loose bathroom tap on a Kemerton XL

Oh dear, the bathroom mixer tap on our Kemerton XL became significantly loose in September, (loose as in wobbling). We'd only had 9 nights away at that stage with the van from new in July. A week ago after a 2 hour drive and overnight stay, we took the van to the dealer who fixed it. After then driving to Chatsworth for a 3 night stay, I'd say the tap is becoming loose again. It's OK now but I can bet that after a few more nights away we'll need to be visiting the dealer to have this fixed yet again. Grrr

Has anyone else had their bathroom mixer tap become loose on a 2019 van?

To get to the tap means removing the sink surround which is a warranty/dealer job. It needs a nylock nut or locknut to stop it becoming unscrewed. I'd say the swivel spout was too stiff from new and the torque required to swing the spout out and back causes the tap to become unscrewed and loose.

that's annoying...as you point out, it may be that the tiighter the dealer does up the retaining nut the more difficult it is to use the swivel causing more pressure on the retaining nut and loosening it.

perhaos this time it needs a change of tap for one which swivels easily and then use a lock nut to hold it all in place.

good luck.

Fitting a heavy chrome mixer tap to a relatively flimsy plastic basin unit that inevitably flexes, strikes me as a poor design decision.  In terms of their mechanical properties they are such dissimilar components that I'm not surprised you've experienced a problem.  I don't see how those lightweight basin units will ever be up to the task of supporting a heavy mixer tap meant for installation on a solid worktop.  To then compound it further by requiring removal of the whole sink unit for rectification is unforgivable.  Good engineering design should take routine maintenance into account.

Sadly it sounds like another example of making it look good at the expense of making it last.  Moreover, it seems like a step backwards ... the tap in our 2015 Kemerton shower-room is plastic and fitted to a removable base plate set into the basin surround.  It may not look as whizzy as a chrome mixer tap but it's fit for purpose.

Given the reoccurrence of the problem and the task of rectifying it, you might want to consider having an alternative, lightweight tap fitted which is more compatible with the basin unit.

Tim

The stiffness problem is caused by the bottom ring (the ring it sits on) being tightened up to the body of the tap too much.  The swivel is pinched between ring and body.
It's possible to adjust this without removing the whole tap assembly, but, if it's due back at the dealers, it may be prudent to suggest they do it before they re-tighten the mounting.
Keith

We also have this issue on a Warwick XL, AS forgot to do it when it was in for a month.

KMRTOPAZ wrote:The stiffness problem is caused by the bottom ring (the ring it sits on) being tightened up to the body of the tap too much.  The swivel is pinched between ring and body.
It's possible to adjust this without removing the whole tap assembly, but, if it's due back at the dealers, it may be prudent to suggest they do it before they re-tighten the mounting.
Keith

Keith, interested in your knowledge of adjustment please.

I’ve had no problems with my tap coming loose but it is a tad tight. Back in the summer I’ve had the top off (grub screw behind blue/red insert) and unscrewed the small retaining ring and nut which released the internal cartridge. At this point I gave up as the tap was still tight and I assumed nothing more could be done from above.
From your post I’m now wondering if the part above the main tap/swivel also unscrews and it is this that is responsible for the level of swivel tightness?
David.
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It is quite tricky to get the right tightness. The cylindrical collar above the swivel does screw and needs to be reasonably tight to avoid a weep from around the swivel. Sadly that is nylon washers rather than O-rings. Then a brass nut above the cartridge needs to be tightened but tightening it slightly changes the tightness of the swivel. But playing should solve your problem.

Thanks Ron, cylindrical collar was the description I was after but couldn’t for the life remember!
Will have another go at adjusting in the new year.

