a non-separable element that has three holes: for incoming cold and hot water and for removing mixed water of the required temperature and pressure from the device.

The operating algorithm for a crane of this design is quite simple:

when the lever is lifted, the ball begins to rotate;
the holes on the ball cartridge begin to align with similar holes in the seats;
Depending on the area of coincidence of these holes, the jet pressure changes.

Ball mixer malfunctions

If you handle the mixer carefully, without applying excessive force where it is not needed, products of this design can serve without fail for a long time. However, the following breakdowns can be considered typical for them:

When the lever is in the blocking position, the flow of water from the tap does not stop.
A faulty ball faucet provides too little water pressure, despite the fact that the pressure in your home's water supply has not dropped, which can be checked by opening other taps.
The regulation of the water temperature in the mixers has been disrupted: it is impossible to achieve the required parameters, since the mixing of hot and cold flows occurs in a chaotic manner.

A fairly common malfunction of a ball mixer is manifested by water leakage when the device itself is in the blocking position

Before you begin repairs, you should understand the cause of the malfunction, which manifested itself in one of the ways listed above.

Recommendations for choosing a mixer

Brass is considered the best material for the production of faucets. Products made from it are reliable, resistant to corrosion and designed for many years of use. Such models weigh a lot - in contrast to light and short-lived products made from silumin.
Buy only plumbing fixtures that come with a warranty. Leading manufacturers offer faucets with a warranty of 1 year or more. For example, faucets from the German brands Zigmund & Shtain and Grohe are guaranteed for 5 years, and products from the Czech company Lemark are guaranteed for 10 years.
When choosing the right model, consider the water pressure in your water supply.
Chrome is considered the optimal coating for faucets. Although chrome surfaces require maintenance, they are hygienic and look beautiful. Models with enamel coating look luxurious, but require careful handling.
When buying a mixer, it is advisable not to save money. It is better to purchase a relatively expensive model from a reliable manufacturer that will reliably serve you for 10 years or more, rather than spending time, effort and money annually on replacing cheap shut-off valves.

Choose beautiful and durable faucets in the catalog of the online store VezuVdom.ru - such devices will give you comfort and decorate your interior for many years.

Read our previous article about how to choose a kitchen sink made of artificial stone.

Types of faults that occur

There is space between the ball cartridge and the rubber seats that secure this element. Its clogging is the most common cause of ball valve failure. Even a seemingly insignificant speck can lead to a violation of the tightness of the connection. As a result, the rubber seat may become deformed, causing the ball mount to become unusable.

Another frequently occurring breakdown is a clogged shutter. As such, repairs are not needed in this case. This problem can be solved by simply cleaning the plumbing fixture. True, for this the crane will have to be disassembled. But then, when you collect it, everything will be in order again.

Water may leak from the rotary knob cap. In this case, the connection should be tightened more tightly. If the flow of water stopped, then the reason for it was hidden precisely in a loose connection.

A clogged aerator leads to insufficient water pressure flowing from the faucet spout; this problem can be corrected by simply cleaning the aerator itself or replacing it.

The easiest way to solve the problem is with a clogged aerator. It is this that can become an obstacle to creating normal water pressure. If you remove the aerator and try to run water without it, then the change in pressure will make it clear whether the aerator was the cause of the malfunction. The aerator can be washed and replaced. Or you can simply replace it with a new one, as is done in the event of a complete failure of this part.

O-rings can also wear out. In this case, water may leak from underneath the faucet base. This malfunction is eliminated by replacing failed seals. Before starting work, turn off the water supply, then remove the mixer, disconnecting it from the inlets and unscrewing the nut that secures it. A worn gasket is replaced with a product of the same diameter. If the gasket is selected correctly, it will be installed in place with force. All that remains is to assemble the crane.

The only breakdown in which the mixer has to be completely replaced is a crack in its body: even if the ball switch is mechanically damaged, only this element can be replaced

The situation is worse if the ball cartridge itself is broken. It may crack, and, alas, then it cannot be repaired. You will simply have to replace it with a new one. You will have to act in exactly the same way in case of mechanical damage to the mixer body. There's no point in repairing it. It’s easier to buy and install a new faucet. If you are unable to immediately replace the faucet, you can use a sealant that will temporarily stop the leak, but remember that the device needs to be replaced. And the sooner the better.

