Soldiermedic
New Member
Greetings everyone,
I recently conducted a tear old and replacement of my master bath shower as a Mother's Day present for my wife. She is in the Army on active duty, and was away for several weeks which allowed me to have it done before she got home. A few months ago, I replaced the shower cartridge due to leaking, but no other issues were found. Because of this, I elected to keep the same plumbing in the wall.
Fast forward to yesterday. The old shower valve handle was grimy, calcified...nasty. I went to the store to purchase a replacement and complete the new look. Once home, I installed the handle per the instructions (having done it half a dozen times on other showers). As I tightened this new handle, the valve inside the cartridge started to pull out and water started coming out the spigot. I thought this was weird since I barely tightened it. So I pulled the handle out and the water went full blast. Pushing in the handle completely returned the water to a trickle. I had to remove the handle completely and use my fingers to push the valve the rest of the way in to make it stop.
So off to my local Lowes to see if they knew the answer. Lowes seemed to have no clue why it was doing this, and suggested Ferguson's plumbing down the street. I brought the old "working" faucet, and the new one. I was told that the original handle was an "old legend," and "they don't make those anymore. I was told they do make a replacement though, and that they had it. I said it was odd that they had a replacement, but didn't make them anymore. When I returned home I tried the "new legend," and unfortunately it is the same story as the Chateau handle before.
Before I gouge my eyes out, I wanted to ask around a plumbing forum. I have no idea what to do. Posted here are the three handles I have. You can tell that the original faucet is shorter than the rest, and I don't know what difference that would make.
Please help me. I would love to make this a beautiful relaxing spot, and not have this ugly handle to look at.
I recently conducted a tear old and replacement of my master bath shower as a Mother's Day present for my wife. She is in the Army on active duty, and was away for several weeks which allowed me to have it done before she got home. A few months ago, I replaced the shower cartridge due to leaking, but no other issues were found. Because of this, I elected to keep the same plumbing in the wall.
Fast forward to yesterday. The old shower valve handle was grimy, calcified...nasty. I went to the store to purchase a replacement and complete the new look. Once home, I installed the handle per the instructions (having done it half a dozen times on other showers). As I tightened this new handle, the valve inside the cartridge started to pull out and water started coming out the spigot. I thought this was weird since I barely tightened it. So I pulled the handle out and the water went full blast. Pushing in the handle completely returned the water to a trickle. I had to remove the handle completely and use my fingers to push the valve the rest of the way in to make it stop.
So off to my local Lowes to see if they knew the answer. Lowes seemed to have no clue why it was doing this, and suggested Ferguson's plumbing down the street. I brought the old "working" faucet, and the new one. I was told that the original handle was an "old legend," and "they don't make those anymore. I was told they do make a replacement though, and that they had it. I said it was odd that they had a replacement, but didn't make them anymore. When I returned home I tried the "new legend," and unfortunately it is the same story as the Chateau handle before.
Before I gouge my eyes out, I wanted to ask around a plumbing forum. I have no idea what to do. Posted here are the three handles I have. You can tell that the original faucet is shorter than the rest, and I don't know what difference that would make.
Please help me. I would love to make this a beautiful relaxing spot, and not have this ugly handle to look at.
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