The simplest ceramic bushing faucet. Crane box for mixers: varieties and features of use

A faucet is not the most reliable piece of plumbing in your home. Over time, they show this, forming leaks, unpleasant noise and difficulty in shutting off water. Most often, the axle box crane requires replacement for simple solution the existing problem. Today we will talk about its varieties, features of choice and replacement.

• 1 Views
  • 1.1 Worm gear
  • 1.2 Ceramic
• 2 Nuances of choice
• 3 Replacement

Kinds

Now the axle box crane is divided into two main types:

• Worm;
• Ceramic.

They have their own design features, advantages and disadvantages.

Let's talk about each separately.

Worm

For the procedure of complete closing or opening, 2-4 turns of the faucet handle are required. The device is based on the worm principle of operation. There is a rubber gasket on the retractable stem. It presses against the valve seat and shuts off the water. It is easy to replace such a gasket, make it yourself. They are made from rubber. different varieties, on which the life of the device largely depends.

TO strengths can be attributed:

• Affordable cost of gaskets;
• The ability to make a gasket from an improvised piece of rubber;
• No need for complex repairs;
• Widespread.

But along with the advantages, one should take into account the disadvantages that are characteristic of already somewhat outdated types of crane bushings. Perhaps they led to the emergence of ceramic analogues and the concentration of consumers around them:

• Short service life of the rubber gasket;
• The need to make several turns to block and open the water;
• Loss of smoothness over time;
• Resonance and unpleasant noise;
• Gradual destruction of the water supply network.

Ceramic

A complete opening-closing cycle requires only half a turn. Such an axle box crane has main element designs - two ceramic plates on which there are identical holes.

One plate is firmly fixed in the body of the axle box, and the second is mounted on the rod on which the mixer handle is held. When the flywheel is turned, the holes are shifted or aligned on the plate, thereby opening or shutting off the water supply.

Note that such a device is not easy to repair. Changing only the plate will not work, because you need to find a similar one. It's easier to just change the axle box completely.

The advantages of this type of device include:

• High service life;
• The need for only half a turn to close and open the tap;
• Smooth running;
• Less noise generated.

But there are also negative points:

• It costs a little more than a bushing crane with a rubber gasket;
• Not very fond of interacting with contaminated water;
• Require the installation of a fine filter, if in tap water there is sand.

Nuances of choice

Today, vidima and grohe devices have proven themselves on a very good side, they are in deserved demand among consumers. But in order not to limit your choice only on vidima and grohe devices, read the basic selection rules.

1. On the market, the box crane is presented in the widest range, there are many varieties of them. This complicates the choice for inexperienced people who have little knowledge of plumbing. Sometimes even a specialist is difficult to choose desired option. Therefore, the first advice is to unscrew your old axle box, take it with you and show it to the seller. So he will quickly find an analogue.
2. Decide on the type. It cannot be said that a ceramic bushing crane is significantly more expensive than a rubber one. There is a price difference, but not much. On the other hand, the vidima and grohe ceramic device is much simpler and more convenient to use, provides long term services. On the other hand, replacing a rubber gasket is noticeably easier than repairing a ceramic counterpart. Therefore, think carefully and make a choice.
3. If the valve of the old box is changing, domestic mixer, modern solutions may not fit. They use their own special types.
4. Pay attention to the imported mixer flywheel. Often they have a cruciform shape. This suggests that a regular bushing faucet from vidima and grohe will not work, but you should look for an element with a double thread.
5. Other types of flywheels have only one thread on which the mixer is mounted. In this case, vidima and grohe devices will certainly come in handy.

Replacement

If the bushing crane is worn out and no longer copes with its duties, it must be replaced. This is not difficult to do, even without special skills in working with plumbing fixtures.

Follow the instructions step by step, and then everything will work out.

Before changing the faucet box, be sure to turn off the water supply. This is the first step to take.

