# [SOLVED] Shower tap won't turn on



## dm01 (Oct 10, 2006)

The hot tap in my shower won't turn on (I suppose it's better than the alternative). The tap handle turns but the teeth do not engage the cartridge inside. I have removed the handle, sleeve, and cartridge, but I can not tell for sure whether the handle or the cartridge needs to be replaced. The whole system is quite old so I wouldn't be surprised if both need replacing.

The tap handle is made of plastic with a metallic finish (I know, eww), and the cartridge head is some kind of metal with a brass plated finish.

My questions to you:

How can I tell whether the handle or the cartridge is at fault?

How do I go about getting another handle and/or cartridge that fit each other? I have several cartridges lying about but none seem to be the right size.


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## dm01 (Oct 10, 2006)

*Re: Shower tap won't turn on*

I just noticed that the teeth inside the handle engage when the cartridge is not inserted all of the way, which means the teeth inside the handle where the cartridge is supposed to sit have either worn down or sheared off. A new handle will fix the problem. I'll let the good folks at the plumbing shop figure out which handles fit these cartridges.

Thanks anyways.


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