ceramic seat 1/4 turn taps and easytap ?

Hi all, I have a question, or perhaps questions.

My ladyfriend has taps that are the worst I've ever seen. She has showers built into the walls as usual, and a basin with 2 taps and spout, usual thing.

The basin has had completely new taps put on it and still leaks. The only washers that work at all are the half round rubber ones and they only last about 3 months. We've tried every other sort, copper, o-ring, doustvalve. All leak immediately. Don't ask me why, I can only imagine her taps are riddled with casting flaws. I've tried recutting the seats.

So today I found the easytap site. I called reece and they are about $70 a pair. I can of course get a set of 1/4 turn taps for the basin and fit them easily enough, they start about $80 on ebay, but that's not such an easy fix for the showers. If these easytaps work it will be a huge win.

So the question is has anyone here had experience with these 1/4 turn taps ? specifically with regards leaking.

Has anyone by chance tried the easytaps ?

http://www.easytap.com.au/index.htm

Any experiences you care to share most appreciated.

Try reseating the things! It won't matter what tapwashers you use if the tap seats are stuffed.
Remove the furniture, take out the tap "mechanism" and washer and point a torch down the hole. If the area where the washer is supposed to seat has been scored by water action then they need to be "reseated". A simple task and the tool is available from your local hardware or from your plumbing supply business.

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Originally Posted by Christopha

Try reseating the things! It won't matter what tapwashers you use if the tap seats are stuffed.

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Ahem Christopha, he has said that he has already tried that :doh:

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Originally Posted by damian

Don't ask me why, I can only imagine her taps are riddled with casting flaws. I've tried recutting the seats.

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The easytap inserts make the body seat redundant.

I've recut the seats as best I can. Concious of how thin they can be I carefully cut until I've got no more "dull" bits than stop. Hasn't seemed to help. Brass looks like it has one or two hairline marks through it. Don't know if they are cosmetic or through cracks.

As I say I'm more interested in people's experience with the 1/4 turn type taps. I expect I've exhausted all the options for the std taps.

You know I've done tonnes of industrial hydraulic work, and I'll never forget how shocked and appauled I was when I first saw domestic plumbing. Astoundingly bad....

Dont know anything about those, but have the same problem and fixed it by replacing the spindle. about six bucks I think.

Put in 1/4 turn ceramic taps in basin, bath & shower & kitchen about 7-8 years ago, and if I ever have to replace other taps, they are what I would go for. No leaks, not having to turn them off too tight. Well worth the money.

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Originally Posted by AlexS

Put in 1/4 turn ceramic taps in basin, bath & shower & kitchen about 7-8 years ago, and if I ever have to replace other taps, they are what I would go for. No leaks, not having to turn them off too tight. Well worth the money.

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Good luck
We put 1/4 turn ceramic taps in when the bathroom was done just under 11 years ago
they were great for the first 10 years, but over the past 6 months or so the basin taps have started to leak something fierce

That's what I want to hear. Experiences with them preferably long term. The easytaps are about $70 a pair. If she gets 10 years, or even 5 years, out of them she'll be happy.

Thank you for the replies.

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Originally Posted by ian

Good luck
We put 1/4 turn ceramic taps in when the bathroom was done just under 11 years ago
they were great for the first 10 years, but over the past 6 months or so the basin taps have started to leak something fierce

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Yep, the plumber said that they can eventually leak. They come with a little 2-pronged tool to use when changing the washers/seats, but haven't had to use it so far.

Just a comment about the quarter-turn ceramic taps: they aren't valves, so there might be unwanted back-flow. With conventional taps with washers, if the hot and cold lines meet (as they must if they are jointly feeding a single spout or showerhead), the valve action prevents cold water flowing up the hot line and vice versa. With ceramics, unless the hot and cold pressures are equal, you can get mains-pressure cold water back-flowing into your hot water system.:no:

I seem to remember, from installing them in a house in Melbourne a long time back, that it is (or was) illegal to install them in common-outlet situations if the pressure difference was above a certain margin. That was then and there, and this is now and in a different state, but you might want to check up on it.

- Michael

A true Pita Damian.

Have had to fix many taps over the years. I have rental properties and have owned and lived in several residences myself.

When metal prices are high the quality of materials used for plumbing fittings seems to decline. Along with that problem we now have so much of our fittings made OS ( read China ) that it is difficult to get really good quality parts. your supposition about the quality of the taps in question is probably correct. Added to this you have the corrosive nature of chlorinated water.
I had no end of leaky tap problems in our current abode until we renovated bathroom and kitchen and installed the single lever type taps that are so popular these days.These have a cartridge and are supposed to give up to 20 years trouble free service. I have seen them in American homes and that certainly seems to be the case. I am very happy with our taps. No trouble for three years!!

A friend of mine bought a set of stainless steel seats and the appropriate tool for inserting them ( It requires the tapping of a thread in the tap body ). Job done, no more problems.

Ceramic 1/4 turn units are fine but very pricey.

I was told when we fitted ceramics a few years ago not to do it if you do not have a mains filter as debris get into the taps and they leak. We have had two problems in 6 years, both leaked due to broken O'rings on the shaft as best as I could tell. They came with 5 year warranty and were replaced no questions asked. Personally I would replace them with 3/4 turn as it is easier to regulate.

Thank you all for the comments.