Shower only works on hot or a dribble

[kgard]

I have a Simmons Temptrol model C shower(no tub) single handle which stopped giving out any cold water. It will work fine on full hot but just gives a dribble when turned towards cold. I thought at first the head was clogged so I replaced that. Next I tried to clean the cartridge with lime away - no good. I called around to find a new cartridge and had to special order it. Came today but I still get no cold water. There is another shower running on the same hot and cold water lines and it works fine. I can see the entire shower fixture from an access behind the shower but don't see anything else which could stop the cold water from entering the fixture. Help !!!!!!!!!

 

[Verdeboy]

If that model has a pressure balancing spool, it is probably stuck.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[kgard]

There is some kind of pressure balancer inside the cartridge but it rattles back and forth. I bought a new cartridge to make sure that was not the problem. Could there be something elsewhere that would cause the cold water to be blocked?

 

[Verdeboy]

If it's not the spool, could be the cold stop valve wasn't turned back on, or there is a blockage at any point from the stop valve up to the cartridge.

Have you tried flushing out the system? Remove the cartridge and have an assistant turn on the water for a few seconds--first hot and then cold. If you have hot and cold water coming out at good pressure, then, the problem is with the cartridge, whether it is new or not.

 

[kgard]

Thanks Verdeboy. By cold water stop valve do you mean the main turn on knob from the water supply? I have no problem with the other shower which is plumbed in series with this one. I was a little nervous to turn on the water while the cartridge was out but I will try that in the morning. There are 2 screw in fittings (one on each side of the cylinder) that seem to serve no purpose other than to screw the front plate into. That was a place of interest to me until I took the screw fittings out and found I could not separate the front from the back so I see no adjustment possible there. Are there things like chunks of mineralization that could cause a blockage. Can I stick a length of thin wire in the pipe to try to break it loose or is the flush best? Ken

 

[Verdeboy]

Turn off the hot and cold water using the shutoffs closest to that shower. Remove the cartridge. Then have your assistant turn on the cold water for a few seconds, while you hold a bucket to catch the water. Repeat for the hot water.