1. Remove the top cap from the flywheel. If it was used long time, has not been filmed, certain difficulties may arise. Arm yourself with pliers to remove the element. Under the cap you will see a bolt. It unscrews quite easily, thereby removing the tap valve.
2. The valve will also have to be unscrewed with effort if the metal begins to oxidize. After removing it, clean the bolt and threads from accumulated dirt, also clean the flywheel inside.
3. Remove the faucet fittings, which are sometimes tight. If you can’t cope without a tool, be sure to put a piece of cloth under it. This will avoid damage to the surface.
4. Remove hardware. This will give you access to the box. Spin it out.
5. After dismantling the axle box, clean the thread of the mixer. This will help the new bushing sit snugly and securely in its new location.
6. Try on a new axle box, make sure the dimensions, holes, threads match. On vidima and grohe axle boxes, experts advise winding a couple of layers of crowbars. Due to this, the thread will be sealed, the element will be able to hold more securely.
7. If you pre-cleaned the device with high quality, installation will not take much time and effort.
8. Reassemble in reverse order.
9. Watch how hard the ceramic plate is tightened. Overtightening the ceramic disc will burst and you will have to buy a new one. Use a lock nut for a tight fit.
10. Turn on the water supply, check the result of the work done. If everything is functioning, then you managed to fix the axle box crane with your own hands.

A high-quality axle box faucet from vidima, grohe can last for a long time for the benefit of your comfort. But even the most reliable grohe models eventually slack and need to be replaced.

Repair is often an inappropriate measure when it comes to ceramic plates. Here it is easier to replace the entire element completely. Much easier with rubber. It is enough to disassemble the crane, remove the axle box crane, replace the old gaskets with new ones and continue to use the device. At the same time, give preference to high-quality rubber. The degree of reliability and service life of the axle box crane after the repair performed depend on it.

It is not necessary to resort to the help of specialists to perform simple repair work in plumbing. But if there is no time, opportunity or desire to carry out such a repair and restoration event on your own, contact proven craftsmen.

Figure 248.1. Valve mortise mixer with a worm-drive crane box - on the left, and ceramic faucet box- on right.

The main difference between ceramic axle boxes and worm gear boxes is that when the handle is rotated, the shut-off valve of the worm box box moves up or down, depending on the direction of rotation, and thus the gasket shut-off valve rises above the seat or adjacent to the mixer seat (seat not shown in the figure), allowing or stopping the flow of water into the mixing chamber. And in ceramic faucets, there is no movement up or down. The supply of water or the termination of the water supply is carried out by turning one ceramic plate of the crane box relative to the other plate. Thanks to this feature, the wear of the rubber gasket of the crane box is minimized, and in order to open or close the water, you do not need to rotate the handle 2-4 turns, a slight movement is enough, in which one plate will rotate relative to the other by 45-90 °. Why? now let's figure it out.

There are more and more models of faucet boxes with ceramic plates every day, and this is not surprising, since ceramic faucet boxes are installed not only in new models of mixers, but can also replace worm-driven crane boxes that have served their time in old mixers. In addition, there are people who, out of principle, for aesthetic or any other reasons, do not want to use cartridge faucets, and for such people faucets with ceramic faucets are the best option.

There are ceramic faucet boxes with a tetrahedral tip of the swivel stem, such faucet boxes are designed for old, still soviet models of mixers (oddly enough, but for many people, mixers installed back in the era of socialist realism work to this day). But crane boxes with a head in the form of a 12 or 16-pointed star are in much greater demand. Previously, ceramic bushings were produced in which the stem could be rotated a maximum of 90 or 180 °, but now such models are considered obsolete, they were replaced by ceramic bushings without a rotation angle limiter. But be that as it may, the device and the basic principle of operation of most ceramic faucets are similar.

Ceramic faucet box device:

Figure 248.2

1. Body.

Made from non-ferrous alloys. It has a rubber gasket 1(1) to ensure a tight connection to the mixer body after screwing in the crane box, so no additional winding is required when installing the crane box. If the gasket is not tightly adjacent to the mixer body, then through threaded connection water can flow. There are holes 1(2) in the lower part of the body on the sides, through these holes water enters the mixing chamber. The body of the ceramic faucet box is screwed in and unscrewed with a wrench or adjustable wrench; a gas wrench can also be used. If the axle box has stood for several years, then unscrewing it from the mortise mixer is not so easy. Crane box can "become attached" to the body. In such cases, you must first completely remove the mortise mixer. WITH wall mixers there is no such problem. When buying a ceramic faucet box, you should pay attention to the length of the body, since there are many models of valve mixers, not every ceramic faucet box can suit your mixer. Before inserting the stem, the body is stuffed with a waterproof lubricant (for example, grease), this is necessary not only to reduce friction between the body and the stem, but also to ensure that water flows out only through the holes 1 (2) intended for this. Over the years, the grease can be washed out and water can seep out from under the handles. Repair of a crane box in this case is simple - you just need to fill the stuffing box with grease.

