Grohe thermostat: wrong installation or faulty product or crap product

[zamorano]

Help please! Trying to confirm if my shower/thermostat has been installed incorrectly, the thermostat is faulty or the product is rubbish.

Got a grohe shower installed last week, Rapido T and Atrio concealed diverter (model 19 399). There is a bath filler instead of taps.

3 problems:
1. Can't get range from cold to hot water thru shower/bath, only cold to lukewarm (not warm enough to take bath or shower in) or lukewarm to hot (but can't put cold water in bath if have made it too hot). My plumber said we could have the range of cold to hot water by removing the thermostat safety stop and being able to swivel the temp lever in a circle. I really don't want this as I want to keep the safety stop on for my children to use the shower safely without scolding themselves. He showed me a thumbsize black piece of plastic and said it is because Grohe only have a very small width (90 degress he said) to change temp in, whereas other shower brands have a larger that allow you to have the full temp range.
2. There is a constant drip from either the shower head or the bath filler, we have been unable to find the bit in the middle where no water should drip. The minimum amount of bath water has the top handle at 10 o'clock, but the safety stop is at 3 o'clock(on pictures the safety stops on the handles are at 12 o'clock).
3. The top lever only has to be turned 45 degrees to the right to turn on the shower, however for the bath needs to be turned left to almost 7 o'clock. This means the top and bottom handles hit each other, so if you want to change the temperature of the water when having a bath you need to turn the water off, change the temp handle, then turn the water back on etc.

Can someone confirm what is wrong so I can go back to my plumber or Grohe?

Thanks :smile5:

 

[Nat]

Is it possible your plumber has crossed hot and colds as these taps won't work properly with crossed supplies. If not I'd be taking them straight back to the supplier to get them changed over. Did you supply the taps? If so I'd say its your responsibility to do this and pay your plumber to remove and refit them but I don't know what you've agreed with him...

 

[zamorano]

Hi Nat, the plumber supplied the thermostat, diverter & bath filler and fitted them so am taking the line he is responsible for them working! Unless something is faulty .... he says it isn't!

 

[Nat]

Well if the tap is not working as it should be then either the installation is incorrect or the tap is faulty in my opinion. If it was me who fitted these taps I wouldn't walk away if the customer wasn't happy which by the sounds of it you are not. Does your plumber not offer a guarantee on his work?

 

[Phil]

First things first, is the hot and cold balanced (combi, unvented etc) or is the cold from the mains and the hot from a cylinder?

Please tell me not the latter....

 

[zamorano]

Phil it's from a combi.

 

[Nat]

My money is on crossed hot and colds but surely he would have checked this!

 

[Phil]

Inside the Rapido T is an 'aqua dimmer' which is the divertor and on/off control if I remember correctly, these are fitted by the installer into the valve and are quite delicate, they are spring loaded inside etc. If this is damaged it will cause a drip from the outlet.

As said he may have crossed the hot and cold as well.

Get him back.

 

[zamorano]

Cheers Phil & Nat. Yes will defo call the guys boss tomorrow and get him back out - or someone who knows w2hat they're doing.

 

[BLOD]

I've fitted a couple of these and find them to be a good quality product.
Like Phil says the divertor / on off control can be fiddly to fit - ask your plumber to check he's put it in correctly.
(Grohe tech help are quite helpful)

 

[Phil]

He must have known it was wrong, a bit naughty just to leave it.

Edit: You mention the divertor goes from off position (12 o clock) to 3 o clock to acivate one outlet and then from 12 o clock to 7 o clock for the other. it really does sound like he's failed to adjust it properly.

Did the same guy do the tiling? Is the valve still accessable to see the hot cold connections?

Or behind the bath panel maybe, when looking at the valve the cold is always on the right, see if you can see if the pipes go up with cold on the right.

 

[zamorano]

Hi Phil the area has all been tiled round the diverter.

I have called the guy back this morning and spoke to his boss who informs me that you can't get "freezing cold to boiling hot" water with Grohe as "that's the way they make them". He didn't have a response tho re the dripping water. He is sending another guy out later this afternoon.

I tried calling Grohe this morning, but bank holiday so they're closed today. And I forgot to get a thermometer this morning, so will.

Have attached photo when shower/bath off (well min drip from bath filler).

 

[Phil]

I hope you get it sorted, let us know how you get on.

Don't forget if he bought the mixer unit then he is responsible for fixing it (its its faulty) don't let him charge you anymore or let you to sort it with Grohe, they do sound like they are willing to help though. A cowboy wouldn't come back once you've paid him.

 

[zamorano]

Hi, just to update: guy came out and after half an hour looking behind diverter face said that it was either faulty or had been damaged by his colleague putting it in. He said the discs had been scratched and that would be enough to let water through as they need to be smooth ..... didn't really understand what he meant :redface: He said once they get it replaced he'll have a look at the temp.

Thanks for the advice, hopefully am not far away from a working shower/bath!

 

[Phil]

Good good.

Ceramic discs are a nightmare, they're whats in the 1/4 turn taps as well. Once scratched they cannot be repaired.