# mixet shower valve temperature handle spins round n round



## pman6 (Jul 11, 2012)

Had a plumber come out to fix a drip.

he put in a new Mixet cartridge for the single handle shower faucet. 
Now the temperature control spins around and around. There is no left or right stop.

what did he do wrong?


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

post a picture of the faucet.....sounds like he did not install limit stop for temp control....ben sr


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

What brand? If you don't know what it is, post a picture--

If the handle works fine except it will not stop in the on and full off position--he may have left out a plastic stop ring--

If the handle is loose and spins but does nothing---you have a loose retaining screw---we need to know the brand---

Did you call the plumber and ask him?


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## pman6 (Jul 11, 2012)

Unfortunately, plumber didn't tell me, and I didn't know to ask. But it looks like the pic below. It had 2 metal washers like this....

I noticed my old cartridge (right) has a divot at the end, just like the new kinds. Is that supposed to stop the temperature handle from turning 360 degrees?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Call the dumb as* back to fix it for free.
What self respecting real plumber would not have tested it while they where there?


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## pman6 (Jul 11, 2012)

I went through the home insurance company, so he has to come back and fix it for free. He's just a junior plumber.

The kicker was that he broke my metal faucet knob (as you see in the pic above, and similar to below) while trying to get to the cartridge, and didn't have a spare plastic one in his truck, so I had to go and buy one at home depot. That's why he couldn't test it completely.

I let him off too easy. I got back, screwed on the new plastic knob, and noticed the cartridge turns round and round inside the socket when I try to turn on the water.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I think he bought the wrong handle---sounds like the cartridge is not being turned by the handle---


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

I've worked on a couple of those. The handle has a real funky screw/stop inside of it the likes of which i've never seen on another valve. A universal handle won't really do the trick, but you CAN buy an entire trim kit for that valve for somewhere in the realm of 25 bucks and it should solve the problem.

Edit : You're lucky you got a plumber to come out on one of those home insurance claims. We run from those.


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## pman6 (Jul 11, 2012)

Actually the handle is turning the cartridge. I can choose hot or cold. The issue is that the knob will stick to the temperature handle when I turn on the water, and the cartridge will spin in the socket (and the temperature handle with it) unless I use the other hand to hold the temperature handle in place.

in the old handle, the handle would not move when turning the knob.

I found this while searching........
http://plumbing.about.com/od/shower_and_tub/ss/Replace-A-Mixet-Shower-Cartridge_7.htm

.... and it seems the cartridge was designed so you could spin it around in the socket?
hmm.... maybe this is normal. I could have sworn there were hot and cold stops.


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## pman6 (Jul 11, 2012)

Alan said:


> I've worked on a couple of those. The handle has a real funky screw/stop inside of it the likes of which i've never seen on another valve. A universal handle won't really do the trick, but you CAN buy an entire trim kit for that valve for somewhere in the realm of 25 bucks and it should solve the problem.



I bought this kit

http://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCra...ar-Handles-Valve-Not-Included-MXT05/100342646

It fits. but again, the cartridge spins in the socket unless I hold the temperature handle while spinning the knob


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

The cartridge should not continue to spin 360* over and over.... if ya do that, it's eventually going to loosen up.

Look at this picture and compare it to yours : 


http://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCra...ar-Handles-Valve-Not-Included-MXT05/100342646

See the screw in the trim plate? That's the stopping point. See the screw in the handle? That's what makes the handle stop turning.

Unless i'm misunderstanding what your problem actually is. 

By the way, this is cheaper than I remember. (edit : nevermind, mine came with a cartridge.)


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Could be that he didn't tighten the packing portion of the cartridge down tight enough, and you're actually loosening the whole thing?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

God bless these so called home owner insurance company's.
This has to be the 100th poster I've seen where they did nothing, said it was not under warranty or messed it up.
A real plumber would have seen that old gate valve and knew there was going to be trouble.
They stick, almost never shut off completely and the shaft can snap off inside the valve.


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