Brand new Burlington Tay mixer with faulty thermostatic cartridge

[Svenedin]

Just thought I would share this out of interest.

I had a new bathroom installed and for the bath a Burlington Tay wall mounted thermostatic mixer valve (which also has a shower handset on a stand attached to the mixer).

Anyway, it worked fine for a week and then it started refusing to change temperature. It would not go hotter. I took the mixer off the wall, checked the inlet filters and tried again. No better. I checked the anti-scald setting but the parts were not loose and as it was fine before I thought it did not need readjustment. Over a few days it would work or not work and was really annoying. I decided to take out the thermostatic cartridge and clean it in case there was any installation gunk on it. It worked immediately after re-installation but then packed up a day later. Eventually I called Burlington and they sent a new cartridge and everything is absolutely fine. It appears there has been a slight redesign of the cartridge.

What did annoy me was it was brand new. I was also a but surprised to see the state of the fitted cartridge. It looked corroded as if it had been there for years!

Picture of the removed cartridge (used for 2 weeks) and a brand new one.

This is what the cartridge looked like when I removed it the first time.

 

[Burger]

Unfortunately some stuff ain’t made the way it used to be, found and had loads of brand new branded stuff fail. #ballache

 

[Millsy 82]

Unfortunately some stuff ain’t made the way it used to be, found and had loads of brand new branded stuff fail. #ballache

This is why I like fitting mira. If you have a problem they send their own blokes, so your not wasting your time.

 

[Svenedin]

This is why I like fitting mira. If you have a problem they send their own blokes, so your not wasting your time.

I didn’t know that. Impressive. There aren’t that many wall mounted thermostatic bath fillers with shower handsets around that fit the style of period houses. Burlington (part of Crosswater) sent the cartridge next day via their own van (not a courier) and it was handed to me at 0800. I thought that was good customer service except they sent the wrong cartridge! A bit ridiculous since they knew the exact model and had a photograph from me of the part. What they sent was plastic and completely wrong. Then they sent the correct cartridge via their own van, UPS and Royal Mail so I ended up with 3 brand new cartridges. That will probably last my lifetime so I can’t complain!

 

[Millsy 82]

I didn’t know that. Impressive. There aren’t that many wall mounted thermostatic bath fillers with shower handsets around that fit the style of period houses. Burlington (part of Crosswater) sent the cartridge next day via their own van (not a courier) and it was handed to me at 0800. I thought that was good customer service except they sent the wrong cartridge! A bit ridiculous since they knew the exact model and had a photograph from me of the part. What they sent was plastic and completely wrong. Then they sent the correct cartridge via their own van, UPS and Royal Mail so I ended up with 3 brand new cartridges. That will probably last my lifetime so I can’t complain!

Yes the problem with mira is you are very limited to what they do.

The problem isn't so much getting the part as I've dealt with cross water before it's you have to go out and diagnose the fault allow an hour lost time and fuel etc then you have to go back and fit it that's another hour lost time and more fuel I know that you put a mark up on materials but that shouldn't have to cover labour for manufacturing faults in my opinion they should pay for it.

 

[Svenedin]

Yes the problem with mira is you are very limited to what they do.

The problem isn't so much getting the part as I've dealt with cross water before it's you have to go out and diagnose the fault allow an hour lost time and fuel etc then you have to go back and fit it that's another hour lost time and more fuel I know that you put a mark up on materials but that shouldn't have to cover labour for manufacturing faults in my opinion they should pay for it.

Yes I'm lucky I could do it myself. It wasn't the bathroom fitters fault the mixer failed and I'm sure they'd have been very unimpressed if I'd had to call them back three times (once to diagnose, once to find out the replacement part was the wrong part and another to fit the correct part).