Please help with banging pipes!

[Marquis]

My wife and I had my bathroom redone. The wife chose a combo shower system from Sunrise
https://srsunriseus.com/products/10...1&_sid=28b6d7ef7&_ss=r&variant=39411990757541

The plumber and contractor installed and tested the shower. No problem. Then my contractor tiled the floor and walls and installed the new vanity. Then the banging noise started. Any cold or hot faucet opened and closed quickly in the house makes a banging noise exactly where the shower valve is installed. The noise reverberates powerfully throughout the pipe system.

The plumber has been back twice. What he’s done 1 – Drain the water from the system: this helped greatly, but when the new shower was activated again, the banging returned. 2 – Install water arrestors under the vanity: this did not work, noise still there. 3 – Ordered a new cartridge for the same shower model: the noise was the same. 4 – Dissemble the shower faucet hardware. The plumber inspected the cartridge and found that the metal cylinder in the cartridge regulating hot/cold water was making noises when he shook it. He is convinced this part is the culprit.

My plumber says that I can try living with the noise or the tiled wall needs to be opened. Now I would like to avoid both these options, so I am looking for the opinions from very creative and smart people to help me solve my problem by other means.

A few thoughts:

1 – Would it be possible to buy a compatible cartridge from another manufacturer? My cartridge looks very similar to this one https://www.amazon.com/Cartridge-Ceramic-Washbasin-Replacement-Accessories/dp/B075PGZ68L

2 – Could we try to put a tiny bit of duct seal (or something else) in both ends of the cartridge chamber to soften the blow/noise coming from the moving cylinder?

3 – Is it possible to remove/install a compatible shower valve without destroying the surrounding wall (a smaller valve)?

4 – Any other solutions worth investigating before I open up the tiled wall?

Thanks a million guys

 

[Plumber69]

Here try this

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Plumber69]

Took me 5 mins to find this.

 

[Jadnashua]

FWIW, the part he shook was probably the pressure balance spool valve and if it didn't move freely, the safety functions in the valve for anti-scald would not work.

It sounds like the plumber that installed the shower valve did not anchor the pipes well. Some valves do call for hammer arresters to be installed, but are often not included. Those are different than the part shown above.

Depending on what wall the valve backs up to, you might be able to access it from the other side. It's often easier to fix drywall than tile.

 

[Plumber69]

FWIW, the part he shook was probably the pressure balance spool valve and if it didn't move freely, the safety functions in the valve for anti-scald would not work.

It sounds like the plumber that installed the shower valve did not anchor the pipes well. Some valves do call for hammer arresters to be installed, but are often not included. Those are different than the part shown above.

Depending on what wall the valve backs up to, you might be able to access it from the other side. It's often easier to fix drywall than tile.

Did you read my post? Another guy had the exact same problem

 

[Marquis]

Here try this

Thanks a lot Plumber69! Would you happen to know the name of these parts and where I could get them?

Marquis

 

[Jadnashua]

Contact the manufacturer...

 

[Marquis]

FWIW, the part he shook was probably the pressure balance spool valve and if it didn't move freely, the safety functions in the valve for anti-scald would not work.

It sounds like the plumber that installed the shower valve did not anchor the pipes well. Some valves do call for hammer arresters to be installed, but are often not included. Those are different than the part shown above.

Depending on what wall the valve backs up to, you might be able to access it from the other side. It's often easier to fix drywall than tile.

Thanks for the information. What you said is very interesting. Is the valve ONLY for anti-scald? Isn't it also regulating the cold/hot water? If its only purpose is anti-scald, then it would be just a question of being careful!

Unfortunately, the other side isn't accessible, since it's built in a fake wall facing the exterior.

Thanks again!

 

[Plumber69]

Thanks a lot Plumber69! Would you happen to know the name of these parts and where I could get them?

Marquis

Open it up see if they are in there

 

[Plumber69]

I hate seeing people have nice tile jobs with a product that may be impossible to get parts 5 years from now

 

[Jadnashua]

All shower valves built in the last 30-years or so have been required to have anti-scald tech. In normal operation, it has no effect on the volume or pressure out of the valve. IF the pressure drops on say the cold side (someone flushing a toilet, for example), the potential lower pressure on the cold would cause the valve to move slightly to keep the hot/cold balance the same, preventing a burst of hot water when the cold supply was reduced.

 

[Marquis]

Open it up see if they are in there

Unfortunately these secondary parts are not in the original shower system that was sent to me. Apparently reaching the manufacturer from China is very difficult, so if such secondary parts are universal for this type of cartridge and can be bought elsewhere, I would gladly do so! Thanks again

 

[Marquis]

All shower valves built in the last 30-years or so have been required to have anti-scald tech. In normal operation, it has no effect on the volume or pressure out of the valve. IF the pressure drops on say the cold side (someone flushing a toilet, for example), the potential lower pressure on the cold would cause the valve to move slightly to keep the hot/cold balance the same, preventing a burst of hot water when the cold supply was reduced.

Great information. If I cannot find the secondary parts mentioned by Plumber69 to fix my cartridge, I might try to fiddle with the valve to stop it from knocking on the sides non-stop. Any solution outside opening up the tiled wall is better in my book!

 

[Plumber69]

You need these parts, alternative is replacing valve

 

[Dean Rounds]

Great information. If I cannot find the secondary parts mentioned by Plumber69 to fix my cartridge, I might try to fiddle with the valve to stop it from knocking on the sides non-stop. Any solution outside opening up the tiled wall is better in my book!

Were you able to ever get this resolved? If so, what was the fix. Those mystery parts look like little check valves that get installed into the shower cartridge housing. I am currently having the same problem.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Apparently reaching the manufacturer from China is very difficult

Yep.. Do not purchase or Install these cheap knock off showers. If you did, replace them. They're just ticking timebombs in your home.