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Troublesome soap dispenser... please help!

12 years ago

My new Lowes soap dispenser only seems to work when the bottle is completely full, which means I have to fill it all the time. After a few pumps, the pump won't pump out any more soap untill I fill it to the top again. To explain, the bottle can be 3/4 full of soap, but it won't work... until I fill it to the top. Can someone explain this mystery? Any suggestions on what to replace this dispenser with?

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Comments (3)

marcydc
12 years ago
Are there any holes or gaps in the tube near the top?
revka
Original Author
12 years ago
There are no gaps or holes in the tube that I'm aware of. The tube is made of metal.

What's odd is that if I remove the pump and tube and put it a glass half full of water, it will pump just fine. But when I set it back in the soap bottle, it won't work unless the bottle is completely full. This is a built-in type of dispenser installed next to my sink in a granite counter.
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I have a Grohe soap dispenser that is almost 7 years old, and looks like the day it was installed. I do not recall the model number. Whatever soap dispenser you get, make sure not to install it too far back from the sink edge or you will get soap on the counter. Mine seems at a good spot - approx. 2-1/4" from sink/counter edge to center of soap dispenser. It may depend on the length of the dispenser. I did have an occasional clogging problem when I was using Palmolive soap. Unclogging was easy--just stick the pump in a tall glass of hot water, and pump the hot water through until it flows easily. I did away with that issue entirely when I switched to Seventh Generation Dish Washing Liquid (learned about on this Forum, thanks!). Seventh Generation is not as thick as Palmolive. Works great too, quite the grease-cutter.
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One thought on your decision is if the Blanco has a colander etc which you place on the right side of the sink, then perhaps reverse the soap dispenser to the left side. But yes, they drilled my holes all in a row, separated by chosen distances. If the hole size for the hot water dispenser and the soap dispenser are the same, you can always change them out. Don't let the plumbers use plumbers putty on installation of the sink flange or drain. Blanco recommends clear silicone for its Silgranit. Counter tops which etch shouldn't have plumbers putty either as it may etch from it I understand. Sorry, no pictures yet. Excited for you: countertops let you know you're half way there.
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elizamamma: Measure your dispenser's escutcheon. If it is large enough to cover an elongated hole, have them return and elongate it, but make sure the moved escutcheon won't overhang the sink edge profile. I know this can be done easily, because I had to do it for the faucet in my Apron Sink Retrofit post here. I just wrote an article on how fabricators can't make any money charging $150.00 to drill a faucet hole, but it hasn't come out yet. Take care of them if it wasn't their fault, please.
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davidro1
12 years ago
dilute the soap and see if the pump passes it like water.

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