Thermostatic mixing valve - hot water only?

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Candy Palms

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Hi Everyone,

First post, hopefully can get some opinions. We recently got a home with an older Aquabrass shower set.
No matter which way we turn, it only gives hot water, the adjustment is not working no matter what we do. (all other showers in the home was fine, not the same model but from Aquabrass).

A note that our contractor has replaced all the plumbing pipes when we moved in, as we have Kitec pipes which is a risk of leakage (another story). The hot water tank was in vacation mode before we moved in, so the contractor never tested the temperature, and now all the walls are closed and tiled.

Our contractor said there is something wrong with the mixing valve, but just want to check with the experts here to see if this is the likely cause. We tried getting a replacement valve but they don't make it any more. So like to find out it could be something else, we don't want to tear everything apart all over again..

Appreciate your input!
 
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Reach4

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I wonder what the symptom would be if
  • the cold was hooked to the hot input on the valve and vice versa?
  • the cold piping was not delivering any water at all?
I would temporarily turn off the supply pipe to the hot water heater and see if anything will come out of the shower.

I am not a plumber.
 

Jadnashua

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Depending on the age and design of the valve, it may not output any water if you shut off one supply. SOme of those valves have in-line shutoffs, and the cold water input may still be shut off. You can normally access it if you take the handle and trim plate off. Course, not all of them have those, and even if they do, they don't always work! Most newer valves have what is called a pressure-balance valve in them that helps to prevent hot surges if one supply's pressure drops (the ultimate pressure drop is to turn off the supply!). Also, some of the valves have in-line filters, and it's possible that is clogged up. WOrst case, since you haven't found a replacement, is that the thermostatic cartridge is defective. Unless you can find an aftermarket replacement, it's tear out and replace time if none of the other things work. If they swapped the hot and cold, that could be an issue, too. Some valves have a provision to allow swapping the hot/cold inlets, and that might work...no idea if this one supports that feature, though.
 

Candy Palms

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Thanks for all the comments. We got the plumber back in, and he said he managed to find a replacement cartridge, will see if it's really the issue, said it will take a while for delivery... Thanks again for all the help.
 
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