carmudgeons.com  

Go Back   carmudgeons.com > Automotive Forums > Technical Superiority

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-11-2022, 08:35 AM   #1
clyde
Chief title editor
 
clyde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 26,599
sink facuet issue

Last night, I fell asleep on the couch. This morning, my wife reported that around 2:00 one of our daughters took a shower. When the shower water turned on or shortly after, my wife was woken up by a loud noise and discovered that the cold water handle from the bathroom sink had popped off and water was flowing from the cold water pipe where the handle should have been (the mater sink area is open and exposed to bedroom with a door between it and the shower/toilet area). She turned the cold water off and cleaned up the water. She told me the hot side still worked.

When I brushed my teeth this morning and turned on the hot water handle, water began flowing from the cold water pipe area where the faucet handle. I closed the handle the water stopped. I looked in the cabinet under the sink and there was a sizable puddle. I mopped it up and looked at the exposed cold water pipe where the handle should be and saw that water was still flowing very slowly. I turned off the hot water under the sink and was able to turn the cold water knob a little further than it had been.

I don't know anything about plumbing, but what's happening here? What could have caused the cold water faucet handle to pop off? Why would water flow form the cold pipe when the hot side is turned on? Is there a connection to the shower? What do I need to do to fix?

I haven't looked closely at the faucet handle to see if anything visibly broke. if something did and it's not obvious to an idiot, I don't know that I'll recognize it.

Any ideas?
__________________
OH NOES!!!!!1 MY CAR HAS T3H UND3R5T33R5555!!!!!!1oneone!!!!11

Team WTF?!
What are you gonna do?
clyde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2022, 08:43 AM   #2
Josh (PA)
Hello.
 
Josh (PA)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Carmudgeonly Ride: '09 X3, '11 328xiT, '11 135i C, '17 c2, '19 X5
Location: Downingtown, PA
Posts: 5,514
Quote:
Originally Posted by clyde View Post
Last night, I fell asleep on the couch. This morning, my wife reported that around 2:00 one of our daughters took a shower. When the shower water turned on or shortly after, my wife was woken up by a loud noise and discovered that the cold water handle from the bathroom sink had popped off and water was flowing from the cold water pipe where the handle should have been (the mater sink area is open and exposed to bedroom with a door between it and the shower/toilet area). She turned the cold water off and cleaned up the water. She told me the hot side still worked.

When I brushed my teeth this morning and turned on the hot water handle, water began flowing from the cold water pipe area where the faucet handle. I closed the handle the water stopped. I looked in the cabinet under the sink and there was a sizable puddle. I mopped it up and looked at the exposed cold water pipe where the handle should be and saw that water was still flowing very slowly. I turned off the hot water under the sink and was able to turn the cold water knob a little further than it had been.

I don't know anything about plumbing, but what's happening here? What could have caused the cold water faucet handle to pop off? Why would water flow form the cold pipe when the hot side is turned on? Is there a connection to the shower? What do I need to do to fix?

I haven't looked closely at the faucet handle to see if anything visibly broke. if something did and it's not obvious to an idiot, I don't know that I'll recognize it.

Any ideas?
Odd. Can you post a pic of the faucet
__________________
Josh (PA) -
'19 X5
'17 991.2 C2 Cab
'11 135i Convertible
'11 328xiT
'09 X3
Josh (PA) is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2022, 08:51 AM   #3
clyde
Chief title editor
 
clyde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 26,599












Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_8174.jpeg
Views:	275
Size:	1.02 MB
ID:	14161  Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_8175.jpeg
Views:	288
Size:	918.7 KB
ID:	14162  Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_8177.jpeg
Views:	284
Size:	952.6 KB
ID:	14163  Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_8178.jpeg
Views:	382
Size:	915.2 KB
ID:	14164  Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_8179.jpeg
Views:	298
Size:	888.8 KB
ID:	14165  

Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_8180.jpeg
Views:	295
Size:	948.7 KB
ID:	14166  Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_8181.jpeg
Views:	294
Size:	945.0 KB
ID:	14167  
__________________
OH NOES!!!!!1 MY CAR HAS T3H UND3R5T33R5555!!!!!!1oneone!!!!11

Team WTF?!
What are you gonna do?
clyde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2022, 09:24 AM   #4
Josh (PA)
Hello.
 
Josh (PA)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Carmudgeonly Ride: '09 X3, '11 328xiT, '11 135i C, '17 c2, '19 X5
Location: Downingtown, PA
Posts: 5,514
my assumption is the chromed handle should thread onto the faucet fully seating. Is there any kind of set screw or means of removing the handle part from the internally threaded section so you can re-assemble that to the faucet then put the handle back on? Are the threads on the brass part of the faucet corroded or in some other way no longer engaging?
these threads, which look a bit corroded:

Once you get the handle fully re-threaded onto the faucet, then the plastic peice w/ the o-ring moves up and down within the internal of the faucet when the handle is turned to allow a 'metered' amount of cold water to mix with the hot. If the hande isn't threaded on, any kind of water hammer from turning the water on/off within the house could pop it off.

