Hot/Cold Reversed; Kohler Shower Valve

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GDM

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Moved into house with Kohler mixing valve in shower. Fixture is approximately 20 years old. This is a one handle mixing valve. Pull out to turn on water; clock wise for cold; counter clock wise for hot. Handle is pentagon shaped, clear plastic, with pentagon shaped screw cover. PROBLEM: The water temp flow is opposite of the markings on the handle. Clock wise produces HOT and vice versa. I have taken the mixing valve apart three times. Everything appears to be keyed such that alternative assembly is not possible. Am I missing something in the assembly, or is this thing simply piped backwards?
Thanks, GDM
 

hj

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valve

I am trying to remember a Kohler valve that operated that way. Most were a simple rotary operation from Off to cold to hot. Is the internal part a rubber sleeve with a metal shaft inside it?
 

GDM

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No, This is a mixing valve. Pull handle out to start water flow, push in to shut off. When handle is pulled out; by rotating handle left or right you change the mix of hot and cold water.
The way the valve is now is dangerous. Turning in the labeled direction of colder water will actually get you hotter water.

GDM
 

Plumber1

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See if you can remove the handle and rotate the stem 180 degrees, put the handle back in place and try it again.
Chalk another one up for Kohler.
 

GDM

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The shower knob has a Kohler plug button on it. The handle is in the style of Kohler's Centura line (about 20 years old). I do not know the actual manufacturer of the mixing value, except that it was obviously sold under the Kohler brand name. I had thought of rotating the stem 180 degrees with the hope of correcting the problem. However, the stem is attached with three screws which are NOT equally spaced. The stem can only be inserted into the body of the value in one way or the screws will not line up with the screw holes in the body.
GDM
 

GDM

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Hot/Cold

Aha! Success! When I answered that the valve stem could only be inserted one way in order for the screw holes to align, I was actually talking about the valve stem assembly. Based on Plumber1's comments, I took the faucet apart again for the 5th time. This time I realized that the valve stem, could be separated from the the valve stem assembly. Previously, I had not thought to pull the two apart. Indeed, the fit is fairly tight and it is well greased with heavy grease, leading me to think the valve stem could not be pulled out of the valve stem assembly.

As Plumber1 had suspected, the valve stem was in the assembly up side down. The end of the valve stem has a tapered flat spot. Turn the valve one way and more of the tapered flat side is toward the hot water passage. Turn the valve the other way and more of the tapered flat side is toward the cold water passage. Assemble with the valve stem up side down and you will get exactly the opposite of what you would expect. Once I had the valve stem out, the answer was obvious!

Why is it always the simple things that lead you astray! :)

Thanks for everyones assistance.

GDM
 
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