Toto Shower Valve

[bulldogcreative]

Now that was weird...

Working fine yesterday - today little to no hot water.

Turning the lever from cold to hot, it "clicks" half way and the hot water is reduced to a trickle at best.

Hot water and hot water pressure is fine everywhere else.

Can this be repaired or do i have to replace the whole thing?

 

[Jadnashua]

Without a picture or model number, it's hard to say. It sort of sounds like the pressure balance spool valve is stuck. But, the 'guts' of most any valve can be replaced without replacing the whole thing. Depending on the valve, it may have a lifetime warranty, so a call to Toto may just get you the repair parts for free.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[bulldogcreative]

Hi -- it's a TOTO nexus control valve.

If it is the pressure balance spool - how do you take this out and clean it?

 

[Jadnashua]

now, how to get it apart, you'd have to study the document and figure it out...much easier with it in front of you. It has a warranty, and Toto will probably send you a new part. I'd call them, and ask the questions, and get the part on the way. Whether you can free it up (assuming that's the problem) or not, hard to say. Sometimes, it's just something like a grain of sand and a robust tap will free it up.

 

[bulldogcreative]

So i phoned toto too - they said to try the screw to the left (the one that stops the flow of hot water - open it all the way the close it a quarter turn. Did this and it's still the same. I also removed the pressure balance spool- it was clean.

This is what happens (see video)...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/947o33ddty67x6v/IMG_2008-2.MOV?dl=0

 

[Jadnashua]

The inner part must be able to move freely back and forth. WHat happens is if say someone flushes a toilet and the cold water pressure momentarily gets lower, that valve slides and adjusts the amount of hot so that the overall temperature stays close to the same. If the pressure drops too far, it can shut the flow off entirely. If that is moving freely, and those stops to the left and right of the main valve are fully open without obstructions, it's likely the cartridge.

To check to make sure there's no obstruction on the inlets, you could take the cartridge out and then turn each supply on independently and see what volume you get out of it. It will get messy, so you don't need to open it up fully so you don't get water behind the wall. In theory, if the spool valve is working properly, it should shut off all water if only one supply is on. If it can't move fully back and forth, it might not do that.

 

[bulldogcreative]

Update -

I received a new stop valve from TOTO. Which I replaced (this was the HOT feed)

However when I put it in, there was little to no flow from the COLD side.

Hmmm

I reversed them and put the new one in the cold side, the old one on the hot side - hot side is fine, but cold trickles out.

No idea what is going on...

I have a video..

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bukbu4zd0zix88c/File 2015-09-20, 5 20 12 PM.mov?dl=0

Could it be the pressure balancing spool? Additionally, the springed seat is cracked and leaks, so i will have to get a new one.

If that's not all, i've tried just the hot side "ON" and there is NO flow whatsoever out of the tap (even just hot water) - Is this also an issue with the cartridge?

 

[Jadnashua]

A pressure balance shower valve is designed to prevent flow when only one side has pressure, so with just the hot on it should NOT output much of anything (it might dribble a little bit). So, that portion is working correctly. Essentially, the thing wants pressure from both the hot and cold sides to work.

 

[bulldogcreative]

ok - so as I understand - and by process of elimination -

1) If the stop valves, once removed, have water coming through the holes where they are seated - the water flow is fine.
2) If the stop valves, once in place, have only little to no water coming through on one side (hot or cold) - the pressure control valve is working.

Therefore:

If the cartridge, once in place, still does not produce any water - hot or cold - through the tap it is a defective cartridge?

And if that cartridge once in place leaks - i also need new spring and seat.

Is this correct?

 

[Jadnashua]

SOme valve bodies have filter screens on their inlet, and that could be clogged. That is prior to the cartridge. Some cartridges can be inserted more than one way, and you must ensure yours is inserted properly. Most cartridges cannot readily be disassembled to be cleaned internally. Take the cartridge out and have someone momentarily turn on the water supplies to verify water comes out the valve body, then, if it does, the only thing left is the cartridge. Well, it's possible that the riser pipe to the shower head or the tub spout is clogged, so you could also take the shower head off.

 

[bulldogcreative]

so here's an update.

Via the TOTO slow mail train i received a new pressure spool and new seat and spring sets.

Still nothing. No water, etc.

However, I did what you said and the water flows freely without the cartridge. I can't figure out what is wrong at all (FWIW I also opened up the water with the pressure spool in place and the water gushes out - so most likely no clog there...

I should phone on monday and ask for a new cartridge...

 

[bulldogcreative]

Help me please.

I had ToTo send me a new valve. Nothing worked with the replacement parts they sent me.

i put the new valve in and lo and behold - no water!

So i do not know what happened or what is going on.

There is water getting to the valve - that i checked..

Put with the water fully on - there is nothing working.

Help!

 

[Jadnashua]

Did you turn on BOTH the hot and cold supplies? If you did not, the valve is working like it should.

 

[Terry]

Like Jim mentioned, both the hot and the cold need to be open for the "balancing" to work.
It's designed to shut down a side if the other side is low pressure. Try it with "both" open at once.
You need equal pressure coming from both sides.