Caveat: I'm not a plumber.... good luck.
__________________
Josh (PA) -
'19 X5
'17 991.2 C2 Cab
'11 135i Convertible
'11 328xiT
'09 X3
Josh (PA) is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2022, 09:39 AM   #5
JST
195
 
JST's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 24,593
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh (PA) View Post
my assumption is the chromed handle should thread onto the faucet fully seating. Is there any kind of set screw or means of removing the handle part from the internally threaded section so you can re-assemble that to the faucet then put the handle back on? Are the threads on the brass part of the faucet corroded or in some other way no longer engaging?
these threads, which look a bit corroded:

Once you get the handle fully re-threaded onto the faucet, then the plastic peice w/ the o-ring moves up and down within the internal of the faucet when the handle is turned to allow a 'metered' amount of cold water to mix with the hot. If the hande isn't threaded on, any kind of water hammer from turning the water on/off within the house could pop it off.

Caveat: I'm not a plumber.... good luck.

My only contribution to this is that while there may be a way to repair that handle, faucets are fairly cheap and (assuming you have under-sink shutoffs, which you do) relatively easy to install. I would just put a new one in and not worry about trying to troubleshoot the failure of that handle/valve.
JST is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2022, 09:47 AM   #6
Nick M3
Relic
 
Nick M3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,438
Looking at that aged plastic, I wouldn't worry too much about diagnosing it. I'd go straight to Home Depot or Lowes or whatever and buy a new one. We're talking about $50 or less.
__________________
2011 M3
2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison
2004 X5 3.0i 6MT
1995 M3 S50B32
1990 325is
1989 M3 S54B32

Hers:
1989 325iX
1996 911 Turbo


Nick M3 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2022, 10:30 AM   #7
Alan
Carmudgeon
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,646
The piece with the black rubber gasket needs to be installed or water will come out of the spot where the handle would go.

Biggest mistake a person can make is to remove that part with the water pressure turned on.

Also I recommend you grow out your thumb nail, it looks too short
Alan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2022, 10:37 AM   #8
FC
Solving problems
 
FC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,215
Having worked at a company that designed products exactly like that, here are my thoughts:

- There is no "standard" on how faucets ought to work, but they are usually designed to avoid crossflow for health reasons (one should not drink hot water). That is, each valve (h & c) allow/disallow flow into a common mixing chamber leading to the spout for use, and other than pressure-related issues, no crossflow should be allowed such that hot supply goes into cold supply.
- It seems as though your cold valve is cutting off supply water, but it assumes the top portion of that valve shuts flow from the mixing chamber. That part is not sealing, it is allowing water up the handle cavity. That function is apparently done by the yellow parts with O-rings. Either O-rings are bad, or the part is not seating well enough. Typically all elements of sealing are independent of the handle and are part of the "valve," there being a hot halve and a cold valve.
- Weirdly, your faucet design would appear to need the handle assembly to "complete the valve." (Or maybe you inadvertently took the top chunk of the valve along with the handle).

Super busy at work, so maybe I was not clear. Sorry.
FC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2022, 10:39 AM   #9
FC
Solving problems
 
FC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,215
Upon further review, yes, it does appear your handle came off taking the top of the valve along with it. Must find a way to separate, rebuild valve ensuring proper seal, then then simply screwing handle to turn the stem on the top of the valve open/closed.
FC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2022, 10:55 AM   #10
ZBB
Relic
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: A very fast golf cart
Location: The Valley of the Sun
Posts: 12,821
Quote:
Originally Posted by FC View Post
Upon further review, yes, it does appear your handle came off taking the top of the valve along with it. Must find a way to separate, rebuild valve ensuring proper seal, then then simply screwing handle to turn the stem on the top of the valve open/closed.
Or buy a new faucet and install -- ultimately simpler and it might not be much more expensive than replacing the valve cartridge. If there is only one sink, it should be pretty easy to match tub/shower close enough... If there are 2 sinks, perhaps just replace both now...

Clyde -
Installing a new faucet is pretty easy. The only specialized tool you should need is a basin wrench (a link to one on Amazon is below), which makes it much easier to reach up behind the sink basin and loosen the nut holding the faucet to the counter. You might also need to put a small mirror in the cabinet to help see up there if you can't crawl in (if your cabinet has a center post between 2 doors -- if so, it can be hard to crawl in there)...

https://www.amazon.com/DURATECH-11-I...85&sr=8-8&th=1
__________________
ZBB
ZBB is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:20 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Forums © 2003-2008, 'Mudgeon Enterprises - Site hosting by AYN & Associates, LLC