2 Stem retainer.

Made from spring steel. Provides body and stem connection. After the rod is inserted into the body of the crane box, the latch snaps into place. When disassembling, the latch can be snapped off with a simple (not Phillips) screwdriver.

3. Stock.

Made from non-ferrous alloys. The stem cap has a special cut 3(1) for mixer handles. Since the handles are different, you need to pay attention to the cutting of the stem when buying a crane box. After mounting, the handle is fixed with a screw (the crane box is not included in the kit). In the middle part of the rod there is a notch 3(2) for snapping the latch. In the upper part of the rod there is a threaded hole for screwing in the handle screw, in the lower part there is a four-sided recess for the turn signal.

4. Turn signal.

Made of plastic or metal, the shape of the turn signal may not be the same as shown in the picture. Plastic turn signal - weak link ceramic crane box, if you turn the handles with excessive force, the turn signal may break. The turn signal transmits the torque that we apply to the handle, the upper ceramic plate.

5. Upper rotating plate.

Made from aluminum oxide. In older models of ceramic faucets, the plate turned a quarter or half a turn (90 or 180 °) when the handle was rotated. That with a plastic turn signal and a misunderstanding by the user of the principle of the device of a ceramic crane box, it can lead to a fairly quick failure of the ceramic crane box. IN modern models this drawback has been eliminated, the top plate can now freely rotate at least half a turn, at least 10. The top plate has grooves for the turn signal 5(1) and holes for the passage of water 5(2). The shape of the holes for the passage of water may differ from that shown in the figure.

6. Bottom fixed plate.

Also made from aluminum oxide. The top surface of the bottom plate and the bottom surface of the top plate fit very well and are pressed together quite tightly. When the holes in the top plate 5(2) and the holes in the bottom plate 6(2) do not match, as shown in the figure, water does not flow. This is ensured not so much by the exact fit of the plate surfaces as by the presence of a waterproof lubricant. For lubrication of ceramic plates, it is usually used Silicone Grease(not to be confused with sanitary silicone). To ensure that the bottom plate is always in the same position, position locks are made on the sides (marked in red in the figure). Structurally, the fixation of the lower plate can be achieved by other methods.

7. Sealing gasket.

Made from rubber. The gasket, when screwing the ceramic faucet box into the mixer body, is pressed tightly against the seat and thereby allows water to pass only through the hole in the gasket. Thus, if the holes in the plates do not match, then the water will be blocked. Since the sealing gasket does not apply to the rubbing parts of the crane box, the service life of the gasket is limited only by the chemical aggressiveness of the water. Moreover, the gasket can be damaged if the faucet box is screwed in excessively or the seat is of poor quality, because of which the gasket may not seal the connection, which means that the mixer will leak. Of course, you can grind the mixer seat at home, but if the saddle has chips, cracks, shells or other defects visible to the naked eye, then it is better to immediately buy a new mixer.

The principle of operation of the ceramic crane box:

When the handle is turned, the stem rotates the upper ceramic plate by means of a turn signal. In this case, if the holes in the upper and lower plates coincide, then the water, passing through these holes, rises higher and exits through the holes in the housing 1(2) into the mixing chamber, and from there into the mixer spout. When the holes of the lower plate are blocked by the body of the upper plate, there is nowhere for the water to flow - the valve is closed.

If the ceramic faucet box began to leak and the problem cannot be fixed using the methods described in the section: "Crane box device", then it is easier and faster to buy a new faucet box to change than to look for a repair kit for a ceramic crane box.

Modern engineering systems supplying hot water to premises, residential or service, is difficult to imagine without mixers. An ordinary kitchen faucet has a mixer, its purpose is to regulate temperature regime supplied water for household needs.

The bathroom is always equipped with plumbing fixtures, which include a faucet. This is not a simple device, depends on it bathing comfort and water savings. The correct valve is a locking element that does not allow water to flow through the tap, which saves water consumption costs.

