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help!! shower head blew off at me!! (1 Viewer)

McPaul

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Alright, I found it. in the manual it speaks of a Vacuum breaker that's in the hose.

from the manual:

a vacuum breaker is a device that is required by certain code authorities to protect your community's water supply from the back flow of water. the vacuum breaker usually DISCHARGES A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER each time you turn on your shower. it may also DRAIN WATER WHEN YOU SHUT IT OFF. both are normal conditions - the water is draining, not leaking.


DON NOT TRY TO TIGHTEN OR REMOVE THE VACUUM BREAKER which is permanently installed into the hose. this could cause damage to the mechanism.


so is this vacuum breaker the same thing as a water restrictor? I've never heard of this term before (and don't know about restrictors either).

are you guys sure I can take it out? even though it says it has to stay in?


THANKS again all!!
 

Craig Robertson

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don't tape over what's there, use a wire brush to clean up the threads, otherwise you run the risk of a leak. when you put the teflon tape on, go clockwise so you are not going "against" the end of the tape when you screw the showerhead. one wrap of tape is all you need, plus just enought to overlap to hold it on the threads.
 

Keith Mickunas

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No, this vacuum breaker is different. Since your's is on a hose, it's feasible that it could get dropped into the bathtub. In rare circumstances something could happen that would cause a sucking action on your water supply, and the shower head could suck water into it and put it into the city's pipes. This would be bad. Probably won't happen, but still it's better to be safe.

There are thousands of different shower heads, it's hard to say where the restrictor is in your's. If you can disconnect the hose from the shower head, look into both the head and the hose and see if there's anything there. Or if any other part of the shower head can be taken apart with ease, check it out.

One that I did this to was on a hose also. On one end of the hose there was a rubber washer with a screen in it. The instructions said it was the restrictor and not to remove it, but it may need cleaning from time to time, so that's why it was easy to remove it. But other manufacturers may do things differently.
 

McPaul

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Hmm.. I guess this is the part where I wish I was a bit stronger? On the end of the hose, I've pushed down the washer as far as it will go, and screwed the thing in BY HAND as the manual states, but threads are still exposed.

I have run it briefly, and it's not that much different from the pressure I currently have, so unless I get a positive DO THIS ON THIS MODEL from someone, I wont bother with it. I'm happy with it.

Although I really want to screw that thing down further. I don't want to use my pliers as it might scratch the nickel. there's no missing washers or adapters that are still in the box, so I'm at a loss! -shrug- the sooner I can figure out what's wrong the better... I don't want anything to rust out.

but it's in! Thanks guys!!
 

Keith Mickunas

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How big is the threaded portion of the shower head and how big is the threaded portion of the pipe? They may not be the same, so it could be perfectly ok. As long as it doesn't leak, you should be fine.

BTW, I just checked mine, which are the original fixtures, and both have a 1/2" of thread or more showing.
 

McPaul

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hmmm... about a half inch I suppose, I just went in and looked. maybe it's not a big deal, but it's between the hose and the showerhead itself (which were sold in one package - so I'm thinking they fit snug). Also, there's a bit of tape exposed on the fixture where the hose mount was threadded on, but I think it was just a bad tape job. (I'm horrible with my hands). If yours are the same, then I wont worry about it.

one more thing: the manual said that I only need to tape between the fixture and the hose mount, not between the hose mount and the hose, or the hose and the showerhead. does this sound right?

Perhaps I'll go take a celebratory shower!!

and look to see if there's any seepage at all...

I also bought a wisk (is that the right word?) for the faucet in my kitchen, as the old one was starting to spray all over. installation was good.

and now......


I AM A MASTER PLUMBER!!!!!!!!


Thanks Keith! and everyone!
 

brentl

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May 7, 1999
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"Perhaps I'll go take a celebratory shower!!

and look to see if there's any seepage at all..."

Paul, that's WAY to much information:D

Brent
 

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