Plumbing advice needed: Hansgrohe thermostatic valve not working well

7 years ago

Hi all,

A few years ago we installed our first Hansgrohe shower system to an existing shower. We are rebuilding our house and have already bought the ibox and trim kits for two more showers for our upstairs. We have had no satisfaction with the Hansgrohe system we have currently in use. We are not sure if we have lemon parts, or if something else needs to be tinkered with. They were installed by a professional plumber, but one who had not used the Hansgrohe system before. DH and son also know quite a bit about plumbing, and will be the ones that fix what needs fixing (no budget to re hire the plumber). There are three main issues that we are trying to brainstorm how to fix:

1)The water temperature changes drastically if water is being used elsewhere in the house. For example, if someone flushes a toilet elsewhere, the person in the shower is treated to very hot scalding water. I was sure the thermostatic feature was supposed to control for wide swings in temperature, but it does not.

2) The range of temperature the shower delivers goes from cool to warmish hot. It does not deliver a hot shower (nor a cold one), and you have to be content with a warm shower even when the handle is set to the hottest setting. We have another shower in operation now (very close to the shower with Hansgrohe) that delivers very hot water. So it is not a boiler issue that is limiting the hot water. Previously, we wondered if the boiler at was the issue, but that seems to not be the case given the hot shower you get with the other shower.

3)The people at Hansgrophe advised us to flush out the cartridge. We attempted to do that, but were unable to remove the diverter trim piece. As a result, we were not able to fully remove the trim kit to ensure there was no debris that was compromising function. We loosened and them removed the bolt at the bottom of the diverter trim piece, but it would not come off.

Any brainstorming on how to fix the system would be very appreciated? I really miss having a hot shower, and dislike getting scaled when a toilet is flushed.

Carol

Featured Answer

homepro01

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Your plumber appears to have hosed this unit. I have two thermostatic from hansgrohe and another from Grohe. When there is a pressure drop, I notice that I am getting less water but the temperature does not change. Are you sure you are not able to remove the trim piece? Also, do you have an access panel to the back side of the valve and the pipes going into the ibox? There are some settings in the ibox based on the size of the incoming pipes. There are a few hansgrohe installation videos on YouTube. Maybe one of those can help address the trim removal? Does your thermostatic valve have a button on the front of the unit?

Thermostatic valve cartridge cleaning video

I wonder if your trim piece is caulked into place. If so, you can run a knife around the edge of the trim piece remove it.

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Comments (8)

ontariomom
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks homepro for your comments. So, we may have solved the problem last night. We had another theromostatic cartridge from a second Hansgrohe system we had purchased for a shower that is under construction. When we switched the two thermostatic cartridges the problems were solved. So today, I will go and buy some de-scaler and soak the original thermostatic valve overnight in the solution, and then we will swap them out again to see if that makes a difference. Previously, we tried soaking the original valve for 30 minutes in vinegar, but there was no change to its functionality.

As per removing the diverter, and thus the whole trim kit, that is still a mystery. We did cut the caulking. The temperature handle removed, allowing us access to the thermostatic cartridge. However, the diverter won't come off, and hence the round back plate won't come off either.

