Basin Mixer tap - can't remove tap head even though the screw is undone

[diymike]

AS the heading, but to clarify, I've undone the screw - it now spins but it hasn't released the tap head. It's a relatively new cartridge one (2016), that opens a quarter turn.
I'm hoping to remove the cartridge and stop the tap leaking. Cold tap.

 

[Ian]

Any chance you can take a photo of the tap please @diymike - that may give us a clue as to what is going on .

 

[diymike]

Sorry it's taken so long, I've been too busy. The pics show the top of the cold tap unscrewed. Inside in pic 3 (sorry about the quality) you can see the screw. I have undone the screw, but it doesn't seem to allow the tap head to lift off. The screw just turns, either way. It can be tightened up again, but why won't it allow me to remove the tap head????

 

[Silentrunning]

I will take a stab at this. In picture 1 you see the hex collar nuts under the handle. My guess is that the o-ring / washer has fused itself to the shaft. If you loosen that retainer the whole assembly will probably come out. CAUTION!!! Old plumbing can look fine on the outside but be disintegrating under the plating. If this has happened you are going to have to replace the entire unit.

 

[diymike]

I should point out that this tap was only fitted 12/2016. But I'll try what you suggest, thanks!

 

[Silentrunning]

I should point out that this tap was only fitted 12/2016. But I'll try what you suggest, thanks!

You shouldn’t have a problem disassembling the faucet then. Please post an update for future reference.

 

[diymike]

I did what you suggested, but having undone the nut, I couldn't do anything further. Tap head still fully attached.

 

[Silentrunning]

Mike, just to see what is really there, can you remove the other handle? If that one will come apart it may give you insight into what the problem could be.

 

[diymike]

I was thinking that too, will try. Thanks!

 

[diymike]

No the other tap head is equally impossible to remove.

 

[Silentrunning]

That faucet doesn’t like you. Is there a good hardware store nearby that you could take the entire faucet to? There has to be some kind of catch holding the valves together. Is there a manufacturer name anywhere on it? If worse comes to worse you could replace the entire unit. Be sure to update us on what you do. I am very curious about this.

 

[diymike]

The make of the thing - it's a Belmont mono basin mixer tap with cartridges. I bought it from Victorian plumbing in 12/2016.
The thing is, I had a plumber round a few months ago to do something else and I got him to take a look at the tap, which he managed to dissassemble easily enough, but because he'd apparently stopped the leak I didn't really take much notice of what he was doing, other than that he removed the cartridge, adjusted it, put it back and the leak stopped. Sadly the leak has returned.

 

[Silentrunning]

After doing some research into the Belmont Mono I found that it is no longer made. That makes me wonder if there wasn’t an inherent flaw in the basic design. I imagine that replacement parts are going to become scarce in the future. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to help you on this but it seems Belmont has abandoned this design since I can’t even find a current parts list to work with. Maybe @Retired can jump in with some advice.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Doug much appreciated.

This should be a very easy job Mike and as you say your plumber didn't have any problems at all pulling the tap apart. Usually the handle can be left in place with its screw and just the big hex nut unscrewed as suggested by Doug then the tap unit should lift out. Turn the water off both hot and cold then fully open the tap before unscrewing the big hex nut; it should be as simple as that. Take care not to use a lot of force as damage to the sink could occur; it might sound silly Mike but did you unscrew the very big nut because unscrewing the small nut won't release the tap head?

I dislike quarter turn ceramic disc taps with a passion and having tried one of these kitchen mixer tap years ago finally dumped it and replaced it with a new full turn good old fashioned rubber washer type tap; the adverts stated the ceramic disc would never wear out and like a fool I fell for this. Why pay over £10 for new tap inserts just to stop a drip when the old fashioned rubber washer could be replaced for a few pence;

Our full turn mixer tap bought many years ago through eBay.

Good luck Mike because some of these simple jobs can prove highly frustrating.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[diymike]

No, I was undoing the big nut! Thanks for the advice, will give that a try

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Have you fully unscrewed the big nut Mike; if so and the tap unit still refuses to release slide the big nut up the spindle and have a look inside? One way or another the tap unit will unscrew from the main body?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Like you Doug I'm curious about this tap problem and have been giving it a bit more thought.

When you unscrew the big nut Mike this might only be a decorative cover (shroud) leaving the actual tap unit/cartridge still secured tightly? I've been having a nosy on the web because I'm unfamiliar with cartridge taps and I suspected there was something else needing to be unscrewed such as a ring nut?

It's difficult to advise what to do without being in contact with the tap but I would just keep working downhill unscrewing until the unit did eventually come away. Where threads are concerned left hand threads can catch anyone out.

With the top screw removed the handle should pull free but these can be very tight indeed; the gland nut can be removed then the big nut (shroud) with the shroud removed then it will reveal what the shroud covers and hopefully you'll be able to do whatever is necessary to remove the tap unit or cartridge; I'm very interested so stick with it Mike and please keep us updated because you won't be the only one with this problem?

Kind regards, Colin.