# 2 handle shower wrong direction



## Lisa C (Mar 5, 2011)

Wow, I have done this entire rehab without needing advice, and I get stuck right at the end on a faucet!
I will be redoing my bathroom completely, so the only thing I got new was the sink and vanity. I re-plumbed entire house with PEX and everything is beautiful except that bath faucet from hell.
It's a moen, the acrylic 2 handle type. I bought new cartridges because the old ones were shot. 1224 is supposed to be the for hot and cold. I put everything together, and cool-no leaks. But... the cold knob turns the wrong way!
There is a notch in the cartridge that lines up with the faucet body, so that can't be wrong, And the stem will also only fit on the cartridge one way. I am so confused as to how to correct this. It is a 2 handle bath/shower faucet and moen only makes one for this, unless you have a roman faucet and I don't. And the ones I removed are the same as the new ones. I switched the stems and it made no difference either. They both turn counter clockwise.
I never paid attention to how it worked before, but I believe it was correct or I would have noticed because I hate that. The old cartridges are identical to one another, just like the new ones. 
Yes, I am brain drained by now after 4 months of this, so can anyone give me any insight? I would surely appreciate it.
I am on the final stretch before moving in, and this needs completed before the floor and vanity can go in.
Thanks in advance, and sorry if it is something obvious... it has me stumped.
I will be posting pictures asap of the house- the transformation is astounding!


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## Homerepairguy (Aug 1, 2010)

Which direction do your hot and cold handles turn to turn water off?

I install washerless two handle bath/shower handles so both the hot and cold turn off in the clockwise direction. This is because the stem for older screw in compression (washer) type faucets turn water off for both hot and cold in the clockwise direction. So many folks expect both hot and cold handles for the tub/shower to turn off in the clockwise direction.

For our vanities, hot=clockwise, cold=counter-clockwise to turn water off.

HRG


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## Lisa C (Mar 5, 2011)

Yes, they both turn off clockwise- is that normal?
I was thinking hot on left, turn on- counter clockwise
cold on right, turn on - clockwise.
If both should be clockwise, then I am good to go!:thumbup:
Where I am living now, all the faucets are screwed up so maybe I just got used to it, but I was thinking both open turning away from spout.
If turning the same is acceptable, I will gladly get used to it!
Thanks for the response- I am running on empty trying to finish up. I can get confused at nearly anything :no:


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## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

if they are knobs they should turn the same direction. if they are lever handles the hot should turn on counter clockwise
cold should turn on clockwise. on the 2 handle delta faucets all you had to do was spin the stem/cartridge 180 degrees and that changed the handle rotation the other direction, dont know if the moens are like that.


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## Homerepairguy (Aug 1, 2010)

Lisa C said:


> Yes, they both turn off clockwise- is that normal?
> I was thinking hot on left, turn on- counter clockwise
> cold on right, turn on - clockwise.
> If both should be clockwise, then I am good to go!:thumbup:


Both turning off clockwise is normal since that's how older (and currently used compression type) tub/shower faucets work. I think it's especially important for shower faucets, since turning off the wrong way can be uncomfortable (too much cold) or painful (too much hot). For vanities, handles turning the wrong way is annoying depending on what the user's perspective is, but not as uncomfortable or painful as showers... 

And congrats for doing your major plumbing job on your own. Very admirable!

HRG


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Does the stem and cartridge press into the faucet body (and a cap screws on top) or does it screw into the faucet body?


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## Lisa C (Mar 5, 2011)

AllanJ said:


> Does the stem and cartridge press into the faucet body (and a cap screws on top) or does it screw into the faucet body?


The cartridge presses in and the stem has notches. Both cartridges and stems are identical. I tried reversing the stems, but no joy.
I am fine with it this way- as long as that's how it is supposed to be. Backwards faucets, upside down electrical outlets... silly things like that bug me!


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

I had this a few months ago with an elderly customer who had called a local plumbing company out to repair a leak at her tub faucet. When they finished, both faucets turned off in the clockwise direction. She had been used to the HOT being turned off clockwise and the COLD being turned off CCW. A trip to a plumbing house, a new "other-hand" cartridge and all was well. They do make some brands of cartridges in LH and RH.


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