# Moen Posi temp valve failure



## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

This afternoon I saw a first for me. A Moen Posi temp valve that has been in service for about 5 years was leaking. When I first took the trim off it appeared to be leaking out by the end of the cartridge. But upon further investigation I found it was actually spaying out of the back of the valve near the shoulder on the inlet. Has anyone ever seen this before? I have to go change it Monday. It should be fun, can't get to it from behind, and just enough of the tile is cut out to get the screws in.


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## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

So you're saying it was a casting problem with the valve body itself?


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Yes right in the seam where the casts were joined. I'll get a better look after I remove it Monday.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Get pictures if you can.


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## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

It's bound to happen eventually. 

Im not sure what type of quality control measures for valves they implement as far checking the quality of the cast, but I expect they do an air test or something similar. 



We actually install a lot of posi temp valves. 

Other than the spool sticking if it's not used for a period of time and the obvious stuck cartridge, I haven't ever had one leak from the valve body or from the cartridge.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

here is a crappy one. The hole is where the darker spot is.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Nathan901 said:


> It's bound to happen eventually.
> 
> Im not sure what type of quality control measures for valves they implement as far checking the quality of the cast, but I expect they do an air test or something similar.
> 
> ...


We install them almost exclusively, unless the valve is going to be customer installed. I have found an easy way for getting stuck cartridges out. This was a customer supplied from home depot, so it may have been a over tightened MIP. I ONLY use the MIP style in repair with a solid backer I can screw the valve to. Other than that I use sweat all the way.


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## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

Yea all the cartridge pullers don't work on the really stubborn ones. 

I have a piece of galvy with a notch cut out of it I use to spin them 90 degrees, then they always will pull out. 

I've broken out more than I could even tell you with a chisel though when the front half of the plastic shears away.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Nathan901 said:


> Yea all the cartridge pullers don't work on the really stubborn ones.
> 
> I have a piece of galvy with a notch cut out of it I use to spin them 90 degrees, then they always will pull out.
> 
> I've broken out more than I could even tell you with a chisel though when the front half of the plastic shears away.


I used that way before, I had a machine shop get me bit that is a 32th smaller than the cartridge. I use it to drill most of the valve out then use my heavy flat head screw driver to break the rest out.


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