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Author:
Tiffany777 (KY)
The basic problem we were trying to fix was in the bathtub, we had low-flow of both hot and cold, both to the faucet and the shower. It's a Central Brass two-handle system. We bought & replaced both the hot and cold stems and seats, and bought a new tub spout. We installed the new seats with teflon tape, then installed and tightened down the stems, then tightened down the packing nuts, then screwed back on the threaded post covers or whatever they are, then stuck on the handles and closed the stems in a clockwise fashion.
When we turned back on the water and open the stems in a counterclockwise fashion to allow water to flow, all we hear is air, from both cold and hot sides. What am I doing wrong? I know the solution is just under my nose, but I don't understand how these stems work well enough to solve my problem.
Thanks in advance for any advice and help!
Tiffany
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Author:
hj (AZ)
WHERE could "air' be coming from, unless you have a compressor connected to the piping? Either the water is pushing the air out, in which case it should start flowing almost immediately, or you have some weird problem we cannot diagnose from here.
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Author:
packy (MA)
take everything apart again and try turning on the water with no seats or stems. could be debris blocking things.
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Author:
Wheelchair (IL)
Central Brass, used flat bibb washers on their brass stems. If you used tapered washers,,, that might explain.
Central Brass makes plastic cartridges now, for those old brass stems. You may wish to reconsider.
Also remove both stems and turn on the waters to clear the base from any solid debris.
Best Wishes
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
Not likely, but if they sold you cold stems, turning them CCW would have turned the water off, not on.
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Author:
Tiffany777 (KY)
Thank you for all of these answers & suggestions!! Perhaps "air" was a bad description; perhaps I should have said we heard a distinct lack of water, cuz that's what we had! Also, we had removed the stems time and again, and when we turned the water on, it came out the handle pipes just fine, but never came out the tub spout pipe until after ~~
We ended up replacing the whole valve. Apparently it was so clogged that changing the stems just shut the flow down completely.
We tried the "pouring CLR down the shower pipe" trick to no avail; it just came straight out the tub spout pipe.
Upon changing the whole valve and having it soldered in with no leaks, and replacing all seats, stems, handles, (eschucions?), tub spout w/ diverter, the shower head, and the partridge in the pear tree, we are EXACTLY where we wanted to be, which is in the glorious position of having increased pressure in the bathtub!
I appreciate this forum to no end now
Thank you all,
Tiffany
Edited 2 times.
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Author:
Tunes (CA)
I didn't want to believe "no water flow" could be due to anything but my error of installing the stems incorrectly. My first thought was I had to have done something wrong. Wrong parts. Incorrect installation.
I was was so positive I either bought the wrong parts or installed them incorrectly.
So I did everything again... no flow.
Researched the Pfister 3502. Yep, I had purchased the correct stem. Maybe I screwed them in too tightly? They didn't seem too tight but I loosened and then just hand tightened with the intent of firming up the turns a little bit if I got water flow. Tested it. Still no flow.
I was stumped, frustrated, and confused.
So I found this forum and found this thread. Exactly my problem. No flow. I read: "try removing the shower head and turning the water on to flush the riser pipe". Imagine my shock when water came spraying out of that pipe once the show head was removed. That was only the first part of my flush test and that was it. Problem solved.
Thanks to all who posted suggestions.
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