DIY cork valve repair

In detail: DIY repair of a cork valve from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

How does a cone (cork) valve work? Where are these products used? What, for example, is a cork valve 11B6BK DU50 used for? How good are these elements of valves in water supply and heating systems against the background of alternatives? Let's try to answer these questions.

This is the name of a closing or regulating device, the main element of which - a plug - has the shape of a full or truncated cone with a through channel and is in contact with the body with all lateral surfaces. Impermeability to water, air, gas or other medium transported by the pipeline is ensured by the absence of a gap between the walls of the housing and the plug.

The design of a plug valve implies a large friction area and, as a result, a large hardening required for turning. Of course, with a huge pipeline diameter, it will become unacceptably huge; in addition: the adhesion of surfaces will additionally increase the resistance.

It is on this basis that corrosion-resistant materials with a low coefficient of friction - brass and cast iron - are traditionally used for the manufacture of cork valves.

Please note: due to the peculiarities of the design and the low mechanical strength of the metals used, the diameter of cork valves rarely exceeds 100 mm, and the working pressure is 16 atmospheres.

There are no rules without exceptions: if you are thirsty for sale, it is possible to find a cork straight-through valve with a diameter of up to 200 millimeters in a metal case.

But to those valves that can be found in basements, it has little to do with:

To facilitate the rotation of the plug, a gearbox with a steering wheel is used.
The plug is still made of cast iron: if two metal elements stick to each other, the gearbox will not help to tear them apart.

Video (click to play).

It is not difficult to realize how the tap shuts off the movement of water or gas in the pipeline. How exactly is it ensured that there is no leakage to the environment?

The plug passes through the valve body completely. Its threaded shank, when tightening the nut screwed on it, presses the plug against the body with greater hardening. The gap-free design ensures that there is no leakage through the valve in the pipeline or into the environment.

Curious: when the valve is operating, the level of quality of grinding surfaces improves over time.

The gas plug cone valve, which can be seen on the supply line to the gas stove in most Russian apartments, is arranged in a pair otherwise: the plug is pressed to the body not by a nut, but by a spring. Small hold-down hardening coupled with lubricant provides moderate plug rotation hardening; but the high working pressure of the structure is more than small.

Finally, for water supply and heating, a plug-gland valve was massively used: the gland packing near the stem ensured the absence of leaks. In most cases, a braided graphite gland was used.

How the packing was clamped in most cases depended on the valve material:

Brass products were crimped with a union nut.
A cork cast-iron crane often used several bolts to crimp the gland, which pulled the gland to the lugs of the body.

Flanged... Adjacent flanges are pulled together by four to eight bolts; tightness is ensured by a paronite or rubber gasket.
Threaded or coupling... Plumbing linen and unnatural sealing materials are used for sealing.

Depending on the nominal diameter of the connected pipeline, the DN (nominal bore) of the valve is indicated. Domestic documentation uses the metric system; DN corresponds approximately to the inner diameter of the pipeline in millimeters. Imported goods are more often labeled in inches:

Here are a couple of examples of the use of cork valves in different designs.

The most vivid example is a samovar faucet. The plug in it is held in the valve body only by its own weight.

Mixers of the Soviet example with a lever switch were not very ergonomic in use and often leaked; but they were virtually indestructible. Breaking a lever or a plug was not an easy task.
Three-way cork taps were used to regulate the temperature in apartments: depending on the position, they let the coolant flow through the battery, through the jumper, or completely blocked it.

By the way: the last function of the crane was a circumstance of the fierce hostility of the locksmiths who served the areas built up by the Khrushchevs. Finding out which of the tenants turned off the tap on the riser was far from straightforward.

We have already mentioned gas taps of the Soviet example. The plug valve, against the background of the then widespread screw valves, really looked much more reliable and ensuring that there were no leaks.
Finally, along with the screw valve, a plug stuffing box valve was the most common element of shut-off water supply to heating systems and fittings in the 60s - 80s of the last century. It was there, for example, that the 11B6BK DU50 valve mentioned at the beginning of our material was massively used: it was mounted on the hot water and heating insets in the elevator nodes.

