Which way is the cold water handle supposed to turn?

[Jeff_Bathroom]

Hi,
I'm in the final stages of completing a bathroom remodel. I have double sinks
and installed the two handle faucets from Kohler. It is my feeling that the cold water valves
are turning the wrong way. I called Kohler and they said that's how all their lever valves work.
I pointed out that it's not a lever, but a cross-handle style. I expected to turn it on counter-clockwise
and off clockwise. They are the opposite and Kohler says that's how it's supposed to be.
Anybody have any thoughts on this? The model is 454-3S-BV.

Thanks.

 

[Jeff_Bathroom]

I'm going to reply to my question. I've searched the subject and found mixed answers.
Seems that for cold water handles, lever handles are supposed to turn on clockwise, whereas
round or cross-handled are supposed to turn on counter-clockwise. However some manufacturers
are making them all the same to save cost.
Kohler offered to send me two "hot water" valves to replace the cold water valves that I insist are wrong. In
my view they are sending me correct "cold water" valves.
I told the support rep that I think it's a bad decision on their part to make all of their cold water valves behave
like lever-style valves. Like many other people who experience this problem, I cannot after over fifty years of
turning faucets, convert to their new method and way of thinking. I think manufacturers who are doing this are irresponsible.
Standards should not be changed. Some worry about scalding as a result. I really don't care much about that;
it just drives me crazy when a faucet doesn't turn the direction it's supposed to.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

WHere the valve is installed makes a difference. If they are lever handles and wall mounted they usually work "backwards" from the way they turn if the valve is mounted on the sink. Many companies use the lever handle orientation regardless of which type of handle you get. They do it because it is "easier" for them and they do not know which handles you are going to finally use. The "round/knob" handles DO operate CCW to open and CW to close regardless of where the faucet is located.

 

[Terry]

Jeff,
If you were manufacturing valve bodies, you would be doing the same. Since handles interchange, it makes sense that they balance the valves.
With levers, you pull the handles in, and that works for all handles.
You may have grown up with round handles that turned the same way, but that didn't make it right, it was what you became used to.
Change is so hard. I remember wanting to put in a single handle faucet, and the DW wanted a two handle kitchen faucet with levers because her "grandmother" had that kind.

 

[hj]

quote; You may have grown up with round handles that turned the same way, but that didn't make it right,

Tell that to the person trying to turn a "backwards" cold stem CCW and complaining that the faucet is stuck or broken. But when I do encounter that situation, and install the proper stem or change the rotation, I always advise the customer that NOW the handles turn the right way so they will know about it.

 

[Jeff_Bathroom]

Thanks folks

Thanks very much for your input everybody.
I have to say that I can't agree with the "that doesn't make it right" thought.
Somehow I became old all the sudden. I'm fifty something now and round faucets have ALWAYS worked the way I described. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS worked that way. ALWAYS.
Did I say ALWAYS yet? They ALWAYS turned that way and were/are the defacto standard in MY life. That's all I can tell you and that makes Kohler wrong in my view.
Should the defacto standard be changed? Maybe, but I think it's unreasonable to ask
me to change after all these years of training.

Jeff

 

[Jimbo]

This is one of those things where there is a defactor "norm" but no code governs it, and like most things in life and plumbing, nothing is ever 100% universal.

 

[hj]

I am glad to see that you have a degree of independence and do "not agree" with those who say CW opening is correct for a "round" handle. It is a "cop out" which many "third party" valves use so that they can send ALL their valves with "lever handle" stems. The average user WILL try to turn a knob handle on by rotating it CCW, and when I find, or install customer's valves, with the opposite rotation, I will try to correct it. Sometimes it just takes inverting the handle stop or rotating the stem, but if it requires a different stem, then I leave it up to the customer whether he/she wants to have the manufacturer replace the stem. Most prefer to live with the "inconvenience", at least until they have to have the stem serviced and replaced.

 

[Jeff_Bathroom]

Thanks Jimbo and hj,
sorry for the delayed response. I'm with you hj; I know what I know.
Personally I think this will make a big mess of what was a standard.
Maybe it will usher in new designs that will be really easy to switch. I know
that Kohler has reversable valves, but I wish it were simpler than that.
Something like just one turn of a screw without taking the whole thing apart.
Anyway, thanks again for your help.
I've got another toilet issue that I'll post here in a minute. Almost done with
the master bath remodel after a very long time. Came out pretty nice with just
some little things to complete.

Jeff