# Forum Home Renovation Plumbing  Problem with installing Ceramic Disc Taps

## pauldub

Hi, 
I recently purchased some new taps for our shower and they came with ceramic disc spindles. 
I have taken out the older spindles with plastic valves and put in the new ceramic disc taps, however when i turn the mains back on the taps don't work. The water flows through whether it is in the on or off position. 
Do ceramic disc taps need a different type of of fitting in the wall?
Any suggestions if the problem can easily be fixed would be appreciated.  
Cheers

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## Overkill

You need to buy replacement ceramic disc spindles that match the length of your existing taps - yours are too short or not screwed in far enough and not sealing against the body of the tap. Check out this site to see all the variations in replacement disc taps and how to ID your original taps: easy_stop_leaking_taps

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## wonderplumb

Ceramic disc taps come in two pieces. The inner spindle unscrews from the outer bonnet. You need to seat the inner spindle first then the outer bonnet goes on and seals against the tap body. You will have to polish the tap seats to ensure a positive seal and a smear of silicone based tap grease on the rubber seal will ensure it doesn't grab on the seat and twist, causing a leak. 
Common rookie mistake, the instructions should have elaborated on this :2thumbsup:

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## cyclic

> Ceramic disc taps come in two pieces. The inner spindle unscrews from the outer bonnet. You need to seat the inner spindle first then the outer bonnet goes on and seals against the tap body.

  That is providing the op has purchased adjustable and not fixed.

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## wonderplumb

Where do you get single piece ceramic disc taps? They're all adjustable to allow for variations in seating depths otherwise they don't work.

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## cyclic

> Where do you get single piece ceramic disc taps? They're all adjustable to allow for variations in seating depths otherwise they don't work.

   
TZ 2009,  in the easy tap link above

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## Overkill

Its more likely the tap spindle was just too short. I bought one of these in Bunnings just to see how they worked. The spindle was far too short to seat in the tap I tried it on.

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## wonderplumb

Well there you go, I don't see how they could sell them, you'd only need a seat that had been cut to its limit or a tiny variation in tap body depth (variations between different manufacturers for example) and they wouldn't work.

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## cyclic

> Well there you go, I don't see how they could sell them, you'd only need a seat that had been cut to its limit or a tiny variation in tap body depth (variations between different manufacturers for example) and they wouldn't work.

  Not wanting to get off topic but as a point of interest, when CD tapware first came out, none of them were adjustable because the target market was new installations, so for a lot of years a lot of Plumbers had a fun time cutting seats further than they had already been cut then fitting push-in or screw-in stainless seats. 
One manufacturer I remember, Donson, had thicker base washers in an effort to accomodate reseated taps and of course you could also use thinner body washers. 
Fun times to say the least.

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