Shower Pressure and Temp. Problems

[SlowDrip]

Uhm. You are missing the rotational temperature control stop. Not sure how that could cause a problem, but I have never installed a faucet without it.

You can see the part in David's picture.


See the large black part in the middle of this picture?

That thingy tells your faucet when it has reached the max selected temperature.


In your photo, below, you can see the teeth where it is supposed to mesh in but no black piece.

My laptop is about three seconds from dead, so if you need me to clarify with some circles and such, I will have to do it late tomorrow when I get home.

 

[Mantis]

I think I know what your talking about, it's actually gray I think on my facet. It is there but I just took it off. For the picture, I can take a picture with it on as well if it's important.

Here are the other pictures of the water heater that David wanted.

 

[Mr_David]

Awesome.
I see you have a ball valve on the cold supply to the WH.
If you turn that off you should not be getting any water from any hot fixture in the hose. If you are, then either it is defective or you have cold water crossing into the hot system some where.
Turn that ball valve off. go to a fixture that has 2 handles ( not a single handle mixing valve) and open the hot only. If you have water, let it run and see if it stops. If it does not stop, go put your ear to every single handled mixing faucet in the house and if you hear water running through it, that maybe your problem. Moen single handle faucets are notorious for this.

I don't see anything unusual about your piping.
You don't have any recirc pumps near the bottom of the heater or anything else that might be of interest.

 

[Mr_David]

What is the first picture of and where do the 2 lines going into sheet metal go?

 

[SlowDrip]

Continue on with David. As long as you have the piece I mentioned and the "H" is against the stop it has nothing to do with your issue. Just wanted to make sure.

 

[Mantis]

Sorry, but which is the ball valve. I'm sure I could figure it out, but I rather be sure before I just start turning things lol.

Those pipes though the sheet metal go to the second floor bathroom (the one with the shower I'm having problems with) So everything between that picture and the picture of the pipping connected to the faucet in the first batch of pictures I sent is all in the walls and I cannot get pictures of it.

 

[Mr_David]

Ball valve is the one with the lever handle in 2nd photo.

 

[Mantis]

Sorry huge snow storm in Michigan and I have been at my fiance's place seeing there was no work and the roads were too bad to drive on. Will be going home after work today and will give you an update on the cold water / ball valve suggestion.

 

[Mantis]

Ok, so i turned off the cold water ball valve and no hot water came out of the sink. But here is the weird part, my shower this morning was nice and hot. No temp. problems at all... however the pressure is still terrible.

Does this make sense to anyone?

 

[Mr_David]

Ok, so i turned off the cold water ball valve and no hot water came out of the sink. But here is the weird part, my shower this morning was nice and hot. No temp. problems at all... however the pressure is still terrible.

Does this make sense to anyone?

Okay now. Let's clarify something or we will just spin in circles.
I marked one of your pictures.
The ball valve is on the cold line going into WH?
"Turn that ball valve off. go to a fixture that has 2 handles ( not a single handle mixing valve) and open the hot only. If you have water, let it run and see if it stops. If it does not stop, go put your ear to every single handled mixing faucet in the house and if you hear water running through it, that maybe your problem. Moen single handle faucets are notorious for this."

Is the sink you mentioned the only 2 handle faucet in the house?
When you took a shower in the morning was the ball valve still closed?

With the ball valve closed, check every fixture in the house.
Check each fixture seperately.
Make a simple list for me.
How many bathrooms?
List # of fixtures?
Do they have single handle or 2 handles (H/C)
Kitchen, single or 2 handle.
Laundry sink? If so, anything connected to the laundry sink faucet?

Now in regards to A or B in the picture where are the 2 valves in the the second picture? or are they directly above your head when you took the picture?

And do the lines going into the sheet metal go toward the problem shower?
If so run the shower and tell me which one is hot and which one is cold.
Are both valves open all the way?

I love a good challange

Let's hope I can help you solve this before I throw up my hands and scream *^*& IT!

I recently repaired a series 1700 like yours, but it was an older version.
It did not have the white plastic piece with the single screw in the back of the valve body. I took some pictures but I'm not at home.
I'm in in Phoenix for a week.

 

[Mantis]

Wow.. ok, well heading to a super bowl party so I will make a list for you afterward, but to answer you other questions. See "Green Text".

Is the sink you mentioned the only 2 handle faucet in the house?
When you took a shower in the morning was the ball valve still closed?

Yes is was a 2 handle faucet, and no it was not closed when I took the shower. I closed the value... check the faucet... then reopened the value.