What is a crane box, definition

A faucet box is a locking element that regulates the supply of water to a faucet (in the kitchen or bathroom). In everyday life, the operation of the mixer and this element can be observed daily. The crane valve happens:

1. ceramic product, the angle of rotation of the stem until the appearance of water from closing to half a turn.
2. worm device, which must be rotated by 1 - 2 turns to supply water.

Each mixer in the apartment has two cores, two valves, respectively for cold and hot water in the tap. Worm crane devices have rubber seals. As a gasket ceramic products metal-ceramic material is used, this ensures reliable locking of water without an elastic seal.

A modern mixer is sold in two forms: with a rubber cuff or a ceramic insert.

How ceramic and worm gear crane box works

It is very simple to understand the operation of a worm box with a rubber gasket; the whole principle of water locking is based on the tightness of the gasket to the valve seat, this stops its supply.

Adjusting the water pressure in the tap is carried out using the flywheel, turning it one or more turns. Often reason for the ineffective use of this type of product, is a quick-wearing rubber gasket.

The ceramic element (plate) in mixers of this type is the main one. Through the holes in them, which are symmetrically located and of equal shape, water is supplied to the tap. One plate is installed in the box, and the other on the stem flywheel.

Combining the ceramic plates by turning the handwheel, complete or partial alignment of the holes is achieved, according to this principle adjustable water pressure. The mixer with ceramic bushings has two types of models:

• Star-shaped head with 12 endings.
• Improved star models with 16 endings.

The ceramic device has a square section of the stem, is fixed with a screw in seat. To replace this type of instrument, it is necessary to take into account the height at which the crane handle is installed and landing site size. It is advisable to choose a replacement according to the existing sample.

Advantages and disadvantages, ceramic and worm axle boxes

Each product has its own advantages and disadvantages. Consider the disadvantages of a worm box in which a rubber gasket is installed:

The advantages of this locking product are low cost, accessibility to the public. Repair can be done by replacing one gasket. Rubber gasket can be made independently.

Disadvantages of ceramic bushing:

• Replacement of the product is much more expensive than in a worm valve with a rubber gasket.
• The quality of the water supplied to the mixer must be high, without sand and suspended particles.

The advantage of ceramic axle box is the duration of trouble-free operation.

The device of a ceramic crane box

Consider what ceramic box consists of, its elements:

The body is screwed into the mixer. Its design is made in such a way that there are holes for water at the bottom.

A rod for turning the handle, a flywheel is put on it. It has a fixing screw at the top, in the middle part of the stem has an expansion ring, which captures it. With the help of an adapter located at the bottom of the rod, it is fixed with a ceramic plate. After installing the stem, a fixing washer is installed.

With the help of a special adapter, the rotary stem and the upper ceramic plate are rigidly fixed in the faucet. The adapter may have different shapes, it depends on the model of the product. At the faucet ceramic mixer due to the upper and lower plates, the stem rotates freely.

A rubber gasket is necessary for close adjoining of the axle box to the saddle of the crane.

Self-replacement of ceramic axle boxes

You can replace the crane box yourself, but you need to remember when choosing in the store that they are different.

Russian crane elements (boxes) differ from imported products square flywheel and screw for fixation. Foreign-made crane devices are selected according to the number of slots and the length under the handle, it is important to choose the correct diameter of the threaded connection.

The most commonly used and found in everyday life are valves that have a half-inch thread. It is recommended to choose them according to the existing sample, which can be removed at home.

To replace ceramic valves, you will need pliers, with which we remove the top cap. Further, unscrew the fixing screw under it and pull it out. Debris needs to be cleared. We remove all the fittings of the crane, freeing the way to the axle box. We unscrew the crane box and carry out cleaning internal thread mixer. We make a fitting of a new axle box.

Ceramic valve, selected according to the sample, easy to mount on free space in the opposite order in the mixer. Fixing of fastenings is carried out by a control nut.

Important! It must be remembered that the mixer can always be repaired if the valve is faulty. The ceramic axle box must be installed so that its end is pressed tightly against the valve seat.