What do cork taps look like when compared to alternatives for plumbing?

Let's start by praising them.

Unlike screw valves, they do not need to be oriented in some way in the direction of the water flow. The valve breakage is not easily threatened due to its absence.
A straight and wide through channel in the plug forms a fairly moderate hydraulic resistance - again, in contrast to the meandering strokes in a screw valve.
For the same reason, plug valves will never become clogged with scale, rust and sand under any circumstances. Garbage simply has nowhere to stay in them.
Cork valves compare favorably with modern ball valves in higher resistance to high temperatures.

But: 150 C, which is large for a ball valve, is the temperature limit on the supply line of the heating main during the peak of winter cold weather. Higher values are achievable only in steam heating systems, which are currently used only by a few industrial companies.

The author's experience of communicating with plug valves in water supply and heating systems makes it possible to formulate the following main claims to them:

Both cast iron and brass valves boil with long inactivity. In order to crank them at the end of five years of inactivity, hardening is required, fully talented to break the threads on the drive.
At the end of the notorious period of inactivity, the smallest turn of the valve leads to water leakage through the gland. Yes, this is a nuisance - non-specialized for all stuffing box products; but with a screw valve, it is solved by its complete opening. Immediately you have to fill the oil seal again.
By the way, about the oil seal: it is possible to fill it only by first shutting off and throwing off the water. What is the instruction related to? If you open the valve under pressure, the disturbed plug will quite possibly fly in your face at the front of the water flow. At best, cold, at worst, scalding hot.

For comparison: a valve with ground-in cheeks for stuffing the gland with your own hands is enough.

Sealless (tension) valves have to be loosened before opening or closing, which is accompanied by water leakage.Especially touching when you are under the valve. If, however, do not loosen the tension nut, there is a real chance of tearing off the thread from the plug.
The stem for turning has to be taken with an adjustable, open-end or (much more often) a gas wrench. As a result, quite often used valves can be easily identified by the rods that are rounded or even virtually absent above the stuffing box.
With all that, the price of a plug valve is not lower, but usually higher than a ball valve of the same size.

The conclusions are rather disappointing. The obsolete design has already lost the battle for the plumbing communications market and can only be used in highly specialized industrial pipelines.

In buildings where there is a three-way plug valve under the radiator, it is only possible to recommend replacing the connections as soon as possible.

As always, in the video in this article, the reader will be able to find additional thematic data. Good luck!

Probably, each of us should know how to fix a water tap. Moreover, in most cases, the malfunction can be eliminated fairly quickly and at no extra cost, but the call of the master should be expected for more than one hour, and he will take a lot of money for the work.

In our article, we will tell you about the most common breakdowns of water taps, after which we will provide repair algorithms for most models.

With experience and skills, any malfunction can be quickly eliminated

Before you repair a faucet mixer, you should take the time to analyze the situation. This way we can understand exactly what actions are worth taking, thereby saving a lot of time.

Leakage is the most common problem

The list of breakdowns includes the following items:

In principle, this table describes the main faults. Other situations that may arise during the operation of the crane are derived from those already analyzed, and therefore they need to be repaired according to a similar algorithm.

But such cracks cannot be repaired.

Also, before starting work, you should carefully familiarize yourself with the design features of the model you have installed. As a rule, an assembly drawing of a faucet comes with the product itself, therefore, when installing a new faucet, this document should be saved.

Note!
If you can't find the diagram, then you should enter the query "assembly drawing method for indicating the water tap" in the search engine and select your model.
Most manufacturers put their technical documentation online, so the chances of finding what you need is very high.

Now we will try to figure out what to do in each specific case. And let's start with the most common situation, namely, with the elimination of the causes of leakage of the shut-off element.

Drawing of the body of the faucet and a schematic representation of the shut-off elements

Cranes, in which an axle box acts as a shut-off valve, are the easiest to repair.

The algorithm of actions here is as follows:

Before disassembling the water tap, be sure to shut off the water on the riser.
Remove the lining from the flywheel, under which the fixing screw is located.
Unscrew the screw using a screwdriver, then remove the flywheel from the guides.
Removing decorative cones, covering the place of attachment of the axlebox.
Using an adjustable wrench, unscrew the worn-out axle box from the socket... We clean the cavity from sediment and blot it with a rag, removing the remaining water.