Problems especially often arise due to increased hardness of the water circulating in your water supply system. Moreover, the type of mixer you use does not really matter. In order not to change faucets endlessly, you should install a filter that purifies the water. Even a rough cleaning device can block those particles that cause major breakdowns of plumbing fixtures.

Design

A single-lever bath mixer is structurally different from a double-valve one. It has only one lever handle, with which you can regulate the temperature and water pressure in the tap. This type of faucet is also known as one-armed bandit, ball, joint, joystick. It performs three main functions: mixing water at the optimal temperature, forming a jet and changing its power. The mechanism of its action is quite simple:

By turning the handle horizontally, you can change the water temperature from cold to hot.

Single lever mixer
By raising or lowering the lever in the vertical direction, you can adjust the flow power. The higher the handle position, the more powerful the jet.

Please note that a single-lever faucet consists of the following structural elements: a rotary handle, a faucet cover, a spout with a faucet body, an internal chamber or cartridge, as well as several gaskets and seals.

Let's start repair work

Let's assume that all precautions have been taken, but still repairing the ball valve of your mixer is inevitable. To repair a ball mixer, you can, of course, invite a plumber. But it is better to try to do this work yourself. There is nothing super complicated about it. Just listen to our advice.

To perform repair work, you will need tools, which you must prepare in advance so that they are at hand.

No special tools are required to carry out repair work on a faulty ball mixer: all these items are necessarily present in the arsenal of any home craftsman

This:

adjustable wrench;
hex wrench of suitable size;
a screwdriver that can be used, if necessary, like a thin knitting needle;
pliers;
flashlight.

First, you should turn off the supply of hot and cold water, otherwise your manipulations with plumbing fixtures may lead to a flood. Do not forget that there may be residual water in the tap, which should also be drained. Before starting work, you need to cover the sink with a rag. This measure will protect it from possible damage.

Now you can begin dismantling the mixer.

At the initial stage of repair work, the decorative plug with the image of hot and cold water should be removed; it blocks access to the screw that secures the lever

The sequence of work in this case is as follows:

There should be a decorative plug on the mixer body that will have to be removed.
Under the plug there is a hole through which you can get to the screw holding the faucet lever. This screw must be unscrewed.
The lever is now free and can be removed. If the faucet has been installed for a long time and no one has unscrewed it, significant force may be required at this stage. It is important to act carefully and not damage anything.
So, we now have access to the dome of the crane and the eccentric located underneath it, made of plastic. Both parts need to be removed. Below them is a ball cartridge. All contaminants that may be found during the dismantling process must be carefully removed.
The ball switch is removed from the mixer. It must be examined from all sides. As mentioned earlier, if damage is detected on this one, it should be replaced with a new one. Covering cracks on the ball with sealant does not make sense.
Inspect the rubber seals. They may lose elasticity or simply wear out. New seals must be installed in place of worn-out seals. It is also better to replace the elements that secure the ball switch. If they have worked for a long time, then this should be done even just for preventive purposes.

Plumbing gaskets are consumables: they often fail and have to be replaced; If you have to buy a new pad, take the old one with you so you don't get the wrong size

All that remains is to assemble the mixer. This must be done in reverse order.

You can get more information about repairs from this video:

If you did everything correctly, the mixer should now work properly again. However, the leak may be located under the spout, which is also called a spout or gander. Then you will have to remove the spout and replace the old o-rings with new ones.

Particular attention should be paid to the mixer when you have an old water supply system in your house. In this case, particles of rust and other contaminants may clog the openings in the switch through which hot and cold water flow. These blockages can be cleaned with a cloth or your hands. This procedure should be performed periodically, even just for preventive purposes.

Another problem that may bother owners of ball valves is the annoying noise that occurs when turning on the water. It occurs due to vibration created by air and water currents. Due to its effect on rubber gaskets, they can also begin to vibrate. To avoid this effect, you can reduce the water pressure, install a filter, or achieve a tighter fit of the rubber gaskets.

Externally, a silumin mixer looks no worse than any other model, but such products rarely last more than a year; You can distinguish them by weight: silumin is very light

The service life of a ball mixer is influenced not only by external factors, but also by the material from which the tap itself is made. There are often cheap models on sale that are made from silumin, an alloy of silicon and aluminum. They are short-lived, but are great for training those who like to do everything with their own hands. And for a long and trouble-free service, it is better to choose a more expensive, but also reliable model.