Characteristics of ceramic crane box

Factors that create the characteristic of a ceramic product:

• Long operating times compared to worm locks.
• During operation, it works inaudibly, there is no noise possible in the worm product.
• It breaks directly in the event of foreign particles getting between the plates (purity of incoming water).
• Replacing the axle box is easier, but more expensive than a valve module.
• The working stroke of the handle is from ¼ to ½ of the stem turn.

The first symptoms of malfunctions of the crane box

Let's look at some of the first symptoms of crane failure:

• Leakage of water from under the flywheel of the crane.
• The appearance of an extraneous sound.
• In the "closed" position, water drips from the mixer.

Crane box for mixers is a device inside valve mixers, designed to open and shut off water. In fact, this is a valve mixer cartridge, which, in case of exit, must be replaced or repaired. The latter is not so easy to do, which is especially pronounced in the case of ceramic models. The advantage of a faucet box is ease of use, as well as an economical mechanism for passing water, which allows you to create a fairly strong pressure, despite the fact that the amount of water consumed per unit time is less.

Varieties of crane boxes for mixers

There are two main types of mixer taps:

• Worm;
• Half-turn.

Worm-driven axle box cranes are actually an analogue of the usual Soviet cranes. At the end of the retractable stem there is a rubber gasket, which, after 2-4 turns of the tap, is pressed against the valve seat inside the mixer, thus blocking the water supply. The advantage of such bushings is the relative durability, which depends on the service life of the gasket. In addition, these devices are easily repaired, for which it is enough to change the gasket. However, there are also disadvantages, among which the main one is the time spent on opening and closing the water, as well as the need to expend additional efforts in case the gasket wears out.

half turn faucet box for mixers designed to overcome the shortcomings described above. Such crane boxes are equipped with ceramic plates with two holes. One of them is rigidly fixed on the body of the box, and the second rotates on the rod, to which the mixer handle is attached. The water in such faucet boxes is blocked when the faucet handle is turned 180 degrees (half a turn), which greatly facilitates and speeds up this process and allows you to further save water.

However, such crane boxes also have disadvantages, the main of which is the rapid wear of ceramic plates, after which the entire crane box has to be changed entirely. In addition, ceramic faucets are somewhat more expensive than conventional ones, and it is sometimes problematic to pick up a worn-out device for each individual mixer. At the same time, ceramic bushings are very popular today, having practically displaced worm models from the market.

You can always choose from a wide range of crane boxes and buy them at a low price in Moscow in our SanComf online store of high-quality plumbing, where you can also find many other plumbing items, components and equipment.

A faucet box is a mechanical device designed to regulate the flow of water. It is installed in a one-handle or two-handle "wing-type" mixer. Two types of products are used:

• threaded box;
• cermet construction.

Ceramic faucet box device

The structure consists of:

1. Jumper (body), equipped with a thread for fixing in the mixer. On the body of the product there is a hexagon designed for a wrench or adjustable wrench. Insulation is carried out with a rubber and silicone gasket.
2. Rotary stem (nipple)- designed to shift the movable discs that regulate the water supply. The product ends with a square or toothed (splined) head, on which the flywheel (lamb) is fixed.
3. Ceramic plates mounted inside the jumper. One is fixed motionless, the other has freedom of movement - rotation around a vertical axis. Made in ceramics through holes. Sealing is ensured by precise adjustment of the metal-ceramic planes to each other. The material used is aluminum oxide.

Operating principle

Adjustment of water supply is carried out by turning the flywheel (lamb). The rotational movement is transmitted through the rotary rod to the upper metal-ceramic plate.

Moving relative to the lower disk, the upper one aligns the holes, thereby opening or closing the free access of water. A full turn of the flywheel is 180°. In this position, when open, maximum water flow is ensured.

A rubber gasket is mounted under the lower end of the jumper, which ensures the clamping force of the plates to each other - due to this, it turns out hermetic connection with the mixer closed.