Now in regards to A or B in the picture where are the 2 valves in the the second picture? or are they directly above your head when you took the picture?

And do the lines going into the sheet metal go toward the problem shower?
If so run the shower and tell me which one is hot and which one is cold.
Are both valves open all the way?

It is not above my head, it's pretty much on the complete opposite side of the basement.

They DO go to the problem shower, they are both open all the way, and in the picture the one running horizontal is the HOT water.

Like I said I will have a list for you later to night or tomorrow. Go Packers! : P

 

[havasu]

Damn Cheesehead! Green Bay, all the way!

 

[Mantis]

List of Faucets and results with ball valve close:

Down stairs Master bathroom:
2 Sinks / 2 Handles each: No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal
Bathtub / 2 Handles : No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal
Shower / 1 Handles: No Hot Water, Cold Water Dribbled Out

Down Stairs Bathroom
Sink / 2 Handles: No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal

Kitchen Sink
1 Handle :No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal

Laundry Room Sink
2 Handles: No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal

Upstairs Bathroom (Problem Shower)
Sink / 1 Handle: No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal
Tub / 1 Handle:
A. Faucet for tub: No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal
B. Shower head : No Hot Water, Cold Water Dribbles out

I thought it was interesting that ONLY the showers had cold water dribbling out and none of the faucets did. Is this to be expected. or does it seem strange to you guys as well? Is there something obstructing flow to only the shower heads?

 

[SlowDrip]

Some water dribbling from your shower head can be expected, it is probably the water left in the lines since the last use. It is very odd that in your upstairs bathroom the shower head does not work but the tub spout does (I assume because of the way that you labeled them that this is a single unit with a diverter)

Have you tried removing the shower heads and seeing what kind of water comes out of the pipe?

 

[Mantis]

No I haven't, but.... I would expect the neither shower to dribble cold water. There should be a steady flow seeing the cold water never got turned off. Only the hot water got turned off.

And it's not Dribbling for a little bit then stopping completely.. it's a steady flow of dribbling.

 

[Mr_David]

Thanks for the info.
Your list was done well.
I would say that you do not have a cross connection problem.


Down stairs Master bathroom:
Shower / 1 Handles: No Hot Water, Cold Water Dribbled Out

This dribble is probably due to a pressure balance spool in the valve.
This is normal scince the hot water is Off.

Okay now lets' clarify something about the problem.

Upstairs Bathroom (Problem Shower)
Sink / 1 Handle: No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal
Tub / 1 Handle:
A. Faucet for tub: No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal
B. Shower head : No Hot Water, Cold Water Dribbles out

Is tub and shower one single unit with a diverter tub spout,
and is this the same type of valve that is in the other bathroom?
When you are stating "No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal"
I presume that the handle is turned to hot only and No water ( hot or cold is comming out)
and cold water is normal with the handle turned to cold only.

If it is the same type of valve as the other bathroom that is working properly, I would think that maybe the balance spool/cartridge is not working properly.
Hmmm! I think someone previously suggested that the new cartridge might be defective.
Remove the head like SlowDrip suggested.

 

[Mantis]

Is tub and shower one single unit with a diverter tub spout,
and is this the same type of valve that is in the other bathroom?

Yes it is a tub and shower with a diverter, however that is NOT like the other bathroom. The master bathroom is a jacuzzi tub completely separate from a single shower unit. However; the shower unit does in fact have the same handle as the problem shower... there just isn't a faucet too seeing it's ONLY a shower. Does that make sense... I know it' a bit confusing.

So... both showers have the same handles, even though one is JUST a shower and the problem spot is a shower / tub sort of deal.

When you are stating "No Hot Water, Cold Water Normal"
I presume that the handle is turned to hot only and No water ( hot or cold is comming out)
and cold water is normal with the handle turned to cold only.

Yes, this is correct.

Again... I dunno what happened, but the water temperature seems to be fine since I closed that ball value and then re opened it. Anyone know why that might happen?

Pressure still sucks though.

 

[SlowDrip]

Modern showers have built in pressure limiters to "conserve water" which may be contributing to the crappy pressure.


Try removing the heads and see what kind of temperature and flow you get (warning, water will spray all over so do this with the curtain/door closed as much as possible)

 

[Mantis]

OK I will try that tonight, but if it was a pressure limiter, wouldn't it have been crappy all along instead of all of the sudden?

 

[SlowDrip]

Not if it is gummed up with calcium or lime deposits.