We install in place a new axle boxscrewing it along the thread. In this case, you do not need to make unnecessary efforts so as not to damage the structure.
Next, we need to check the valve for leaks.... We turn on the water on the riser and inspect the place where the axle box is installed.
Grabbing the stock with pliers, we turn it several times... The flow of water must be switched on and off quickly and clearly.
We carry out the assembly in the reverse orderby installing decorative cones and securing the flywheel to the crane.

In some cases, crane axle boxes can be repaired. It all depends on their design.

Remove the gasket from the end of the axle box

Products with a rubber gasket are more maintainable:

Use a screwdriver to unscrew the screw securing the gasket at the end.
We dismantle the sealing element and install a new one of the appropriate size in its place.
We fix the gasket with a screw, clamping it tightly enough, but without deformation.

It will be somewhat more difficult with ceramic axle boxes:

Remove the rubber gasket from the end, and then remove the end cap.
We dismantle the ceramic plates, if necessary, unscrewing their fixing element.
We clean the inner cavity of the axle box, removing dirt that can lead to leaks.

Fully disassembled ceramic axle box

We return the plates to their place, observing the correct position: when the stem is turned, they must completely cover the hole, interrupting the water flow.
We complete the assembly by replacing the dismantled elements.

Note!
Leakage is often caused by wear on the ceramic plates themselves, so a complete replacement may be necessary.
And it is quite difficult to find these parts, and the price of the repair kit will not be much less than the cost of a new axle box.

The device of the water tap and mixer, which is controlled by one lever, differs from the axle-box structure.

Accordingly, the dismantling of such a product for repair must be performed according to a different scheme:

First, lift up the red and blue front bezel.
Under the cover there is usually a screw for a Phillips screwdriver or a hexagon - we unscrew it.
Next, remove the handle, carefully disconnecting it from the stem of the ball or cartridge locking mechanism.
The next step is to provide access to the fittings themselves. To do this, unscrew one or two nuts.

Note!
Very often, manufacturers make an internal locking nut with grooves for a special tool.
You can either purchase a similar wrench, or try to unscrew the part with your own hands using the tools at hand.

Read also: Front rack DIY repair

Unscrewing the nut with a special tool

By removing the nut, we gain access to either the cartridge or the ball valve. They are dismantled quite simply, and the replacement will not cause difficulties.

Repair set for ball mixer

To restore the functionality of a single-lever mixer, most often it is necessary to completely change the functional element.

The instruction recommends to proceed as follows:

We remove the cartridge from the slot by pulling it vertically upwards along the guides. If the part is skewed, you can correct its position with a slight side impact.
We clean the cavity under the cartridge from rust and debris that can cause a leakage.
We install a new cartridge, fix it with one nut and check how well it blocks the water. If there are no leaks, and the adjustment is working properly, we assemble the mixer.

Cartridge removed from slot

Ball valves have their own characteristics. Their main advantage is that the ball itself rarely breaks, so repairs usually involve replacing gaskets. We act like this:

Grasping the stem, remove the ball from the socket.
Using tweezers or small pliers, remove the spring-loaded gaskets that press the ball against the body.

Removing the sealing elements

We replace the gaskets, after which we install the ball in place.
Put a new sealing ring on top and clamp the valve with a union nut for the mixer.
As in previous cases, it is better to check the tightness of the structure before complete assembly.

In addition to the actual repair of the locking mechanism, other measures are sometimes necessary to restore the working capacity of the crane.

For example, in case of problems with the aerator, we proceed as follows:

Using an adjustable wrench with plastic covers, carefully grab the aerator and unscrew it from the spout.
We take out the installed mesh and thoroughly rinse it, removing all dirt.
At the same time, we clean the mixer spout with a flexible brush, trying to remove layers from the inner walls as much as possible.
We screw the aerator onto the spout, making sure that the thread is not skewed.