Carol
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Here are images of our weird installation. This is in the maximum "hot" position (as far as the lever will go). And this is an image with the handle in the maximum "cold" position. Here is a picture of the two white rings ... we think the narrower one is supposed to be installed in the wall, on the other side of the trim plate. Is this correct? As it is now, we can get very hot or warm water, no cold. The lever can be moved about a quarter way around altogether (the first two images illustrate the maximum movement of the lever). He measured the water temperature when he "fixed" the stainless sleeve (the notch was originally on the bottom instead of the top and we KNEW that was wrong); he adjusted the green nut so the water was 100 degrees when the ring was on the numbers "100" ... but I assume the position of the lever itself matters as well (and must have to be adjusted relative to the numbers on the white band since why else are they there?), since as it is, you can't even MOVE the lever to the lower numbers. HELP!!!! Am I not understanding something here? I have to be able to explain in REALLY simple words to this guy what this should look like and how it should function. He thinks it's just fine and clearly didn't really understand why the notch (by which you determine where you align the temperature number) had to be on top -- where it could be seen. I had the sense he felt he was humoring me by moving it :)
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This has discussion has a lot of great information. I'm not sure if everyone's questions have been answered but we have a very in depth article on our site regarding the difference between the Delta 17 and 17T series trim kits. It gets pretty heavy into the details. Others above have given a pretty good explanations in this discussion but I think some aspects may still be a little unclear. Here's a summary of the differences detailed in our article. 1) Water pressure: 17 Series cartridges operate using pressure balancing techniques as opposed to actually sensing temperature. This means that water pressure from a 17 Series trim will be less than a 17T Series. 2) Temperature limit stop: If you live in an area where seasonal temperature differences are greater, you may have to adjust the temperature limit stop in your 17 series shower periodically. You will never need to do this with a 17T series. 3) Accuracy: 17T keeps the temperature in a tighter range. If you adjust the temperature handle more often the 17T will give you more predictable results with less fiddling around required to get exactly the temperature you want. 4) Shower systems with multiple spray outlets: In the case of a shower system you will require more water pressure and a 17T will be better. You will also get better pressure from a standard showerhead with a 17T. These are some of the reasons the price is higher. For more info check out our article: https://faucetlist.com/blogs/buying-guides/delta-thermostatic-shower-faucet-trim-kit-cartridges-monitor-17-series-vs-17t-series-tempassure read the guide
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I had exactly your concern -- reaching in to turn on the water in our 3'x5' shower and getting my arm (or pajama sleeve) doused in cold water. We didn't have the problem with our old sliding shower doors, because the shower head end was accessible, but in our new frameless shower there will be a fixed glass panel on the left (the shower head is on the left hand side wall of the shower stall) and a glass door on the right. (We couldn't reverse the access, because there will now be a sink close to that left hand panel, leaving no room for a door.) We decided to move just the controls to the middle of the back wall of the shower, where it is much more reachable for someone standing outside the shower. We chose the simple Hansgrohe 04231 controller, so it should look fine by itself on the back wall.
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What a nice bathroom! You must be getting very excited to move in! For your shower valve, you should understand there are really THREE “parts” (or sets of parts). The first is the Rough-In. Your plumber has already installed this - it’s the Hansgrohe iBox behind your tile. This is in place, so it does require sticking with Hansgrohe for the next steps. The second “part” is the valve. This is part of what you’re waiting for - it’s a heavy brass piece with the mixing technology inside. The final “part” is the visible trim, in your case a black faceplate and handles. You could actually run the shower without the visible part, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Hansgrohe packages the valve and visible trim together. The good news for you is that you can buy ANY suitable Hansgrohe valve with ANY visible trim and have a working shower. Then when your backordered item comes in, swap it out. Ideally, as cat builder point out, you can buy exactly the right valve with any available visible trim. Then when Ferguson gets you your order, you can change the visible pieces only. Hopefully Ferguson will take back the unused brass valve. Or maybe your plumber can come up with another solution. And if you don’t want to gamble - just buy one of the less expensive Hansgrohe options and “upgrade” to your back ordered model later. It will take an hour or 2 for your plumber to make the swap. Changing the rough-in is messy and painful. Changing the VALVE to a different Hansgrohe valve is super easy. Once installed, you’re going to love the Hansgrohe system.
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homepro01
7 years ago
Congrats Ontariomom on getting the handle off. I am not sure that the trim should be caulked to the shower to make removal easy in the future. Regarding the diverted handle, do you see a slot at the bottom for an Allen wrench? Which Thermostatic trim do you have?
PRO
Mint tile Minneapolis
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
With the Ibox we are typically bonding the backer and waterproofing to the ibox then Siliconing the tile to the Ibox flange and then trimming the ibox flange excess(green plastic). The trim kit ( if it sits flush properly) I do not silicone . With most other valves YES i would silicone seal it leaving the bottom Or the 6 oclock position with a 1 inch opening for weep/drainagage. Love the ibox and its sealed housing..... a perfect valve to tie waterproofing into.. - best
ontariomom
Original Author
7 years ago
@ homepro. Yes there was a slot at the bottom of the diverter that we used an Allen wrench to remove the bolt. However, that did not allow us to remove the diverter.

@Tundra and homepro: I appreciate your insight into the steps involved in waterproofing the ibox and the need or lack of for caulking around the trim. I will pass on your thoughts to the plumbers in the family who will need this info to complete the new showers in our home.
homepro01
7 years ago
Ontariomom,

Would you mind sharing a picture of the stuck diverter? It is quite perplexing.
ontariomom
Original Author
7 years ago
Hi homepro,

Here is a link to the trim kit we bought. It is the top smaller lever that we can't seem to remove.

trim kit
Kelly Steingreaber
last year
Hello, I am having the same problem with the diverter. Did you ever get it off? If so how? I am trying to clean my thermostat cartridge and increase the hot water temp. Thank you.

Plumbing advice needed: Hansgrohe thermostatic valve not working well

homepro01

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Plumbing advice needed: Hansgrohe thermostatic valve not working well

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