Pros and cons of using

Compared to its predecessor - a threaded bushing, cermet has a number of consumer properties:

1. Extended service life, which is ensured by high precision manufacturing of metal-ceramic locking plates, as well as increased wear resistance of the material from which they are made. An additional factor contributing to improved working conditions is the absence of excessive forces that occur when closing the tap. Such phenomena are characteristic of threaded axle boxes, where there is a need to press a rubber gasket to ensure tightness.
2. Ease of use, which is ensured by the complete opening of the water flow - when turning only 180 °, or, using the colloquial expression, “half a turn”. A threaded design, to obtain a similar result, will require 2-3 complete turns of the flywheel around its axis.
3. Correct metal-ceramic product in the course of work practically does not make a sound, - flowing water makes noise.

Flaws:

1. Ceramic products are very sensitive to water quality. The presence of suspended mechanical impurities, high content chemical substances, which form insoluble salts, leads to accelerated wear of the surface of the disks, as a result, the tightness is broken;
2. Ceramic-metal is 50–100% more expensive than threaded crane-boxes, but their price is justified by the increased service life and ease of use.

How to choose a crane box

If it is necessary to replace the crane box, it is necessary to perform a number of measures:

• Recall or determine according to the documents of the mixer manufacturer and its purpose;
• Determine the type of box. In a ceramic-metal product, white ceramics is visible through the side holes; in addition, there will be gaskets at the end of the fitting various shapes And different material. Threaded products are equipped only with a rubber gasket of increased thickness; silicone or rubber is used for ceramic devices;
• Remember start of choke- equipped with a square or slotted head.

The external threaded part on the body (bolt), designed for fixing in the mixer, has dimensions ½ "or 3/8".

The number of splines on the head of the fitting is 20 or 24. Moreover, this type of flywheel mounting is most often used on imported mixers.

Repair and replacement

The ceramic-metal product is maintainable, it can be disassembled into separate parts and replace those that are out of order.

Causes of malfunctions

The main factors causing failure in work:

• poor quality of water, which may contain solid mechanical impurities or be saturated with chemical minerals;
• poor-quality manufacturing of the product;
• violation of the rules for the operation of the mixer (provided in the accompanying documentation).

To reduce the negative factors from poor water quality, a filter is built into the line mechanical cleaning.

A more expensive option is a complex device for complete water purification, including chemical impurities. But this design is expensive, so it is advisable to use it for country houses using water from wells.

A malfunction of the mixer, caused by the failure of the crane box, will require repair or replacement.

Crane box repair

For restoration work, the defective product must be dismantled from the mixer.

Operating procedure:

• turn off the external tap water supply to the mixer;
• the decorative cap is removed from the flywheel, the fixing screw is unscrewed;
• using a wrench or adjustable wrench, the main product is removed;
• further, the bottom gasket is removed, the rotary rod is removed.
• the damaged part is visually determined.

It may not be necessary to carry out a complete disassembly if the problems are caused by a decayed bottom gasket, replace it. More difficult - with wear of ceramic discs. This is due to the fact that it is quite difficult to find the necessary cermet - most retail outlets offer a complete ceramic crane box.

Given this factor, as well as the amount of time that will be spent searching for the necessary spare parts and repairs, it will be easier to replace the entire product.

Replacement of the entire crane box

The process of dismantling a defective product is described above. Next, you need to purchase exactly the same or interchangeable. To do this, specialized retail outlets are visited with the desired axle box, where, by visually comparing the available plumbing products, the necessary product is selected.

Installation order:

• The place for a new product is wiped, possible debris and dirt are removed;
• The purchased product is tried on. In case of an error in the selection, the purchase is changed to the required one;
• Apply waterproof lubricant. This will facilitate installation when screwing and dismantling after a period of time;
• To increase the sealing, you can additionally wrap the thread with 2-3 layers of fum-tape;
• The crane box is screwed into the mixer manually;
• Next, the blocked water in the riser opens;
• By means of a wrench or adjustable wrench, the axle box is tightened until the water stops flowing;
• The flywheel is mounted;
• Crane box installed.

Tip 1. With a soured (sticky) thread, the latter can be processed chemical preparation such as WD-40. After 15–30 minutes, in most cases, the axle box can be unscrewed.

Tip 2. In the absence of a waterproof lubricant, it can be replaced with graphite.

Tip 3. Most often, crane-boxes fail at cheap mixers, about the quality of which one can say: “that it is not cheap, but cheap.”

Tip 4. It is not worth neglecting the installation of a mechanical cleaning filter, especially if water meters are installed, this will save nerves, time and finances in the future.