If a leak occurs at the place of fixation of the swivel spout, we proceed as follows:

Gently twist the union nut using an adjustable wrench. We remove the "gander".
We remove the rubber gasket from the socket.
We install a new one in its place. The diameter and thickness of both elements must match.
We return the spout to its place, fixing it with a union nut.

It is this gasket that requires replacement.

Some malfunctions do not affect the operation of the mixer, but significantly degrade its appearance. Typically, these include scratches, chips, scuffs, etc. And although a full restoration of chrome or nickel plating is quite expensive, throwing the tap away and buying a new one is not at all necessary.

You can return an attractive look to the product by painting:

We dismantle the mixer, completely disassembling it and removing all non-metallic parts.
We grind metal surfaces, removing scratches, and then thoroughly degrease.

Metallic silver aerosol

Note!
If the scratches are minor, then this polish can be applied without painting: it restores factory chrome / nickel plating well.

After finishing the polishing, we assemble the crane and put it in place.

Repair of a water tap and mixer can be carried out according to different schemes. It all depends on how well we analyze the breakdown and what decision we make at the planning stage. You can explore the troubleshooting steps themselves by watching the video in this article.Faucet leakage problems are relevant to bathrooms, which we use several times a day. Small droplets dripping slowly and continuously from the mixer are the first signal that an urgent repair is needed.It is not difficult to eliminate the breakdown, having an understanding of the device mechanism of the device. As they say, repairing a mixer with your own hands is an everyday matter.Typical mixer problems are leaks caused by:

faulty shower;

defects of the conical plug;

wear of the crane axle box.

But most often the rubber gasket wears out, the condition of the crane depends on its integrity and strength.Most often, leakage from the valve is due to the wear of the rubber gasket in it. This is the most common situation. Both mixer taps can leak.You will need the tools shown in the photo:The thickness of the new gasket is from 4 mm. You can make it from a piece of rubber sheet. The process of cutting it is the simplest, but if there are doubts about the quality of hand-made production, then in the future it is advisable to change the home-made gasket to a factory product.As a template for cutting the gasket, the one that needs to be replaced is suitable. If it is too deformed, then it should be taken into account that the manufactured part of the seal must be 1 mm larger in diameter than the previous one.The edge resulting from the increase in Ø should be reworked: cut along the circumference from the side of contact with the seat at an angle of 45º so that this seal “fits” tightly into the hole to be closed and the valve with a new gasket does not buzz.After replacing the gasket, everything must be returned to its place. Insert the crane-axle back. Usually, when removing the crane axle boxes, it is always advised to treat the internal cavity from plaque.This plaque is usually the result of the hardness of the water. A plumbing adjustable wrench is used in the reassembly of the mixer.In most cases, mixers have problems with valves, especially with half-turn ones. The valve can be changed or repaired. There are no particular difficulties in how to repair a broken mixer in the bathroom yourself.In a conventional valve, which is unscrewed in a circular motion, most often it is necessary to change the gasket or stuffing box. A brief instruction on replacing the gasket is posted above, and in case of problems with the gland packing, they usually try to tighten the gland.Here, a small nut will be involved, located at the base of the crane box. The cross section of this nut is square. In a clockwise direction, you need to tighten the nut until it stops.If these manipulations turn out to be useless, then it will be necessary to unscrew the oil seal ring. After unscrewing, a special gland packing is wound around the valve stem. Then the ring will need to be screwed back well. All of the above actions help to stop the leak.

Repair of the valve seat - the cavity into which the valve box is screwed in - is necessary if, after replacing the gasket or valve box, water does not stop flowing from the valve. With prolonged use of the mixer, it often deforms, and this causes leaks.Chips and scratches that appear can be removed by milling. It is necessary to scroll the deformed area a little with a mill. After this scrolling, the mixer is reassembled, and if the seat is properly polished, there will be no leakage.To solve this problem, you need to do the following:

buy a switch;

disassemble the crane;

replace the broken part.

