Diverter Spout Drips While Using Shower Head

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Justin83

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Hello, everyone.

I just replaced my diverter spout and I noticed that it has a pretty constant drip during showers. I double-checked a few times to make sure that the diverter handle was pulled up all the way and it was.

The pipe coming out of the wall is a copper nipple, about 3 to 3-1/2" long, no threads. The new diverter is a universal type, that comes with a plastic collar, O-ring, and threaded extension that slides over the copper nipple. The new diverter has thread on the inside of it and it threads onto the plastic extension piece. A set screw holds the diverter assembly on the copper pipe.

One thing I noticed is that the copper nipple has some scratches running around its circumference... I can't say for sure if they were from me or from someone else. I made sure to loosen the screw on the existing diverter before pulling it off. Could these scratches be the potential cause of the problem? Is there anything I can do to solve this, aside from having a new copper nipple installed?

As I said the drip is constant, and I'm sure it is affecting pressure at the shower head to some degree, but it's nothing I can't live with. I just feel like I should be able to get the drip to stop and that I must have done something wrong. I've seen other posts about this (on this forum and other places online) and it seems to be a mixed review as far as it being acceptable for diverter spouts to drip during a shower.

Also, it does not drip at all after the shower.


Thanks in advance for your time and thoughts!

Justin
 

Reach4

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All diverter spouts drip some, but Delta Faucet RP17454 Tub Spout Pull-Down Diverter, Chrome will drip a whole lot less than most.
(RP17453 is same but plastic)

I very much doubt that the dripping/dribbling from your diverter is having a significant effect on your shower pressure.

delta-rp17453-terrylove-2.jpg
 
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Justin83

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All diverter spouts drip some, but Delta Faucet RP17454 Tub Spout Pull-Down Diverter, Chrome will drip a whole lot less than most.
(RP17453 is same but plastic)

I very much doubt that the dripping/dribbling from your diverter is having a significant effect on your shower pressure.

Thanks for your reply, Reach4. In your opinion, if it's just some drips, should I just leave well enough alone? Any thoughts on those scratches going around the nipple being an issue?
 

Reach4

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I would leave well enough alone unless you see dripping from the slot where you access the set screw.

I would have used a little silicone grease to let the O-ring slide on and seat optimally, but I would not pull the spout to do that now.

I am not a plumber.
 

Justin83

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I would leave well enough alone unless you see dripping from the slot where you access the set screw.

I would have used a little silicone grease to let the O-ring slide on and seat optimally, but I would not pull the spout to do that now.

I am not a plumber.

I actually did use some plumber's grease to help get the O-ring on and in place, so I don't think it's twisted at all.
 

Jadnashua

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If the o-ring seal was leaking, you'd be getting water out potentially at the wall end of the spout. The tub spout is essentially unrestricted and can probably flow anything that your valve can provide. When you pull the divertor, the shower head is restricted to 2.5g maximum by federal mandate...way less than what was going out to fill the tub. IOW, you are not really losing any flow or pressure to the showerhead unless that leak is substantial (it would have to about equal or maybe even be greater than what was coming out of the showerhead). It is wasting water, since it's not going where you want it. Some divertor tub spouts are better than others, but it's not uncommon for them to dribble a little. It usually gets worse with time.

If the scratches are deep or located where the o-ring is trying to seal, it can leak there. The better solution to that would be to buy a tub spout that you solder on an adapter, then screw the spout onto it...the solder would fill in anything to make a seal there, and the pipe dope or o-ring on the adapter would seal things to the spout. The Delta, pull-down spouts are available with that type of connection, and seem to be very reliable.
 

Jadnashua

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If the o-ring seal was leaking, you'd be getting water out potentially at the wall end of the spout. The tub spout is essentially unrestricted and can probably flow anything that your valve can provide. When you pull the divertor, the shower head is restricted to 2.5g maximum by federal mandate...way less than what was going out to fill the tub. IOW, you are not really losing any flow or pressure to the showerhead unless that leak is substantial (it would have to about equal or maybe even be greater than what was coming out of the showerhead). It is wasting water, since it's not going where you want it. Some divertor tub spouts are better than others, but it's not uncommon for them to dribble a little. It usually gets worse with time.

If the scratches are deep or located where the o-ring is trying to seal, it can leak there. The better solution to that would be to buy a tub spout that you solder on an adapter, then screw the spout onto it...the solder would fill in anything to make a seal there, and the pipe dope or o-ring on the adapter would seal things to the spout. The Delta, pull-down spouts are available with that type of connection, and seem to be very reliable.
 

Justin83

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As it turns out, the dripping comes and goes depending on how hard you pull up on the diverter plug. Seems a little flakey, but it barely dripped last night during a shower.
 
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