Clunk Sound From Grohe Grotherm Triple Function Shower Valve

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Tuttles Revenge

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I'll be sure to post when the new valve arrives. What will be fun is to remove one of the push-button "Aquadimmers" and study it on the bench.
I like to take apart thermostatic sets and other stuff.. sometimes you get a real understanding of how things work by discecting them.
 

PGB1

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After Grohe told me to replace the whole valve because of a 5 month plus back order for the parts, I did just that. The new one clunks exactly as the old one did. So I suspected that's how the valve works.

I did like Tuttles Revenge mentioned and swiped one of the "Aquadimmers" (valve) and dissected it. It is the Push-For-On-Off and the volume control. Here's what I learned:

The user pushes a button and the spindle inside the valve latches open. When one is done using water, the button is pressed again, releasing the latches. Its spring and water pressure push the valve stem against the seat.

Since the outlet is open, the incoming water & spring have no resistance and slam the valve's spindle against the seat. If the outlet is closed (capped off), there is no clunk. I suspect that's because there is equal pressure on both sides of the seat, so it closes more slowly.

A lower flow setting on the valve (turn to set) makes a quieter clunk (push to turn off). This one has me a bit puzzled.

The noise must be just how the valve works & the people at Grohe don't know it. (Although one tech support told me she had the faucet & it does not clunk.)

It seems Grohe had me running in circles for pretty much nothing. (I am glad one tech had me install water hammer arresters even though a later tech person told me to remove them. Cheap insurance.)

After receiving two defective Rapido boxes and two Grotherm faucets, plus them sending me in circles with "do this do that" and mailing wrong parts 3 times, I'm starting to question my like of Grohe. (The defective units could be non-reported customer returns & not Grohe's fault.) But the faucet is fun to use and regulates water temperature amazingly quickly and accurately.

Thanks Again Everybody for helping me with this puzzle. It sure had me going in circles.
Paul
 

Jeff H Young

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Glad It worked out . guess I never posted it but If they told me 5 monthes Id buy another and return old for a refund . that was pretty unacceptable to me.
 

PGB1

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That nonsense of return & re-buy was pretty shoddy. If I had not already installed the Rapido box and boarded the wall, I would have returned & bought someone else's product. But, such is life I guess.

I wonder if the reason Grohe is going downhill has something to do with them being owned by Lixil, the owners of American Standard.
 

Jeff H Young

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I wouldnt know or be up on those details of a downturn in quality and service. Your kinda screwed after the the room is built to perhaps bust open walls change and have a delta hanging in a room with grohe I guess as long as its the same color just call it good. People spend thousands 10s of thousands 100s of thousands they want it to look good and match and perform.
I just hope all is good the product lives a long life and you are happy in the end result!
 

Tuttles Revenge

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That nonsense of return & re-buy was pretty shoddy. If I had not already installed the Rapido box and boarded the wall, I would have returned & bought someone else's product. But, such is life I guess.

I wonder if the reason Grohe is going downhill has something to do with them being owned by Lixil, the owners of American Standard.
I've always liked Grohe products.. But I've never been the end user of any of them in my own homes. That is the one deficiency of volunteering advice is I know how to install and problem solve a lot of this stuff, but the everyday use on a lot of products I have zero intel. I did notice that we took down our Grohe display in our showroom and replaced it with more Toto.. which I actually do use at home and at the office.

I feel that conglomeration generally hurts brands. The need and ability to innovate is diminished.
 

PGB1

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I did notice that we took down our Grohe display in our showroom and replaced it with more Toto.. which I actually do use at home and at the office.
The plumber under whom I did my plumbing and pipe fitting apprenticeships (Late 1970's) insisted on Toto or Briggs. He would get in heated discussions with the buyers at work when they specified anything else- often repeating to them: "Been using them since the 30's. Ain't gonna switch to junk now.".
 

Tuttles Revenge

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That's interesting! I'd never heard of Toto until some time in the early Aughts. I've been a fan for a long time and now an a certified installer and factory trained Neorest tech. And Briggs was installed a lot in builder spec homes and in a lot of commercial offices around here mostly under the Mansfield label.

My dad who I learned the trade from, always loved new tech, innovation and gadgets. We would try out all sorts of new products at home first before installing them for customers.

Most of our business is home remodeling where a designer and the homeowner have selected all the fixtures prior to my estimating the project. Most of their selections are from well known and trusted brands, but sometimes I do have to put my foot down and say that I won't install a certain fixture.
 

John Gayewski

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Has anyone thought about the arrestors themselves being too small? I can't say using larger ones will work, but I found some old sizing guidelines on some old arrestors and they need to be surprisingly large based on pipe size and floor rates. If your tub is running 5gpm or so it could be a larger arrestors is needed. I haven't looked any any sizing info for them in a while, but it's worth checking out.
 

PGB1

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Thanks John for the arrester sizing idea. There now is Size AA. I just purchased by fixture unit specifications & manufacturer recommendation.

Although I feel no movement in the valve body or pipes from a water hammer, it may well be worth trying a size up or two.
Sure can't hurt.

Thanks Again,
Paul
 

Jeff H Young

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never heard of Toto till I started installing them around 2000 myself they took off right away They obviously came in a decent price and they worked were reasonably atractive and had good finish . At the time I was pretty impressed a decent cheap toilet no complaints . Japanese company didnt impress me at all nor bother me, not sure if they were or are exported or made in USA , Mexico or where but they have a very good product line I My house built in 02 came with 3 round bowl that served well Ive replaced 2 of them but nothing wrong with them at all
 
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