I think there might be some confusion entering this discussion ! I stand by my assertion that the "spout" swivel can be tightened or loosened only by adjusting the bottom ring whilst holding the central body.  I have done this with two mole wrenches suitably padded, without loosening or removing the whole tap mounting.  It needs only the slightest adjustment to achieve results.
The tightness of the upper swivel (controlling H/C and flow) is controlled by a brass nut under the cover...….on all my tap(s) in the van, caravan, and house.  But, all these are now more than ten years old and designs may now differ.
Keith

I think there might be some confusion entering this discussion ! I stand by my assertion that the "spout" swivel can be tightened or loosened only by adjusting the bottom ring whilst holding the central body.  I have done this with two mole wrenches suitably padded, without loosening or removing the whole tap mounting.  It needs only the slightest adjustment to achieve results.
The tightness of the upper swivel (controlling H/C and flow) is controlled by a brass nut under the cover...….on all my tap(s) in the van, caravan, and house.  But, all these are now more than ten years old and designs may now differ.
Keith

Cheers Keith,
I will report back in the new year after having a go at adjusting my tap, will hopefully be of some use to someone with the same tap.

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Thought it would be useful to this thread to show (1) tap dismantled (2) bottom ring being unscrewed (3) bottom ring and faucet swivel dropped to reveal body of tap and the two sealing rings.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Photos of dismantling of upper body available if anyone needs them.  Keith

That’s brilliant Keith.
So is my understanding correct that to make the spout swivel slightly less tight, you need to hold the main body still and unscrew the small bottom ring by a tiny amount?
Thanks, David

Your photos are very different to my tap! I don't have the O-rings, sadly.

Yes David, I did it with two mole wrenches without loosening the tap mounting,
Try a few degrees and test the stiffness.  
Fortune favours the brave !
Keith

Just been out to my van with the mole grips Keith, I’m not sure if I was brave enough and was able to shift the lower ring but the tap does feel a bit less stiff!

I have discovered a nice surprise though, removing a simple panel gives access to the tap fixings. I can only guess this is not common on other vans that require the whole sink unit to be removed?
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That's a New Year bonus from AS !  Someone exercising a bit of forward thinking.
Everybody will want one now that you have put this pic out.


You can just see the mounting bolt and brass nut, to the left of the pipe tail.
If the ring is reluctant to move, you could slacken this nut to allow a bit of space for the tap ring to be lowered.  Still not necessary to remove the tap completely.

It certainly was a New year bonus! 
Having changed many similar kitchen mixer taps over the years someone at A/S has indeed had an outbreak of common sense and made things very simple during the build process.

The bathroom mixer tap on my 2019 Kemerton XL appears to be a Caraflow Lunar 160. Their Modesta model appears similar but the bottom ring is rounded not square as on the Lunar.
I have two issues with this tap as fitted by A/S. The body of the tap became loose within the hole of the plastic sink so much so that I could wobble it up and down, the mounting screw had become loose. The dealer remove the sink surround to tighten the screw but it is getting loose again. Since new in July we have had fewer than 2 weeks away. The second issue and probably contributing to the loose mounting is the swivel spout which is very tight. This is nothing like the similar kitchen tap where the swivel spout is free to turn. Along with my faulty EC700 panel, the tap will need attention yet again by the dealer. Grrrr

I would hazard a guess that this tap will have a similar structure and mounting as that shown in my photos.  There is nothing further that I,  and I suspect anyone else, can add.
Keithi

thought this might help, after loosening  brass top nut as instructed a little it's the middle main body which adjust pressure on spout, this section No6 is only turned by hand. we had to clean all the scale from seals as bottom seal leaked. very bottom section should be tight to shelf and fixed, held by clamp below.
when we did ours ( in kitchen) top nut was not and seems not to be over tight, No6 main body only finger tight adjustment, but all needs to be put back "U shape seals" etc clean and correct way round. not a hard job at all.
I believe ours was a whale tap. good luck.

I suspect there may be a few different taps in our vans that look very similar but have slight variations in how they are constructed and this is causing some confusion!
Mine looks near identical to that babian (see my pic in previous post) but the lower ring is different and I believe that my tap is adjusted with this lower ring as Keith mentioned earlier.
The one you show quite obviously appears to be adjusted by the middle section being unscrewed by a small amount.
David