If deformations are found in the conical plug used to mix water from the hot and cold water supply pipes, it must be replaced. When eliminating any breakdown, the water supply is always shut off. The following photo shows how the switch is removed:When eliminating the above-described malfunctions, it is not necessary to remove the mixer from the mount. But there are also more global problems with valve mixer, which are also quite solvable.Learn more about some malfunctions of plug-change mixers and how to fix them.The shower-spout switch mechanism can be repaired without replacement. Consider the original way of fixing the switch flywheel to the stem:Now we just have to drill a hole on the switch stem and assemble the mixer:Eliminate the leak, following a specific algorithm, and then change the mixer.

Initially, in this situation, the water is turned off. Special shut-off taps are located on the water supply pipes.

After closing, for testing, the valves are turned to the opening side to the maximum.

Then the connecting nuts are very carefully unscrewed. They break easily in modern mixer designs. Regular brass nuts are easier to unscrew. They will not crack or break. A broken nut needs to look for an analogue in shape.

Next, remove the mixer.

When removing the mixer, the pipe is turned inside out, at the border of which a leak is detected with the coupling. When unscrewing, the edges of the branch pipe are held with a wrench or by the collar. A nut is screwed onto the removed branch pipe. You need to tighten it correctly, to the end. The new nut is taken from the old mixer. The reliability of the installation of the nut is determined in comparison with its original position.When it comes to replacing the mixer, be sure to determine the size of the nozzles. The mixer is always sold complete with them. When differences are found between the old and new nozzles, both are changed, and not only the one that flows. If they are identical, then only one can be changed.To understand how the leak is removed in this case, consider the diagram:During the installation of the branch pipe, there may be nuances.When screwing in, this part is held by the collar. The thread must remain free by two turns. All others are wound with sealing threads. Usually this seal is advised to be impregnated with linseed oil or oil paint. After such wetting, you must immediately screw the branch pipe into its proper place - this serves as a guarantee against repeated leakage.After cutting off the water, they first try to simply tighten the nut, and then, after supplying water, check for a leak. If the leak persists, the nut is unscrewed, and the mixer moves along the branch pipe closer to the wall. Then you need to remove the hose attached to the bracket.This is necessary to regulate the position of the mixer. Moving the mixer, they look at the end of the branch pipe, because it is with respect to it that the location of the device is changed.This is done until it becomes possible to remove the old gasket, which adjoins the nut and ensures tightness. You can try to remove the gasket without touching the mixer. This often fails. The reason for this is the adhesion of the gasket to the pipe (to its end).It is also not possible to pull out the pressed gasket. Then the shower is detached from the wall. This will help turn the mixer. All nuts on the mixer are loosened to facilitate turning.The replacement gasket is simply cut out of the rubberized sheets. In thickness, it should be from three to five millimeters. On the nut, you must prudently leave free space for two threads of thread. After replacing the gasket, everything easily falls into place.Sometimes there is a leak between the body and the sidewall. The mixer is separated from the piping, then from the shower. Remove the nose. The sidewall is turned inside out. Then it is smeared with putty. You can use paint instead of putty. Do not use the mixer until the lubricant is completely dry.Usually the problem is associated with blockages in the supply line to the mixer. The pipes and sidewalls can be clogged. To correct the situation, you will need to clear the blockage. For this, the valve head is turned out. Then a steel wire is pushed into the resulting hole. We take out all the garbage, sand. Then you can clean the cavity with a vinegar solution from plaque.A similar nuisance is a sharp decrease in the water pressure from the spout. Usually the cause of the problem lies in the blockage of the aerator. It is solved by unscrewing it and cleaning the meshes. They are purged and then washed. You can use a needle to remove sand from the mesh.What if the water flows, but the spout falls? This is due to the fact that the retaining ring broke. There is a temporary solution before purchasing a new part.After closing the valves, you need to make an expanding ring. It is usually made from copper wire. The diameter of the material for the ring must match the diameter of the old product. After the ring is made with a soldering iron, it is advisable to treat it with liquid oil. This will prevent rust formation.This situation is associated with loss or breakage of the limiter. Knowing where exactly this part is located, it is easy to put it back in place. To do this, disassemble the mixer, find a malfunction and return the element to its place, applying light blows with a hammer to the protruding part of the limiter. Also, the stopper can be replaced with a small piece of brass wire - this will at least temporarily solve the problem of leaks.Sometimes there are troubles with a shower hose and a watering can, more often due to wear of individual elements or poor water quality.Typically, water does not pass through the mesh well when there are blockages in its holes. Here, after removing the mesh, it is easy to clean it with an ordinary awl or needle.After screwing the mesh back, the water supply and the direction of the jets are restored. Both the plastic panel with holes and the rest of the shower and mixer can be wiped with a vinegar solution to remove plaque and stains.

