TKPhi
New Member
Some of the valves in the solenoid head of my K-75 have rusted. It's my fault, I assembled the shower 20 years ago without plumbers grease. Live & learn.
The K-75 has a spray handset, a sheet waterfall and two side sprayers, which have a spray and a pulse mode. They are controlled by the circuit board by a bank of four conjoined solenoids (handset, waterfall and one for each side spray mode, from bottom to top). The assemblies are the same for the top three solenoids, and are normally off. The solenoid assembly for the handset is different and is normally on, so the Mastershower will start with just the handset on when the water first turned on.
I have refurbished most of the parts, though some are still pretty scrappy. But the assembly that controls the handset has a single broken part, and will not operate. So the handset is always on, robbing the other options of water pressure. The service manual says the solenoid components are not available individually, only in service repair kits. I have been unable to find these kits; are all discontinued. They are Kohler 96627 (the whole 4-solenoid bank), 92162 (the handset parts) and 92161 (the other 3 solenoid parts). 92162 is the one I really want. 96627 would work, but it'll probably be too expensive.
Used Mastershowers are available but I could replace the entire shower for the prices that are asked. That's one option, but it's part of a full bathroom set. Or hunt for a stainless steel part that is close enough to the broken part to operate. So far, I have had no luck with that option. I also could abandon the handset by just plugging it up with a solid washer, leaving the sheet waterfall and side sprays operable.
Any other ideas, or leads for those service kits?
Also, the solenoids all are pretty hot even when not in use. And the temperature drops after a minute or so, and needs to be adjusted. And though I've replaced the transformer, it always has a 60-cycle hum. Is any of that normal?
The K-75 has a spray handset, a sheet waterfall and two side sprayers, which have a spray and a pulse mode. They are controlled by the circuit board by a bank of four conjoined solenoids (handset, waterfall and one for each side spray mode, from bottom to top). The assemblies are the same for the top three solenoids, and are normally off. The solenoid assembly for the handset is different and is normally on, so the Mastershower will start with just the handset on when the water first turned on.
I have refurbished most of the parts, though some are still pretty scrappy. But the assembly that controls the handset has a single broken part, and will not operate. So the handset is always on, robbing the other options of water pressure. The service manual says the solenoid components are not available individually, only in service repair kits. I have been unable to find these kits; are all discontinued. They are Kohler 96627 (the whole 4-solenoid bank), 92162 (the handset parts) and 92161 (the other 3 solenoid parts). 92162 is the one I really want. 96627 would work, but it'll probably be too expensive.
Used Mastershowers are available but I could replace the entire shower for the prices that are asked. That's one option, but it's part of a full bathroom set. Or hunt for a stainless steel part that is close enough to the broken part to operate. So far, I have had no luck with that option. I also could abandon the handset by just plugging it up with a solid washer, leaving the sheet waterfall and side sprays operable.
Any other ideas, or leads for those service kits?
Also, the solenoids all are pretty hot even when not in use. And the temperature drops after a minute or so, and needs to be adjusted. And though I've replaced the transformer, it always has a 60-cycle hum. Is any of that normal?
