New tub/shower trim and valve...now tub spout only drips...

**jsarin1** · 11-22-2010, 10:43 PM

I finally finished sweating the valves and lines together in my bathtub project. Problem now is I'm not getting water! With the valve trim fully open it is only giving me drips out of the tub spout.

I've provided pictures of what I've got.

I installed two shut-off valves and two 90 degree elbows
to relocate the valve trim so that its centered with the new wider tub (3 inches to the left of original valve body location). Is this causing enough restriction to give me only a drip?

The valve body and Delta trim kit were all installed according to their instructions. Please see photos for the setup. I am using a Delta R10000-UN valve body with the Addison trim.

Another alternative would be the actual water supply, but the spout for the toilet and faucets in the same room are working just fine.

Some searching has pointed out that sediments could be clogged in the lines.
But, I'm not sure if that is the case.

Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

**Jerome2877** · 11-22-2010, 11:25 PM

The first thing I would do would be to turn both valves off and remove the valve cartridge, then slowly turn the valves back on. This will single out either the cartridge or one of the shutoffs being blocked. When you were soldering was the cartridge still in the valve?

**Basement_Lurker** · 11-22-2010, 11:55 PM

Hmm, it doesn't look like you cooked your shutoff valves, but it's still a possibility. Remove the trim/testplate from the valve body and open up the shutoff valves full blast for a second or two to see what kind of flow you get.

Also, you weren't supposed to solder on the spout adapter until after the surround was installed. And you aren't meant to solder it from the back either.

**jsarin1** · 11-23-2010, 12:11 AM

The cartridge was not in the valve when it was being soldered. I will remove the trim and try to see if the cartridge is faulty, but I doubt it. I'm guessing that the shut off valves are the culprits. I'll test it tomorrow as you guys suggest.

If in fact the shut off valves are the cause should I just remove them from my setup entirely?

I'll post an update tomorrow once I test. Thanks again!

**jimbo** · 11-23-2010, 06:36 AM

Those Delta UNV valves can have a plug in them. The plug is necesary because otherwise you have hot/cold crossover with the cap installed, prior to installing the actual cartridge. There may also be some small strainers in the ports . Check all that.

I don't think you can put the cart. in with the plug in place but check it. Also make sure you have the right cartridge. The cartridge should be white on the inside, gray on the outside. If your cartridge is blue on the inside,white outside, it is the wrong one AND the plug is in place!!!!

**jsarin1** · 11-23-2010, 08:07 AM

I removed the Delta handle kit and reinstalled the test cap. I ran the water and it looks like
I am getting full water pressure without the cartridge installed. Does this mean that it is
definetly a faulty cartidge?

Attached is a photo of the water running with the test cap instead of the cartidge/lever.

Thanks guys!

**Jerome2877** · 11-23-2010, 04:12 PM

Well assuming it is the correct cartridge, it is a pressure balancing valve so if the pressure is low or off on one side it would cause this to happen. With the cap in test to make sure both hot and cold have good pressure by closing one then the other. If thats not it try opening the cartridge by twisting it, maybe the seats and springs inside are faulty.

**dlarrivee** · 11-23-2010, 04:28 PM

Aren't you going to have to cut to large of a hole in your surround or tile, to fit over the spout adapter?

**Terry** · 11-23-2010, 04:59 PM

No, he just removes the spout before cover and reinstalls it later.

hj · 11-23-2010, 05:20 PM

By removing the cartridge, you eliminate the pressure balancing feature, so that would imply that you do not have either hot or cold water to the valve when you install the cartridge. It is VERY unlikely to be the shut off valves causing the problem. Turn on the shower valve and then close each valve separately while watching the flow from the valve, if it is a PB problem, the flow should stop when one or the other is turned off.

**jsarin1** · 11-23-2010, 07:07 PM

HJ thanks for your input again. I'll try to see if its a PB problem tomorrow morning as you suggest, I'll post an update soon.

**jsarin1** · 11-24-2010, 05:37 PM

So I tried to check for the PB problem. When the lever is 100% to on...with both HOT and COLD valves open there the spout drips. With the HOT valve open and COLD valve closed drip continues. With COLD valve open and HOT valve closed the drip stops. Does this mean its a PB problem? If so, how can I correct it?

**johnfrwhipple** · 11-25-2010, 06:11 AM

Was the system flushed before operation - Cartridge removed...

Most fixtures we work with advice this but often this step is not done.

Perhaps you have a bit of "Junk" "Debris" "Solder" or such bouncing around in that cartridge.

hj · 11-25-2010, 07:25 AM

It probably means you have an obstructed cold line. If it were a PB problem you would have FULL flow from one side or the other, it would NOT shut off both sides. The only time that happens if when one side has ZERO pressure so it lowers the other one, in this case apparently the hot, to match it, which results in little or no flow.