If the leak appears due to wear of the inner part or the winding, it makes no sense to repair the hose, it is easier to buy a new one. Its cost is low, and the service life of new modifications is much longer.If both the drain and the shower are leaking at the same time, the point is in the loosened joint between the cork and the body. To remedy the situation, first unscrew the locking screw. The next step is to tighten the union nut. This reduces leakage, but it is difficult to switch the water from the drain to the shower.To completely eliminate the leak, you need to grind the plug to the mixer body using special lapping pasty compounds. They are sold in many stores.Lever joystick mixers are preferred by most people. It is very convenient to use them, since only the mixer handle is turned to achieve the required water temperature. It is also very easy to create the required water pressure by moving the lever up and down.To understand how to fix a single-lever mixer yourself, you need to have an idea of its device.Instead of valves with gaskets closing the channels with water, there are special cartridges here. They are usually ball or disc. They do not need to be changed as often as the same gaskets. The disc cartridge cannot be replaced with a ball cartridge. For a ball lever mixer, only their cartridges are suitable, and for a disc mixer - their own.Hinged, they are single-lever or joystick, mixers are extremely sensitive to the quality of tap water. Therefore, malfunctions often occur not due to breakdown or failure of the locking device, but due to the appearance of sediment and clogging of the mates of moving parts.Let's take a look at how the Grohe Eurosmart bathtub model 3300001 was cleaned with a spout 08915 that switches the shower to the spout. This device did not work; water was simultaneously flowing into the shower head and into the gander. Note that the master did not have to replace parts and seals, it was enough just to remove rust and calcium build-up.After cleaning and flushing the switching mechanism, it remains to "figure out" the pressure. As it turned out, for this it is enough to clean the spout aerator:After the traditional shut-off of the water, we unscrew the fixing of the mixer. Then you will need to remove the lever as carefully as possible, and this must be done carefully, slowly loosening it. Raise and pull the lever only when no resistance is felt. To continue working, you need to unscrew the thread connection.After dismantling the mixer dome, the plastic component will be visible. Behind it, a seal is usually visible, which needs to be cleaned or replaced. It is a regular rubber gasket. If the ball element is damaged, it must also be replaced.The ball is fixed with seals, the suitability of which must be monitored.Lever (joystick) faucets need careful handling, easy and smooth operation.When installing any cartridge, be sure that the projections on it are identical to the projections on the mixer.Disk cartridges rarely need to be replaced as they last up to 10 years. But mixers with such a consumption are not cheap, although they fully justify themselves.A little about how to postpone the repair of the mixer for a long time. One of the simplest solutions is to monitor the quality of the water supplied to the mixer using modern mechanical filters. The hard particles of sand and pebbles will not spoil the parts, and they will last much longer.It is recommended to install coarse filters at the beginning of the fork in the water supply system of the dwelling. Today a self-cleaning filter is available to the consumer. All filtered sediments from it are sent straight to the sewer. It is not always possible to install a large filter.Where it is not there, the mixer itself is connected to the connecting taps, where cleaning filters are already built in.Filters are available to reduce water hardness. This is important for ceramic faucets, as they suffer the most from the presence of salt deposits in the water.And finally, advice from experienced plumbers. If the pipes hum when you turn on the mixer, you need to check how well they are fixed and, if necessary, fix them with clamps. In some cases, the humming is due to high pressure in the pipes, then a special reducer will be required to reduce the pressure. This noise is often caused by worn valve gaskets; after replacement, it disappears.Before the upcoming replacement of the gasket, it will be useful to watch the following video: