Sofia Monobloc Tap B&Q

[Woody909]

Hi Forum,

I wonder if someone could help with my problem?
I bought and installed a Sofia Monobloc Tap from B&Q just over 2 years ago and you guessed it one month after the Garantee they start dripping. Presumably its the washer or needs reseating, OK a 10 minute job but can I see how to get the taps apart? No. The current model looks like this and there is an Alan Key on each tap lever, presumably to get it apart. (See photo) On mine this Alan Key is not present. There is one at the back which takes the mixer part out but still no access from there? Take a look.

[DLMURL="http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9996593&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=sofia+taps&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1252346282497&isSearch=true"]Sofia Monobloc Tap Stainless Steel Effect, 0000005178933[/DLMURL]

Please dont tell me I have to take the tap out to change the washer, it was a mare of a job fitting them as access was so poor. Any pointers much appreciated.

Woody

 

[Phil]

All B&Q taps now are of a very poor quality, all Chinese rubbish with zero parts back up.

If it was bought two years ago then it may be from their decent stock before they changed suppliers.

To get the ceramic cartridges out you need to pull up the collers underneath the handles. As for replacement cartridges then all I can say is try the ones B&Q sell themselves at £18 each.

Most merchants round here have stopped selling these cartridges beacause there's so many differnt kinds now its impossaible to keep up with them. They all have a 1/2" BSP thread but its the height of the shaft and the number of splines that differes.

Next time try and fit Franke, Bristan Pegler ect then you will get spares.

 

[woodbine]

Next time try and fit Franke, Bristan Pegler ect then you will get spares.

Or my favourite, Grohe taps. Cheap taps are always a false economy. The are often less pleasurable to use, go wrong quickly, then you find you can't get the parts to fix.

Fit it once, fit Grohe. Great quality, and in the unlikely event it goes wrong, they have great spares backup.

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

Cheap taps annoy me so much

When the customer picks them and just want them fitted and a year later when they fail and say it must be my fault!

I haven't gone far wrong with mainly fitting Bristan with 5 year guarantee

But when the customer picks them thereselves for a budget bathroom... eeek!

 

[Woody909]

Thanks for your advice chaps. Lesson learnt. I will try and pull them off then. What can I lose? Next time I will go for a decent make.

 

[upthewall0]

My reply to B & Q. Hope it helps.

Denise,

Let's see if I can help you followed by I hope some constructive criticism.

1) I have repaired the leaking Sofia tap despite the advice on the unavailability of spare parts given to me by B & Q using a B & Q ceramic cartridge costing about £15 (no I no longer have the receipt).

2) The problem is that the original Sofia tap cartridge has a blue plastic cap on the cartidge spindle (a spline within a spline) which makes the spindle diameter big enough to fit the
Sofia tap handle. This must be removed and fitted to the replacement cartidge spindle. It is very difficult to remove and the method I adopted was to warm the blue plastic cap by pouring boiling water over it causing it to expand. The cap can then be removed by careful use of a pair of pliers. Damage the cap or lose it and it's game over.

3) I suggest you contact your tap supplier (no doubt Chinese) and ask him to forward, say one thousand of these plastic caps to keep as replacements for those customers who damage or lose their caps. One thousand caps will cost pennies.

4) I suggest that you inform all your stores about the above method of ceramic cartridge replacement. It will save a lot of angry and frustrated customers.

5) Finally, go on to the internet and search for 'Sofia taps problems'. You may or may not be concerned how customers view B & Q's response to such problems as that detailled above. B & Q have a bad reputation regarding the sale of far eastern goods and the avalability of spares.