sink facuet issue

[clyde]

Originally Posted by Josh (PA)

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.

Originally Posted by JST

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.

Originally Posted by Nick M3

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.

Yeah, so my wife had already decided she was going to buy a new faucet today. Because I have unnatural worry about the fundamental soundness of the structure within which I reside (particularly over plumbing) because that is my lot in life, my concern was mostly "Uh, does this mean I have bigger plumbing issues? Or is the issue limited to the faucet?"

While it may not matter with replacement, I'm still interested in the failure. There's a collar(?) within the handle that should screw onto the pipe. I can't figure out any way to get it in place because it's slightly loose within the handle. It seems like it's being retained some way from within, but I'm not sure how. If this is all because there's something that broke inside, I can't see it and really curious as to what and why.

An aggravating underlying condition is that the water on my block (maybe a slightly larger area in the neighborhood) was shut off for a few hours one day a few weeks ago. Since then, when some water using objects (washer, dishwasher, toilets) turn on or draw water, there is a strong ticking noise that lasts for a little bit and then eventually subsides.

It's a ticking, not a banging, and I can't quite identify where it's coming from. It's most apparent in the basement (and the main water cutoff is down here), but I can't tell from where.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by Alan

Also I recommend you grow out your thumb nail, it looks too short

Thanks, Mom!

Originally Posted by FC

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.

This is helpful, er, educational. Thanks!

- 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).

Originally Posted by FC

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.

Yes, my wife found the handle in the sink.

Originally Posted by ZBB

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

We've replaced faucets before (and ones with much trickier access issues than this one). Not worried about that.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, guys!

[ZBB]

Originally Posted by clyde

While it may not matter with replacement, I'm still interested in the failure. There's a collar(?) within the handle that should screw onto the pipe. I can't figure out any way to get it in place because it's slightly loose within the handle. It seems like it's being retained some way from within, but I'm not sure how. If this is all because there's something that broke inside, I can't see it and really curious as to what and why.

Try unscrewing the end of the handle (after the color ring). There is likely a screw under there that is holding the valve cartridge in place to the handle...

[Nick M3]

Originally Posted by clyde

An aggravating underlying condition is that the water on my block (maybe a slightly larger area in the neighborhood) was shut off for a few hours one day a few weeks ago. Since then, when some water using objects (washer, dishwasher, toilets) turn on or draw water, there is a strong ticking noise that lasts for a little bit and then eventually subsides.

It's a ticking, not a banging, and I can't quite identify where it's coming from. It's most apparent in the basement (and the main water cutoff is down here), but I can't tell from where.

Are you confident that you've flushed all of the air out of your various water pipes? Run all the faucets for a bit.

[Josh (PA)]

Originally Posted by clyde

, my concern was mostly "Uh, does this mean I have bigger plumbing issues?

I doubt it. It looks like those threads are crap and over time that handle backed off the threads. Now nothing except the friction of the o-ring is holding the stopper in place. Whenever you shut off your water, there's a pressure blip in the system and it popped the stopper out

While it may not matter with replacement, I'm still interested in the failure. There's a collar(?) within the handle that should screw onto the pipe. I can't figure out any way to get it in place because it's slightly loose within the handle. It seems like it's being retained some way from within, but I'm not sure how. If this is all because there's something that broke inside, I can't see it and really curious as to what and why.

i agree w. ZBB. I bet the stubby part of the handle unthreads and in there is a set screw or something that keeps the internally threaded portion of the handle in place.

An aggravating underlying condition is that the water on my block (maybe a slightly larger area in the neighborhood) was shut off for a few hours one day a few weeks ago. Since then, when some water using objects (washer, dishwasher, toilets) turn on or draw water, there is a strong ticking noise that lasts for a little bit and then eventually subsides.

It's a ticking, not a banging, and I can't quite identify where it's coming from. It's most apparent in the basement (and the main water cutoff is down here), but I can't tell from where.

Probably some trapped air, or it could just be contraction of the pipes with the cold water flowing through...

[clyde]

Originally Posted by Nick M3

Are you confident that you've flushed all of the air out of your various water pipes?

No.

Run all the faucets for a bit.

I believe that's the plan.